FNB News - Ginger, turmeric, chillies and black pepper - key spices in Maharashtra

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SPICES

Ginger, turmeric, chillies and black pepper - key spices in Maharashtra

Monday, 02 February, 2015, 08 : 00 AM [IST]

Venkatesh Ganapathy

Aromatic food substances, which enhance flavour, are classified into spices. Spices are usually dried roots, barks, seeds used whole or crushed and powdered. Spices add a glorious touch to food with its flavour and fragrance.

Spices add flavour, colour to food and make the food palatable.
It stimulates salivation and acid secretion of digestive enzymes like amylase.
It has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties. It reduces cholesterol levels useful in preventing heart diseases.

Spices today, command the same respect as in earlier ages. Lot of efforts have been put by the farmers to adapt to the changing conditions and needs. A case study of different spices will reveal the increase in yield and production. Generally spices like chilli, ginger, garlic, and onion are grown in Maharashtra and others like cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and black pepper are grown in south India on large scale. Chilli is grown throughout India in over nine lakh hectare of land. Chilli is one of the most popular spices used across India for its pungency, flavour and carminative properties. Few know that chillies also contain antioxidants.
Maharashtra is one of the states that grows spices on a large scale. Area under the spices crops is 1.62 lakh ha and production of spices is roughly 14 lakh metric tonne. Ginger, turmeric, chillies, black pepper and cardamom are the common spices that are grown. Coastal belt – Konkan – is more conducive for growing spices. Western Maharashtra region is famous for turmeric cultivation. Of late, some of the farmers have started growing spices without the use of fertilisers, which is a healthy sign indeed.

In 2002, the area under cultivation for spices was 1.66 lakh ha, while the production was 13.65 metric tonne/ ha. In 2010-11, the area under cultivation was 1.17 lakh ha and the production was 10 metric tonne / ha. In 2011-12, the area under cultivation for spices was 1.17 lakh ha and the production was 5 metric tonne / ha. However, the projections for 2025 are promising: By 2025. It is expected that 3 lakh ha will be allocated for growing spices in Maharashtra and the production is expected to touch 30 metric tonne / ha.

Spices make the food lip-smacking. In Maharashtra, single ingredient spices are as popular as the blended spices because the Maharashtrian cuisine is generally heavily dependent on spices and flavours. Companies that sell spices and other flavours believe in conducting a lot of market research and use it as a key input for the new product development effort.
Manufacturing plants in Maharashtra now use state-of-the-art technology. Plants have now become fully automatic with advanced manufacturing technology and quality inspection techniques. Even packaging of spices and flavours has now become mechanised to ensure improvement in hygiene. Some of these manufacturers have also diversified into making products like pickles and jams. Even within single ingredients in spices, variants are available depending on the raw material grade.

Blended spices are a combination of different spices in a set proportion. For instance – the garlic-onion spice blend, masalas for pav-bhaji, chhole, sambar, biryani, chicken and mutton. Spices are selected and blended together considering the result required in the end dish. The interesting thing about using all these spices and flavours is that they make the home cooked food as tasty as that is available in a hotel. Thus we can get the best of both the worlds.

Turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, black pepper powder, dill seed powder, curry powder, and cardamom powder are the popular spice products that are widely used in Maharashtra.

Figure : A spice blending unit
Raw spices are procured after a stringent selection process of reputed suppliers from all over India and abroad. The spices are processed in unique customised plants designed specifically for the company. The R&D function has to closely work with the procurement, production and marketing teams to assure the flow of quality products.

There are few things that permeate Indian life so completely as spices. The aroma, colour, taste and texture of the astonishing varieties of spices in India nourish a rich variety of cuisines and cultures. In Western cuisine there is greater emphasis on retaining the original flavours.

Maharashtrian cuisine is not only tasty and delicious but there is a wide variety available - pav bhaji, vada pav, puri-bhaji, thalipeeth, misal, bharli vangi, and usal. In sweets it includes puran poli, shrikhand, kheer, shira, and besan laadu.

What is unique about Maharashtra is that the culinary practices vary from one region to another. Like its diverse landscape and people, its tastes also vary along its region. People living in Goa and North Karnataka relish some of the Maharashtrian delicacies.

From the Konkan coastline to the Vidarbha regions every delicacy has a different process of preparation and spices used in it. Kolhapuri is famous for its spicy food – particularly non-vegetarian.

Fig : A vendor making the ubiquitous pav-bhaji
As you delve deeper into the delicacies of Maharashtra, you get to taste the quintessential vada-pav and potato pohe made from rice flakes, onions and spices.

Maharashtra is a large state with widely different geographic regions. In addition, the urban areas have different traditions than the rural areas. This difference is reflected in the way food is prepared and consumed.

