Indian Recipes And Spices: History, Present And Benefits

For centuries south asian region has been rich. Rich with it’s spices and food recipes. For years, the region lured various different crusaders to invade the region over centuries. Beginning from the 14th century, the moghuls invaded and ruled, what is today the Indian subcontinent, for over three centuries. And then came the marvelous voyages of Christopher Columbus taking upon the arduous long voyage and Vasco De Gama of Portugal, all because of the lure of rich and vast variety of spices in the sub-continent.
Vast fortunes have been made and squandered, powerful rulers seduced, ailments cured and nations have been discovered. All in the name of spices. Spices have always cast a spell on our imaginations. Spices flatter our senses; our sight with their vibrant colors, our smell with their enticing fragrances and our taste with their distinct unique flavors.

Today, India is one of the largest exporting nation of spices in the world. Vast variety of spices grow due to natural conditions available in various parts of India. The major western, south-west, south and south-east is tropical in weather conditions, north-west, north are dry with less humidity and north-east and east have pre-dominantly high-rainy seasons.
Due to the abundance in availability of spices in India, Indian food is never bland. Most of the recipies originating from the Indian sub-continent contains spices in the list of ingredients. Spices in Indian food are not heavy and although Indian food is not bland, most Indian dishes are delicately spiced to enhance the flavor of the main cooking ingredient. Curry powder sitting on the grocers shelf may be like saw dust when one compares it to the fine spices roasted, combined and dry ground or wet ground in the traditional Indian traditions. Today one of the most famous entrée in the west consists of curry – a blend created mixing various different ground spices in right proportions with the water. However there are many delicacies in Indian recipes due to the inclusion of variety of spices.
Fresh ground spices are the order of the day in an Indian home and will be chosen according to the nature of the dish, season, individual and family. Some of the common Indian spices available are red chilli pepper, turmeric, black pepper, nutmegs, cloves and many more.
Other then the usage of spices in culinary, they are also used as medicine. 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. Looking at curative properties of some of the spices - 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.
Spices have been used to make the food last longer in the days when refrigeration was absent. And even today in some remote parts of India where electricity is not available, spices are used in food for preservation.
In India the western after dinner mint is substituted by the fragrant spices such as fennel, cardamom or cloves. Effective mouth fresheners, they aid digestion, prevent heartburn and curb nausea. Others such as asafoetida and ginger root, have been known to counteract flatulence and colic, and are added to lentils, a must with every Indian meal.

Free Stuffed Jalapeno Pepper Recipe

Do you have the stuffed jalapeno pepper recipe? Do you know what is a Jalapeno? Jalapeno is a kind of pepper that is used as ingredients. Well, if you don't have, here's the recipe for your reference. For you to have a delicious jalapeno pepper you must follow the directions carefully.
Stuffed jalapeno pepper recipe is an easy way to prepare. Because jalapeno pepper recipe has less ingredients unlike other recipes that have plenty of ingredients. Maybe you may be asking yourself some questions like what was really jalapeno pepper tastes and where is jalapeno pepper recipe came from? Well, maybe it is an Italian or a Mexican food. We know that Italians and Mexicans love cooking. Instead, of asking yourself so many questions, start planning and preparing the recipe. Some recipes have 3 ingredients only and some has 7 ingredients. And it’s your choice whether you like to prepare it with less or plenty ingredients. It is easy for you to prepare it because it is affordable.



