Creating One's Own Curry Powder: A Journey with Babish

Headed over to the stove, we're going to toast all of these spices in a dry stainless steel saute pan. Why don't we do that? Now over medium heat, we're gonna keep swirling on this guy, we want to keep the spices moving so they don't stick or burn and we're gonna keep this up until they're nice and toasty, they smell nice and fragrant but they're not quite smoking. I personally like to break up my cinnamon stick a little bit all you got to do is use your strength like so. Oh, hang on a second maybe first you have to use your ingenuity and there we go, breaking it in half and then using your strength and let's break this up into six pieces, yeah four is probably fine. And like I said just keep testing until they're nice and fragrant but not quite smoking.

Then immediately remove them from the heat and dump them into your favorite spice grinder which is just a coffee grinder that you only use for spices. We've got some really hard stems and seeds and shells in here so make sure you process them halfway to death because last thing you want to do when you're eating your curry is pull chunks of rock-hard cloves out from between your teeth. I like to initially dump it out and give it a feel if you still feel any whole spices in there you can either sift them out or toss them right back into the spice grinder to give them another whiz maybe kind of knock it around a little bit to make sure that all the spices are getting a little bit of blade time until you are left with a fine, fragrant powdery powder. Which once we add a little bit of freshly grated nutmeg will blow the absolute pants off anything that you can get at the grocery store in a bottle, don't believe me shove your nose into it and see if you don't arise changed man.

Making Our Own Curry Powder

First up, we're gonna make our own curry powder out of one stick of cinnamon, 1 nutmeg, 2 dry bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of whole cloves, 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds, or as I call them cilantro babies, 1 tablespoon of cardamom, and optionally 1 teaspoon of red pepper flake for a little bit of heat. Now with the exception of the Nutmeg we're going to toast all of these spices in a dry stainless steel saute pan. We want to keep swirl on this guy, we want to keep the spices moving so they don't stick or burn and we're gonna keep this up until they're nice and toasty. They smell nice and fragrant but they're not quite smoking.

The Art of Creating Curry Powder

Making your own curry powder is an art that requires patience and attention to detail. The first step is to choose the right spices, and for that, you can't go wrong with a classic combination like cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, cloves, cumin seeds, cilantro babies, and cardamom. Each of these spices brings its own unique flavor and aroma to the table, and when combined in the right proportions, they create a truly magical blend.

The process of making curry powder begins by toasting the spices in a dry saute pan over medium heat. This helps to bring out their natural oils and intensify their flavors. Once the spices are toasted, you can grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Be careful not to overdo it, as this can result in a spicy blend that's overwhelming.

Adding Cardamom

One of the key elements in making curry powder is adding cardamom. This sweet and aromatic spice adds depth and warmth to the blend, and when combined with other spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, creates a truly unique flavor profile. When adding cardamom to your curry powder, be sure to use freshly ground seeds for the best results.

The Importance of Red Pepper Flake

Red pepper flake is an optional ingredient in making curry powder, but it adds a spicy kick that can elevate the entire blend. Whether you like your food hot or mild, red pepper flake can add just the right amount of heat to your curry powder. Just be sure to use it sparingly, as too much can overpower the other flavors.

The Finishing Touches

Once you've made your own curry powder, it's time to add a little something extra to bring out its full flavor potential. A pinch of salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice can do wonders for enhancing the aromas and flavors in your curry powder. And remember, the key to making great curry powder is to experiment and find the combination that works best for you.

Creating the Perfect Chicken Tikka Masala

Now that we have our very own homemade curry powder, it's time to put it to use in one of my favorite dishes - chicken tikka masala. This Indian-inspired recipe consists of marinated chicken cooked in a rich, creamy tomato sauce flavored with spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric.

The key to making great chicken tikka masala is to cook the chicken just right. You want it to be tender and juicy, but still retain its texture. To achieve this, we're going to finish cooking the chicken in the sauce for about 5 minutes, which will help it absorb all the flavors and create a rich, creamy consistency.

The Secret to Brighter, Bolder Chicken Tikka Masala

So what's the secret to making my chicken tikka masala brighter, bolder, more floral, more interesting, and more customizable than the one from your local takeout place? Well, it all starts with using fresh ingredients like heavy cream and long-grain basmati rice. Add a generous portion of curry powder, some freshly squeezed lime juice, and a pinch of salt and you've got yourself a dish that's truly out of this world.

The Importance of Rice

Rice is an essential component in making chicken tikka masala. The key to cooking perfect long-grain basmati rice is to use the right technique - baking it in the oven instead of boiling it on the stovetop. This helps to create a fluffy, separate grain that's perfect for sopping up all the flavorful sauce.

