Ingredient
5 large Kashmiri chillies
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1½ tsp cumin seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
2-3 cardamons
5-7 cloves
1/4 tsp of black cumin (shahi jeera)
¾ cup fresh coconut (or fine desicated coconut)
1 tsp poppy seeds
1½ tsp peppercorns
1 tsp turmeric
2-inches fresh ginger
8-10 garlic cloves
1 medium onion - sliced
1 small marble-sized piece of tamarind pulp
1 tsp raw rice (helps thicken the curry)
¾ cup water (added gradually during grinding)
Cooking Steps
Step 1: Dry roast whole spices & Rice:
Heat a dry pan on medium heat.
Roast the dried chillies, corianer seeds, peppercorns, cumin, black cumin, cloves, cinnamon, poppy seeds, and raw rice for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant.
Step 2 - Roast the Onion and Coconut
In the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil and saute the sliced onion, garlic, and ginger for 3 minutes until softened.
Add the grated coconut and roast on low-medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the coconut turns a golden brown.
Stir in the turmeric powder, mix well for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and let everything cool completely.
Step 3 - Grind
Transfer the roasted mixure into mixer grinder and a splash of water.
Add the tamarind flesh and a little water, and blitz until a thick paste forms.
To Store
To store transfer the mixture into a dry airtight container and wait until it completely cools to room temperature before putting the lid on. Store in the fridge until required.
To Freeze
Spoon the paste into clean plastic ice cube trays and freeze for 3 to 4 hours until the cubes are completely solid. Then pop the masala cubes into a heavy duty zip top freezer bag.
Each cube is roughly 1-2 tablespoons of paste.
Use in Fried Masala Meat Curry with Methi and Potatoes and other meat dishes.