There are many recipes regarding in making the stuffed jalapeno pepper recipe. And here are the following ingredients and instructions to follow on how to have a delicious jalapeno pepper are as follows: 12 large jalapeno peppers, 12 slices of bacon, 1 pk of imitation crab meat. After preparing all the ingredients, you must prepare it.
First, is you must slice one side of peppers leaving them intact, remove seeds and membranes.
Second, stuff it with crab meat.
Third, wrap with bacon strip and secure with toothpick.
Next is bake in 400 degree oven until bacon is crisp, approximately 20-25 minutes, turning as needed.
Fifth one is eat the jalapeno pepper as soon as you can hold it if its not hot. Or you can choose this ingredient: Jalapeno peppers, 1 lb. ground meat, Chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic and sm. Jar Cheez Whiz.
The instructions of this recipe are the following: Cut jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove seed and soak in cold. Brown ground meat. Salt, pepper, garlic and chili powder are used as seasoning. When the meat is brown, add Cheez Whiz. Mix it until the cheese became melt. While cooling mixed it till the cheese mixed. Stuff peppers halves.
So come on! Try the stuffed jalapeno pepper recipe to experience the delicious taste of it. Just try either of the two recipes that are listed and you will enjoy eating it together with your family and friends.


Candis Reade

Free Canning Hot Peppers Recipe

Do you have a plan to do any canning? Well, as we all know canning is a process of putting foods in cans or jars for preservation. And one example is the canning hot peppers recipe. And you can make it on your own if you have your equipments with you. Its easy. You only need to follow the directions carefully.
Today, many products are introduced to us by the different industries. And they are preserved inside the cans or jars. Not only the smoked foods are preserved but also they have the canning hot peppers recipe. The taste of this recipe is it depends on you whether you like it more hot or not. Then if you know what you like its up to you to add extra ingredients like chili powder or whatever ingredients you like. But first and foremost there are lots of things that you should know and reminded of. Like the things that are used in canning like a pressure canner (12 qt. capacity or more), canning jars and new lids and rings, a jar lifter that is used to pull the hot jars after processing and a canning funnel. And if you have all of the things in you then you can now start doing the recipe.
In preparing the canning hot peppers recipe you need the following ingredients such as 5 pounds ground beef, 2 cups chopped onions, 1 clove crushed garlic, 6 cups canned tomatoes and juice, œ cup chili powder, 1 œ tbsp. salt, 1 hot red pepper, chopped thinly and 1 tsp. Ground cumin seed. These are the following ingredients that are needed in making a hot pepper recipe. The ingredients that are listed above can be change whether you prefer adding a few extra cloves of garlic and another hot pepper but it depends upon on how hot the peppers are or what do you like most. And sometimes you can also add Œ cup cider vinegar and quite a lot of ketchup using tablespoons and use 2 tsp. cumin instead for flavoring. By adding extra ingredients it helps a little bit to be hot.

Instructions for canning hot peppers recipe as follows:
1. In the bottom of a large pot, the ground beef, onions and garlic should be cook until brown. It should be drain so that the amount of fat will lessen. So that high fat cannot be included in cans because it has a tendency to cause higher proportion of jar seals thats why it fails during processing.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and reduce the heat when it boils. Continue cooking at about 20 minutes. Take away the floating fat.
3. In the meantime, prepare a pressure canner with a number of inches with boiling water. Place clean jars in the boiling water or maybe it can be washed in a dishwasher but if only your dishwasher has a sani-cycle, it is better.
4. Place the jar caps in hot water and get it when you are ready to use it.
5. Fill up the hot jars, one by one, should have at least 1 inch of headspace. Headspace is the amt. of space b/w the lid and the chili. Take away air bubbles from the mixture, if any, using a plastic knife or either a straw or it can be a plastic bubbler that is available from Ball.
6. Clean the rims of the jars with a dry paper towel so that they are perfectly clean for them to be seal well. Put the lid on and squeeze the ring until the point of resistance is met. Place the jar into the boiling water in the canner, and continue to fill up the remaining jars until all are used.
7. Place the lid on the canner but leave the faucet open or if you're using a weighted gauge canner, do not place the weight on for 10 min. It is necessary to vent a pressure canner so that there are no air pockets in the canner during processing. After 10 min. of venting close the faucet or position the weighted gauge. Don't begin timing until the gauge begins to rock 2-3 times a min., or if you are using a dial gauge canner, when the pressure comes up to 10 lbs.
8. Begin timing. Processing of pint jars is for 1 hour. 15 min. or qt. jars is for 1 hour. 30 min. long. If you are at a higher elevation than 2000 feet, check your USDA extension service about adjusting processing times for the elevation.
9. When the processing time has completed, let the pressure canner to cool for at least 30 min. and take away the weight gauge. After the pressure is at 0 pounds psi or (on dial gauge, or not steam escapes after the weight is removed), then it is the safety time to remove the lid. Face the lid away from you as it is removed. Be careful of the steam. Let jars sit at least 5 min. in the canner, then remove using the jar lifter to a draft-free place to cool and let it for at least 24 hrs. then remove the rings and wash jars. Test the lids by tapping gently with a metal spoon you will hear a ringing sound. And if you hear a dull sound from a jar that does not sound like the other, break the seal and put the jar in the refrigerator and use within a few days or reprocess it within 24 hrs. A new lid should be use.
Canning hot peppers recipe is very easy when you follow the instructions carefully. So try your home canning chili to serve your family anytime.