Right from the pure vegetarian delicacies of Brahmin cuisine where not even garlic and onion are used to Kolhapuri cuisine, a non-vegetarian cuisine and Malvani cuisine where the main dishes are the preparation of seafood, these are all the specialty of Maharashtra’s cuisine.

For the aesthetic sense of the taste, Maharashtra is an ideal choice where you can find the dish that suits your taste better than anything. The Karwar Oysters (crisp coated in spices), Konkan's Curries, Janjira's Crabs and red hot Kolhapuri Tamda meats is what that takes to blow your senses with its rich taste. Added with the hospitality, the style and sequence of serving dishes is in itself an alluring experience. Spices lend a unique flavour to these delicacies.

Proximity to the sea has added to Maharashtra’s cuisine repertoire in the form of delicacies based on seafood. Thus coastal seafood is popular in Maharashtra.

The different varieties of fishes are cooked in different patterns to enhance taste. Bombi or Bombay Duck and Pomfret are served batter fried, stuffed, barbecued and crisp while Bangda or mackerel the most popular fish is curried with chillies, ginger and other spices. Crabs, prawns, lobsters and shellfishes also enrich the menu besides fishes. Taste the sungtachi-hinga-kodi a special prawn dish with the coconut gravy and blended with spices.

As far as the vegetarian dishes cooked in Maharashtra are concerned, the extensive usage of cashews and peanuts not only adds to its rich taste but makes it equally nutritional. Brinjals are the most popular vegetable cooked in different patterns with the coconut. And how can one miss the patal bhaji, a sweet and sour dish flavoured with groundnuts and spices.
Coriander flavoured butter milk is a favourite. Saffron is the spice used in shrikhand. Even when betel leaves are offered after a meal these prove to be a gastronomic delight, as they invariably contain cardamom that acts as a mouth freshener.

Traditionally, Maharashtrians have considered their food to be more austere than that of other regions in India. Also, because of economic conditions and culture, meat has traditionally been used quite sparsely or only by the welloff until recently. Maharashtra and particularly, the metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Pune tend to be cosmopolitan and this has influenced the food habits of the urban population.

One of the spice combinations that is famous in Maharashtra is the goda masala that essentially consists of some combination of onion, garlic, ginger, red chilli powder, green chillies and mustard.

There is a common myth that spices are harmful to the gastric system. But spices make the food palatable and when consumed in moderation, they actually supply the required antioxidants and nutrients for the body.
Fig : Kothimbir Vadi that is best served with spicy garlic chutney

Fig : Misal that is a popular snack item in Maharashtra
Maharashtra is famous for the red chutney made from garlic and chillies, and fried green chillies. Often this is called as lasoon-chutney [garlic chutney] and is an accompaniment with vada pav.

The cuisine of Maharashtra is largely influenced by the landscape, the people and the crops grown in various regions. It is not only memorable for its subtle variety and strong flavours, but also because of the legendary hospitality of Maharashtrians.

"Kolhapuri Thecha" is a popular spicy Chutney item made from green chilly, onion, garlic, salt and other spices. As a result of the long Islamic Moghul rule in the region, the cuisine of Aurangabad has been highly influenced by the North Indian method of cooking. Aurangabad's food is much like Moghlai or Hyderabadi food, with its fragrant pulaos and biryanis. Meat cooked in fresh spices and herbs is a speciality, as are the delectable sweets.

The city of Nagpur boasts of generally spicy food, with a good amount of ghee, and peanuts, dried copra and dal. Nagpur is also famous for its spicy non-veg preparations known as Saoji preparations, that are generally made by using clove-pepper paste instead of red chilli powder.
The city of Solapur has a mixed culture of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The most popular dish is Shengachi poli or groundnut bread, which is sweet bread or poli just like puran poli. Another popular item to accompany many dishes is peanut chutney or spicy mixture of crushed peanuts, red chilli powder salt, and other spices. The ubiquitous chivda is never complete without addition of roasted groundnuts or added flavours.

A typical Maharashtrian Thali
Overlooking the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea is the western state of Maharashtra, which presents a strong blend of the traditional and the contemporary-each co-existing with the other with surprising ease.

The cuisine of Maharashtra has its own distinctive flavours and tastes. It can be divided into two major sections - The coastal and the interior.

The coastal area boasts of its own cuisine, which is a homogeneous combination of Konkani, Malvani, and Goan cuisines. Besides the coastal cuisine, the interior of Maharashtra has its own distinctive cuisine known as the Varadi cuisine.

A lot of spices are used which have dry red chilies and other spices like coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, ginger, and garlic. Some dishes also use Kokum, dried Kokam (Amsul), Tamarind, and Raw Mango (Kairi) for seafood specialties.

