Pat's garam masala

These are the proportions of spices to use for for seasoning 2lb of vegetables or meat or already cooked legumes. You can make the garam masala in bulk ahead of time too - just keep the proportions when increasing the quantity. All the spices should be finely ground in a coffee grinder separately or together. (The cinnamon should preferably be the real thing from Ceylon not the cassia substitute which is called "cinnamon" in the USA - but the latter will do if the real thing is not available.)

1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp turmeric

The last three items together are often called Gujarati masala as they are the basis of most Gujarati cuisine (and other northern Indian cuisines such as Punjabi). They add the other more aromatic spices in varying quantities depending on what they are cooking. For instance meat is "sweeter" than legumes or vegetables and therefore does not need as much of the sweeter spices like cinnamon and fennel as legumes and most vegetables.

Finely ground dried chillies or cayenne pepper are added to the above mixture in the quantity that provides you with the "heat" (piquancy) that you want. But you can use chopped fresh chillies like serranos instead or as well.  For instance: I like my curries fairly piquant and would add 1/4 tsp cayenne or one small chopped serrano.

There is a technique in Indian cuisine called varga (or barga) which is used to "refresh" the spices before adding any other ingredients. Put some olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold all the other ingredients that you intend to cook. I like my curries to be fairly oily and would use about a quarter of a cup of oil to "refresh" the spices (more oil for legumes; less for fatty meats.) Stir the masala into the oil and gently heat until the spices sizzle. Take the skillet off the heat unless you have the other ingredients already prepared and can add them immediately to prevent the spices from burning.

To make a basic curry sauce for 2lb of meat, legumes or vegetables, add the following ingredients to the masala.

1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup finely minced (or grated) fresh ginger root
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Add all of these except the cilantro to the oil and masala in the skillet and sautee until golden brown.

Add 1 to 2oz of canned tomato paste (or a cup of tomato puree or a cup of diced fresh or canned tomatoes). I sometimes use a mix of all or any of the above depending on what I'm cooking. For instance to cook 2lb of meat or legumes I would use the whole 2oz can of paste. I would use half of that for vegetables but I like to add diced fresh or canned tomatoes for vegetable dishes. Dilute the paste with water to a consistency like gravy and stir into the masala.

If you have ghee (clarified butter) use that instead of the olive oil. Coconut oil can also be used but I often add 4 oz butter or cream to the sauce just because you can never have enough cream or butter - well, that's my French blood.

The cream or butter is especially recommended for non-fatty meat dishes (like chicken breast) or legumes. If you are using this sauce to flavor 2lb of legumes to make a dahl, cook the legumes separately ahead of time (after soaking over night of course - except red lentils which don't have to be soaked merely boiled till tender).

If you are using raw meat (cut into bite-size chunks) now is the time to add it and simmer until cooked. I usually use leftover roast leg of lamb or beef or chicken for curries. Add the meat or legumes to the sauce and stir in the cilantro at the last minute before serving.

A nice addition at this stage would be 1 tbs cardamon seeds. Mustard seeds are not essential but, if used, one tbs should be added at the varga stage. Whole cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, bay leaves and cardamon pods are sometimes used instead of the ground versions. They are best placed in a muslin bag like a bouquet garni unless you don't mind biting into the occasional woody bits.

And last but not least add salt to taste.  Serve with basmati rice and accompanying chutneys, raitas and achars.

Curry is especially good for leftover cooked meats especially chicken because it masks the sulfurous stink of reheated cooked chicken.  

Chicken tikka masala is a dish that Indian restaurants in the UK invented for Brits.The story is that a Brit complained that his curried chicken was too dry. So the cook added a can of tomato soup and some yogurt.