Candis Reade

How to Make a Seductive Chili

Dedicated Chili cooks always seem to be looking for an amazing recipe for a blow-you-out-of- the-water chili. Wouldn't it be exciting to UNLEASH your chili and rock your family and friends’ worlds, save money and have a great time preparing it? Searching the Internet, I found so many of you looking for new chili recipes. My husband, Coach, is a gourmet cook who has developed chili recipes that are easy, time and money saving and make your body tingle from the first taste right down to your toes.
Slow cooking is the key to this dynamic recipe. Due to this cooking process, less expensive cuts of meat can be used. Actually, they are more flavorful and tender using this process. We have found a sultry and seductive chili is produced using a slow cooking technique.
Finding a recipe that uses your local grocery store ingredients is a time and money saving benefit of this chili. There are no fancy ingredients that you have to go to a specialty shop to buy. So, you can get the ingredients during one of your weekly food shopping trips.
This recipe is time and money saving and produces a sultry chili that your family and friends will think came from a high-class restaurant.

Dynamic Chuck/Pork Roast Chili


Ingredients 3-5 lb. pork roast salt and pepper to taste 1 onion 1 red, green or yellow bell pepper ½ cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro 4 cloves of garlic 2-3 chopped jalapenos with seeds 1 teaspoon of salt 2 tablespoons of cumin 1 tablespoon of chili powder (A local grocery store brand is fine.) 3 16 oz. can of black beans Trim fat down to you dietary requirement or remove after cooking.
Leave the bone in to cook – it adds more flavor.
Put chuck roast or pork roast in roasting pan with a lid. Add 64 ozs. of liquid in with the meat. Salt and pepper the meat. Put the fat side up. Roast the meat only on 350 degrees for 2 hours. Leave the bone in the meat.
After roasting the meat for 2 hours, put in all of the remaining chili ingredients. Putting the vegetables in for the last hour will not only cook them through, but the vegetables will maintain their color and consistency. This cooking technique will not allow them to be absorbed into the broth.
Add onion of your choice, green, red, or yellow bell pepper. Add chopped cilantro, chopped garlic, and finely chopped jalapenos. If you want more heat, put the seeds in from the hot pepper. Otherwise discard the seeds.
For spices, add salt, cumin, and your favorite chili powder.
At the end of the 2-hour cooking time, add the vegetables and seasonings to the meat broth. Remove the meat and let stand. Be sure the meat is tender enough – it should be almost falling off the bone. Stir the vegetables into the meat broth. Roast the vegetables and V8 broth for one hour at 350 degrees.
Check the vegetable mixture after an hour, and if vegetables are cooked through, remove the pan from the oven. Stir in 6 cans of beans. Cover and let sit about 30 minutes until beans heat through.
Pull the meat apart into shreds. Discard fat and bone. Add the meat into the bean and broth mixture.