Receipe for Pumpkin Pie

Halloween is right here and pumpkins are every where. Try a recipe of my favorite pumpkin pie. I use a 9 inch pie crust shell from local super market. I don't know how to make a shell from flour !. I use the following to make the pie.

Ingredients:
1) 1 1/2 cup of evaporate milk
2) 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
3) 1/2 tsp Indus Organics clove powder
4) 1/2 tsp Indus organics ginger powder
5) 1 tsp Indus Organics Ceylon Cinnamon powder (If you use cinnamon from super market grocery store, it will be spicy, Ceylon cinnamon will provide sweet taste)
6) 3/4 cup sugar
7) 2 cup Pumpkin puree
(link to make puree http://www.ehow.com/how_8305_make-pumpkin-puree.html)
8) 3 eggs
9) 1/4 tsp salt

Topping:
1) 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
2) 2/3 cup brown sugar
3) pinch of salt
4) 3 tsp melted unsalted butter

Work you have to do:

1) Pre-heat the oven
2) Roll out the dough in the pan
3) Bake the shell as per instruction by manufacturer
4) Cool completely before filling
5) Mix the gelatin and evaporated milk together
6) Add Ceylon cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and whisk until blended.
7) Add the eggs and sugar and whisk again until blended and smooth.
8) cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly for 10 minutes until mixture thickens slightly
9) Remove from the heat and add the pumpkin and whisk until smooth
10) Pour the filling in to the prepared pie shell and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs.

Let us make the topping now:

1)Combine the ingredients of topping and spread over the cooled pie
2)Broil for 2 min until topping turns light brown, (don't burn the topping !)

Sit down, relax and enjoy the Halloween pumpkin pie with a cup of tea or coffee.

Hot Spice Blend - Garam Masala

Cumin Cardamom Clove Fennel Black Pepper Coriander Ceylon Cinnamon

We have been selling spices for some time. People often ask me, do you have Organic Garam Masala and Organic Curry Powder. when we say no, they look at us strangely. I have grown up eating Indian food that is made with curry powder or Garam masala. Then why don't we sell it ?. Good question !. You can find these blends almost at any gourmet store and others who claim to know about Indian/Asian cooking. I am not fully convinced about offering the product. May be I am ......

My mom has a different recipe than my sister and grand mother !. Hmm, which one we should choose. Blend varies from family to family and region to region !. How do you select a blend ?. I thought it will be a good start to start discussing the recipes. People can then change the ratio and ingredient as per choice. My thinking comes from buying computer from DELL that is designed for my requirement. These spice blends are good for short period of time and after a while they loose the aroma. Here is one of my Mama's recipe that is liked by many people. I am going to work in small quantities so that people can change as per taste.

Spices used in the blend use best of the best ingredients and you won't find this high quality hot blend anywhere !

Key Ingredients: (makes 1/4 cup)
1) Organic Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
2) Organic Coriander Seeds 1 teaspoon
3) Organic Tellichery or Malabar Black Peppercorns 1 teaspoon
4) Organic Cardamom Seeds (removed from pods) 1 teaspoon
5) Organic Fennel Seeds 1/2 teaspoon
6) Organic Clove Buds 15
7) Organic Real Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks 3 (3 inches each)

Process:

1) In a small pan, roast all the spices over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until shades turn slightly darker, start to crack, and become fragrant.

2) Transfer the spices into another bowl and let them cool for 5 minutes.

3) Grind in a spice grinder until mixture has the texture of finely ground black pepper.

4) Store in an airtight container in a cool dark place.

After few trials, one can adjust the ratios as per the taste.

Garlic

Garlic has a long history of usage around the world for its medicinal and culinary usage. Garlic is used not only as a spice when dehydrated but also a vegetable. A real garlic has a strong aroma that can last for hours. Generally people use a mouth freshener like fennel seeds or other products to reduce the smell.
Garlic is used in making Indian curries, pasta sauce, garlic bread etc. It is also used as a garnish in salads.



Medicinal properties of garlic have been known since ancient times.

