"Wazza" > wrote in
:
> "mroo philpott-smythe" > wrote in message
> ...

> Nigella is the seed from a flowering plant called 'love-in-a-mist'.

That's Nigella damascena, which I grow in my garden. %^)

The Nigella from which the kalonji comes is Nigella sativa, which is native
to India, I believe.

> is called wild black onion seed because it looks similar to it, but
> not botanically or presumably taste. Buy black cumin from an
> Indian/Pakistani grocers, it is often called kala jeera or shah jeera.

Thanks, I got some. I remember my dad used to cook with it.

> I would use cassia in place of cinnamon and mace for nutmeg.
> The original recipe called for roasting the spices, I would not.

Thanks very much for the recipe.

>> Cassia, not cinnamon? I've been using cassia up to now, but recently
>> bought some excellent high quality cinnamon and was going to make a
>> little garam masala using that.

>> Your recommendation?

> I find cassia has a darker savory note, which goes with other spices
> well. I also grind my own spics, and find that cinnamon can produce
> sharp shards when ground. I do not grind my spices too finely, to
> reduce the possibility of burning when fried in oil.

I also grind my own spices in a coffee-grinder (which is never used for
anything else). However, I find that that type of grinding causes some
problems, On the other hand, I really don't want to go back to the old
days, when one had to grind on those huge granite blocks, even if that does
create the best texture and quality!

>> > I would agree about the sour cream, obviously a western
>> > interpretation. I think the paprika, if used, should not be added
>> > until after the yoghurt, its only for colour.

>> But one can buy a less-hot mirch powder to use, no? I really do not
>> like the way paprika's flavour clashes with the spices used in this
>> dish.

> Ideally, I would agree. As this dish (should) have originated in NW
> India or even Pakistan, the use of Kashmiri chillies is likely, which
> are much milder.

Would you believe the Indian grocery store where I bought the kala jira is
now carrying bags of paprika right next to the mirch!

I used to get my mirch ground fresh at the local spice shop, but that is
not possible in the U.S.A. For one thing, they don't even carry all those
varieties of mirch that I'm used to.

I'll try the online spice dealers to see if I can find Kashmiri chillies.
Thanks for the tip.

sq