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"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enbasics with babish and the all-new basics with babish comm are brought to you by squarespace head there now to checkout recipes from the show kitchen equipment lists my personal blog posts and more get 10% off your first Squarespace order with offer code babish whether you need a domain website or online store make your next move with Squarespace alright so first up we're gonna make our own curry powder out of one stick of cinnamon 1 nuts of nutmeg 2 dry bay leaves 1 tablespoon of whole cloves 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds 3 tablespoons of coriander seeds or as I call them cilantro babies 1 tablespoon of cardamom and optionally 1 teaspoon of red pepper flake for a little bit of heat and now with the exception of the Nutmeg we're going to toast all of these spices in a dry stainless steel saute pan why don't we head on over to the stove alright so now over medium heat we're gonna keep swirl on this guy we want to keep the spices moving so they don't stick or burn and we're gonna keep this up until they're nice and toasty they smell nice and fragrant but they're not quite smoking I personally like to break up my cinnamon stick a little bit all you got to do is use your strength like so oh hang on a second maybe first you have to use your ingenuity and there we go break it in half and then use your strength and let's break this up into six pieces yeah four is probably fine and like I said just keep testing until they're nice and fragrant but not quite smoking then immediately remove them from the heat and dump them into your favorite spice grinder which is just a coffee grinder that you only use for spices we've got some really Hardy stems and seeds and shells in here so make sure you process them half way to death because last thing you want to do when you're eating your curry is pull chunks of rock-hard cloves out from between your teeth so I like to initially dump it out and give it a feel if you still feel any whole spices in there you can either sift them out or toss them right back into the spice grinder to give them another whiz maybe kind of knock it around a little bit to make sure that all the spices are getting a little bit of blade time until you are left with a fine fragrant powdery powder which once we add a little bit of freshly grated nutmeg will blow the absolute pants off anything that you can get at the grocery store in a bottle don't believe me shove your nose into it and see if you don't arise changed man so now on to the making of the actual tikka masala first up we have to make a yogurt marinade for our chicken starting with a cup of full fat yogurt and that I'm going to peel my ginger using a spoon which is a trick that people talk about and I'm gonna grate about two inches worth of ginger into the bowl but you are not done grating now we're going to grate two cloves of garlic into the mix and of course we're gonna add about a tablespoons worth of our freshly made curry powder I'm also gonna season our marinade with a pinch of salt some freshly ground pepper and a healthy squirt of olive oil go ahead and tiny whisk those all together and here you will find one of the few times that I'm recommending boneless skinless chicken breasts I think something is fatty and rich as chicken thigh would be overwhelming in a tikka masala context anyway we are cutting our chicken into 1-inch cubes rigorously mixing them into the marinade and there you have it chicken tikka masala chat down I'm kidding don't do that that's how you get dead instead we're going to allow our chicken marinate for at least four hours and up to 24 once the chicken is thoroughly marinated spread out evenly on a broiler pan set in a rimmed baking sheet and introduced them to a broiler set on high for 10 to 15 minutes until they register about a hundred and sixty degrees internally while waiting for that it's time to make that famous beautiful bright orange sauce for which we're going to need two inches worth of grated ginger I have a small yellow onion minced finely two cloves of freshly grated garlic and one small birds eye chilli finely minced and you can remove the stems and seeds if you want to make it a little less spicy now in a large saucepan we're heating two tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering adding our onions sautéing until softened about three minutes then adding our ginger garlic chili a tablespoon of tomato paste and a heaping tablespoon of our curry powder we're just gonna toast those all together for about 30 seconds or until very fragrant and then at one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and a little pinch of sugar just to help offset all the acidity and we're gonna let that cook for about five minutes get our long grain basmati rice going you guys know how I like to do it by baking it but make your rice however you like and then it's time to add to the our tomato mixture 3/4 of a cup of heavy cream this word chicken tikka gets its signature color and it wouldn't be chicken tikka masala without chicken our chicken is fresh out the broiler and since we only pushed him up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit internally we're going to finish cooking them in the sauce for about 5 to and minutes as with all great things in life taste for seasoning add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper as desired and now it's time to plate up I'm gonna start with a nice comfy bed of rice upon which my chicken can lay its head and then spoon a generous portion of the UK's national dish over top I am contractually obligated to garnish with a sprig of cilantro but you definitely don't have to if you share my affliction and there you have it a chicken tikka masala that is brighter bolder more floral more interesting and more customizable than the one from your local takeout place will ever be the only thing missing really is naan and samosas and mango lassi and korma but we'll get there folks 1 basics episode at a time for now though I hope you give this a try yourselves and I 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