Several studies have shown that garlic and onion consumption can reduce various type of Cancers. For detail information, please visit US National Cancer Institute. Garlic has been shown to interfere with several prescription drugs, especially the HIV medication saquinavir (brand names Invirase® and Fortovase®). Garlic can lower the serum levels of saquinavir by as much as 50 percent. Garlic also acts as a natural blood thinner and, thus, should be avoided by pregnant women, people about to undergo surgery, and people taking blood thinners, such as warfarin (brand name Coumadin®).

Fenugreek seeds - For Diabetes & Nursing Mothers

Fenugreek seeds have been used extensively in Asia, Middle East, Africa and Bulgaria for culinary and medicinal purposes. Fenugreek has been used as a medicine for several centuries.
In India, fenugreek seeds are one of the ingredient of panch phoran, Idli & dosa, Khakhra and other culinary preparations. In Persia, it is one of the ingredient of Iranian recipe Gormeh Sabzi. In Egypt, it is used for making Tea. Jews customarily eat fenugreek during meal of first and/or second night of Rosh Hashana

Fenugreek seeds and powder has been used by nursing mothers to increase inadequate breast milk supply. Studies have shown that fenugreek is a potent stimulator of breast milk production and its use was associated with increases in milk production of as much as 900%. ^{More information is available at the following link about the precautions and usage.}

Several human intervention trials demonstrated that the anti diabetic effects of fenugreek seeds ameliorate most metabolic symptoms associated with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in both humans and relevant animal models by reducing serum glucose and improving glucose tolerance.
Studies on fenugreek has shown that it reduces the blood glucose and serum lipids in Type 1 Diabetes.

Fenugreek is currently available commercially in encapsulated forms and is being prescribed as dietary supplements for the control of hypercholesterolemia and diabetes by practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine. Please visit the site of National center of Complementary and Alternative medicine.

Please consult your natural medicine practitioner before making any decision about your medical condition. Fenugreek has not been approved as medicine by USFDA.

Why Hot Masala Chai is So COOL !

Masala Chai : A beverage from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. By itself,Chai is merely a generic word for Tea in much of the world, but for many English speakers outside those regions, "Chai" is always construed as "masala chai".Gourmet grade Masala Chai is easy to make at home without spending a fortune. One can add the ingredients as per the taste and can make a mixture for storage or when in hurry.
I am a Masala Chai drinker and drink every day without fail. It has become very trendy to drink a masala chai. However, masala chai has lot of health benefits due to its ingredients. Tea leaves, main ingredient, has lot of antioxidants. Spice mixture/blend has medicinal properties of digestion, reduced blood sugar level, vitality, stimulation and carmanative.

The traditional masala chai is a bracing, strongly spiced beverage brewed with so-called "warm" spices. Most masala chai incorporates one or more of the following: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, fennel seeds, nutmeg, peppercorn, and cloves. Traditionally, cardamom ( Queen of Spices) is a dominant and gives the flavor. Indian masala mixture and cuisine also commonly use other spices such as cloves, ginger, or black pepper; the latter two add a pleasantly piquant flavor. In India, for example, fresh ginger is usually used.  The Kashmir version of chai is brewed with green tea instead of black tea and has a more subtle blend of flavorings: almonds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and sometimes saffron.

Normal Method of Preparation:
The simplest traditional method of preparing masala chai is to actively simmer or boil a mixture of milk and water with loose leaf tea, sweeteners, and whole spices. Indian markets all over the world sell various brands of "chai masala," (Hindi चाय मसाला [chāy masālā], "tea spice" ) for this purpose, though many households blend their own. The solid tea and spice residues are strained off from masala chai before serving.

The method may vary according to taste or local custom: for example, some households may combine all of the ingredients together at the start, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately strain and serve; others may leave the mixture simmering for a longer amount of time, or begin by bringing the tea leaves to a boil and only add the spices toward the end (or vice-versa).

There is no fixed recipe or preparation method for masala chai and many families have their own versions of the tea. The tea leaves (or tea dust) steep in the hot water long enough to extract intense flavor, ideally without releasing the bitter tannins. Because of the large range of possible variations, masala chai can be considered a class of tea rather than a specific kind. However, all masala chai has the following four basic components: Tea leaves, Sugar, Milk and Spices.

