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Indian essentials

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Want some curry in a hurry? Our friends from Australian Table magazine share their expertise on how to dish up an Indian banquet like no other.
Serving it up
Traditionally, all Indian dishes are served at once, not as separate courses. These include rice or bread, a curry or two (one meat, poultry or fish and one vegetable), maybe a dhal, and sambals. Sweet dishes are traditionally eaten as snacks, but these days they are often served with a meal as dessert.
Buying and storing spices
Spices are central to Indian cooking, so it is important that they're as fresh as possible. Avoid buying too many different spices at one time. Purchase only the spices you like to use most and throw them out after six months. Whole spices keep better than ground, so it's worth having a small electric grinder (such as
the type used for grinding coffee) or a pestle and mortar for grinding them fresh each time.
Tools of the trade
Indian cooks prefer heavy-based pans because of the intense heat often involved during cooking. A kadai, or heavy wok, is an Indian kitchen standard. Thick aluminium ones with handles are best and mustn't be confused with the decorative, lighter, kitchen-to-table kadais that are not suitable to cook with.
What to drink
Alcohol is generally considered taboo in India and is banned for most of the religious celebrations. Water is the first choice for Indians, and lassi, a drink made of yogurt — sometimes sweet, sometimes salty — is often served. Another favourite is a refreshing drink made from fresh lime and sugar. Those who do drink alcohol often choose beer or whisky.
To make a lassi: blend 400g natural yogurt with sugar or salt to taste and
1 cup chilled water. Stir in 1 teaspoon roasted coriander seeds and sprinkle
over pistachio slivers.
To make iced lime water: in a large jug stir 1/3 cup sugar with 3 cups chilled water until sugar dissolves. Add the juice of one lime and a little salt to taste and stir well. Pour into glasses over ice and finish with lime slices and sprigs of mint.
The spice lowdown
Ground spices and blended spice mixtures need to be cooked on a very low heat to prevent burning. The blend is ready when it releases its fragrance and begins to separate from the oil in which it is fried.