It has come to represent the varied dishes that are stew like or a soupy. These dishes are cooked in steps with the following seasonings which are called masalas.
1. A base of spices sauteed in ghee or oil
2. Herbs and seasonings like curry leaves or fenugreek may also be added
3. A secondary level of seasonings are added and include all or some of the following - a mixture
of onion, garlic, ginger
and tomatoes
4. A third level may include coconut milk, almonds, cashews or cream
5. All curries have a sour taste which may be achieves with lime juice, tamarid, mango powder, kokum or yogurt
In America many believe curry is an Indian spice. Curry powder is sold in many supermarkets. Many dishes in American call for curry powder, which is actually a blend of spices (mainly garam masala) that is mixed with coriander powder and turmeric. In India, Indians would be confused if you mentioned curry powder. The role of spices and herbs goes beyond just cooking. Ancient ayurvedic texts prescribe the herbs and spices for curative and therapeutic functions. Ayurvedic scripts dating back to 3000 years, list the preventive and curative properties of various spices.
1. Curative Properties: Gigi Eapen has learnt to use this knowledge and weave them into everyday dishes. Ginger prevents dyspepsia, garlic reduces cholesterol and hypertension and fenugreek is a good resistance builder and with pepper often serve as antihistamines, turmeric is used for stomach ulcers and for glow of the skin
2. Preserving Foods: Spices have been used to make the food last longer in the days when refrigeration was absent.
3. Aiding Digestion: India substitutes for the western after dinner mint are fragrant spices such as fennel, cardamom or cloves. Effective mouth fresheners, they aid digestion, prevent heartburn and curb nausea. Others such as asafetida and ginger root, have been known to counteract flatulence and colic, and are added to lentils, a must with every Indian meal.
4. Balancing Tastes and Properties of Food: Each spice has a property not just a taste property but warm or cooling property to it. It also has many other properties. Gigi generally understands these properties and cooking is elevated to yet another level by using this knowledge of spices into the cooking. The classic Indian curry often combines the following spices, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, cloves, ginger, red and black pepper as well as other spices. One popular variety of spice blend used in Indian curries is called “Garam Masala”. A ‘dry’ curry simply means that there is less liquid involved in the cooking process than you would normally associate with a curry. All Cafe Bombay’s curry’s or gravy’s thicken with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and other Indian spices. Everything is homemade. We can adjust spicy level, salt and other spices from 0-10. Some items we make without spices, onion, garlic, chilly, ginger, tomato bell pepper etc. Please tell us your taste preference before ordering. Your comments are welcome. Write or call us to comment on our food, service, facility, quality or any other concerns.