My Gourmet Method : For two cups or small tea pot
Boil the water in a tea pot and drop a tea spoon of Tea leaves (don't use tea bag cut or powdered tea) for smooth taste. Add the following spices:
1) Real Ceylon Cinnamon bristles from the stick or use 1/4 tbsn of powder. Ceylon cinnamon sticks are easy to break with hand. I use Ceylon cinnamon because it gives the sweet taste. Regular Cinnamon (called cassia ) sold in most grocery stores gives you spicy taste. Cassia Cinnamon is hard and no one can peel it (method of distinction between real Ceylon & Cassia)

2) If you have fresh ginger, put small quantity by grating it. One can use Ginger powder for everyday usage. 

3) Add 1/4 tbsn of fennel seeds. fennel seeds also add soft and sweet taste. 

4) Add 2 clove buds or a pinch of clove powder. 

5) Add two Green cardamom pod for the smooth taste. I use Indian green cardamom due to its flavor. Most of the cardamom sold in grocery store is from Guatemala. I prefer Indian cardamom for its taste. Indian cardamom is harvested once a year where as Guatemala cardamom is harvested atleast twice in a year.

Leave all the mixture in the tea pot. Keep the leaves & mixture in hot water for 2-3 minutes. You can see the opening of leaves in the. water. Tea is now ready for filtration. I add 1 tbsn of milk and sugar (as per the taste) in the cup along with tea mixture.It is essential to add only small amount of milk otherwise it looses the tea flavor.

Note: You can customize the Chai flavor by doing few trials of spice mixture. You can use powder spices if you don't have time.

Wonder Seeds - Black Seed (Nigella Sativa)

Black Seed, Kalonji (Botanical name - Nigella Sativa) are often confused with black cumin. Some people also call it Black Cumin Seed. Nigella is the dried seed like fruit of a small herb about 2 ft high. Plant has graceful flowers which ripen into seeds. It is grown in Middle East, Southern Europe, and most extensively in India. Seeds have faint nutty but bitter taste due to presence of Nigellin.

Natural practitioners use Nigella for its carminative, stimulative and diuretic properties. It is also used as a natural insect repellent !. Black seed has been used for building immune system, respiratory ailments, toxin cleansing and fighting the allergies. Positive-Action.net lists several other medical benefits :Cough & Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, Enhancing milk supply in nursing mothers, Eye infection, Nasal Congestion, Kidney Stones

Nigella is delightful with fish, in nan breads and salads. In West Bengal, India, it is used in spice blend 'panch phoran' and it gives a distinctive taste regional taste.

The first book to fully explore the extraordinary effectiveness of black cumin against immune-system disorders, allergies, asthma, and skin problems. * Written by the world's foremost experts on black cumin. * Includes precise directions for preparation and specific recipes for treating a variety of ailments.

Usage of Black seeds is not approved by US FDA for curing any disease or preventing any illness. Information is provided here for general education purpose. Consult your natural health professional for your specific condition.

FDA DISCLAIMER

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are for educational purposes only. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness, disease, or condition.

Black Peppercorn - King of Spices

Pepper is one of the most important of all the spices. It is also knows as "King of Spices". India provides one of the finest Black pepper in the world. Indian black pepper, "Tellicherry" and "Malabar" has history of several hundred years. These peppers are most widely used by gourmet chefs around the world.

Black pepper is the whole dried fruit that grows on a vine. Green peppercorns are picked from the vine and then dried to make black peppercorns. Black peppers are grown in Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, Sri Lanka and other countries. However, all peppers are not same. Tellicherry pepper is the best and most expensive pepper. One can see the comparison of different peppers here. White pepper is made by soaking the black pepper in water for few weeks and removing the outer skin. White pepper is more pungent than black pepper since it is the solid core of the fruit.

Black & White Pepper are the most widley used spices. One can find their usage in almost every cuisine, starting from salad, meat dishes, Indian curries to Italian pasta. It is used in pickles, ketchup, sausages and many blends of seasoning. It is also one of the key ingredient of Indian curry masala and Garam masala.


In India, it is used not only in kicthen but also in medicine cabinet. People use black pepper for digestive properties, Amnesia, Coughs, Impotency, Teeth Disorder and many other problems. I use the pepper with almonds when I have cough & cold. Ask your natural health practioner for any specific condition before you use it.

Turmeric - A magical spice

Turmeric is one of the most important spice for its culinary usage and medicinal properties. It is an indispensable culinary ingredient and imparts a musky flavor with yellow color. It is used extensively in Asian cooking for making any type of curry. It is also used as a coloring matter in pharmacy, confectionery and food industry.

Turmeric is widely used as antiseptic for healing wounds inside and outside the body. It is used as an intestinal antiseptic, expelling worms, anemia, and treatment of measles. Due to its antiseptic properties, it is used as an effective remedy for chronic cough and throat irritations. It is very effective in treatment of skin diseases like ring worm and scabies. Turmeric is also used extensively in beauty care industry. Turmeric has an active ingredient called Curcumin that is responsible for the curative properties.

MD Anderson cancer center at University of Texas has been studying curcumin for cancer treatment, Cholesterol, HIV, Inflammation, Osteoarthritis, Stomach ulcer, and many other diseases. Please visit the site UT MD Anderson school website for more information. Prof. BB Aggarwal and other people are studying Curcumin and its implications at Anderson medical center.

Mayo clinic is also studying the use of Turmeric for cancer treatment. Timothy Moynihan, MD at mayo clinic says: 

1. Curcumin is thought to have antioxidant properties, which means it may decrease swelling and inflammation. It's being explored as a cancer treatment because inflammation appears to play a role in cancer.

2. Lab research suggests that curcumin may slow the spread of cancer and the growth of new tumor blood vessels. It may also cause cancer cells to die. In the lab, curcumin has been studied for use in treating or preventing colon, skin and breast cancers.

At this time, there isn't enough evidence to recommend curcumin for preventing or treating cancer, but research is ongoing.


This blog should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.

Cardamom - Queen of Spices

Cardamom(Elettaria) is the "queen of spices", second only to black pepper, the "king of spices". It is one of the most valued spice in the world. Cardamom belongs to the same family as ginger and turmeric. Cardamom pods are the fruits of the plant that has large lush green leaves and has beautiful white flowers. Cardamom fruits are harvested and then dried. Indus Cardamom is green in color since it is not dried in sun. Cardamom is native to India and it is grown in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Sumatra & Guatemala. In India, it is harvested once a year where as in Guatemala it is harvested at least twice in the year. Taste and aroma of Indian cardamom is very different from Guatemala counterpart. Cardamom is grown in regions of heavy rain fall . It can not be grown in Europe, Africa or US.

Cradamom has pleasant aroma and slightly pungent taste. It is used as a breath freshener in India and other countries. It is used as a key ingredient in masala Chai and has gained more market in the US. Cardamom is used in curries, cakes, bread, flavored rice and confectionery.


Cardamom is essential oil is used in pharamceuticals, perfumes, flovoring liquers, and as a stimulant. Cardamom is used to reduce the impotency and pre-mature ejaculation by many people. A pinch of cardamom boiled in milk and sweetened with honey every night would result excelelnt results.

Product usage are not tested and approved by USFDA. Products are suggestions by natural health practioner, please consult your doctor.

Why Spices Should be Organic ?

Lot of people ask me about spices and herbs. Main question they ask, I use small amount of spices - why do I care about organic?. It seems right at first glance. However, there is a main reason that people often forget. For example, 1 lb of organic garlic powder is produced from 10 lbs of raw garlic bulbs. Similarly, 1 lb of organic cayenne pepper is produced from 8-10 lbs of fresh cayenne pepper. Therefore, potency of spices are much higher than fresh product. If we are using several spices, amount of chemical intake is substantial in our food. Dried spices and herbs have different drying & processing ratio associated with fresh products. There is an additional purity factor that is associated with stems and outer skin of the product.

Why spices are more expensive than Rice ?
Most spices are harvested once a year in a season. Amount of produce per acre is much smaller than other commodities like rice and wheat. After harvesting, post processing of cleaning, drying, powdering etc. is required. Most of spices have loss associated with drying. This ratio can be from 5 to 10, depending on the spice. Therefore, cost of spice produce is higher than other commodities.