Spices are the core elements of Indian cooking and are the perfect blending of spices that give Indian food its subtle magical flavours, aromas and texture in making the dish exceptionally delectable and exotic. One such expertly blended spice mix is the goda or kala masala from Maharashtra, India’s mid-western coastal state. It is this classic “black” spice mix that gives Marathi food a “magical” flavour. This dark brown, spicy-sweet masala is the base of most of Maharashtrian vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes, just like the popular Indian garam masala. What makes the kala or goda masala unique is the use of rustic ingredients and the method of individually roasting and grinding an array of spices that are mixed in to make a dark aromatic blend.

‘Kala masala’ or goda masala is a mixture of spices that gives the dishes that delectable and yummy taste. Ginger and garlic are commonly used in Maharashtrian cuisine. ‘Kala masala’ mainly consists of coriander seeds, whole red chillies and chopped dehydrated coconut along with cloves, peppercorn, bay leaves, black cardamoms, caraway seeds, turmeric, asafoetida, sesame seeds, and cinnamon ground together.

A large variety and range of food is available in Maharashtra. The cuisine has a powerful fragrance of spices, ginger and garlic.

Goda masala is distinctive, very aromatic mixture of spices which is basically a Maharashtrian Indian spice powder with a pack of punch. Goda masala from the Maharashtrian cuisine has a unique flavour and complex that cannot be replaced with any other combination of spices.
A spoon of goda masala added to any dish, adds extra delicacy to the whole dish. Goda masala is also known as kala masala or black masala as the spice mixture appears blackish in colour. This particular black masala is very typical and used in most of the recipes that originate from the state of Maharashtra. Goda masala is prepared with an array of aromatic masalas, roasted chilli powder, asafoetida (hing), coriander, cumin, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and turmeric perfectly blended together and grounded.

Traditionally few section of the Marathi community use the ingredients like coriander seeds, cumin seeds, white sesame seeds, cloves, beg cardamom, cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns, dagadphool (lichen) and bay leaf in making the goda masala whereas few do not use the sesame seeds and coconut as addition of coconut would make the masala spoil soon and would not last for longer time. The authentic goda masala is a special spice mixture has over 15 Indian spices in it including some unique spices like dagad phool, naag keshar, badal phool etc. Adding even a pinch of this spice mixture gives the dals and curries an extraordinary taste.

To make goda masala, roast all the spices using oil in medium heat till they become darker in colour and then ground to a smooth powder. When the spices are roasted enough for them to be dark brown in colour when ground, it is called ‘kaala masala.’ It is said the roasting of all spices beyond the point brings out a smoky sweetness that is unique to this spice blend.

Medicinal value of spices

Spices	Medicinal Value
Aniseed (Somfu/owa)	An infusion of fennel is used to counteract flatulence. It is mildly carminative and used in treating colic pain.
Asafoetida	Asafoetida is used as an antimicrobial agent. It is also used in treating chronic bronchitis and whooping cough. It is used in counteracting intestinal flatulence. It increases the levels of detoxification enzymes in the body.
Clove	Cloves contain eugenol which has anti-mutagenic effect. It is used for tooth pain.
Coriander seed	An infusion of coriander seeds is used in flatulence, vomiting and intestinal disorders. Coriander seeds contain thalides which increase the levels of anticancer protective enzymes.
Cumin seeds	It is used as stimulant and carminative agent. Cumin seeds contain bio-active substances called pthalides which increase the levels of anticancer protective enzyme in the body.
Fenugreek seeds	Fenugreek seeds aid in maintaining the blood glucose levels in non-insulin dependent diabetes. The fibre present in the seed may be responsible for this. It is also used with the butter milk in the treatment of dysentery.
Garlic	Garlic is used to treat various digestive disorders. Extracts of garlic can lower tissue cholesterol levels and prevent heart diseases. It is also an anti-fungal agent and helps reduce the fat content in blood (helps in blood thinning) and thus reduce blood pressure.
Ginger	Ginger is reported to reduce inflammation and pain in joints. It also has potential prophylactic use in treating migraine headaches. It may also be effective in alleviating nausea.
Mustard	Mustard seeds are rich in sulphur containing compounds namely the dithiol thiones, which protect against the toxic effects of aflatoxin. The dithiothione is also used as antischistosomal drug. Consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with negative cancer risks.
Nutmeg	Nutmeg has antimicrobial property. The volatile components of these spices are believed to be responsible for this property.
Onion	Consumption of raw or cooked onion is believed to aid in maintenance of normal glucose levels. Onion has antibacterial properties. The sulphur containing compounds from these plants strongly act against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. The extracts of onion are known to inhibit growth of many pathogenic fungi belonging to aspergillus and candida. Onion can lower blood cholesterol and lipid levels and be useful in preventing heart diseases.
Omum	Omum water is given to children for digestion.
Pepper	It is used along with hot milk for throat infections.
Saffron	Saffron is used as sedative and also used for eye infections.
Turmeric	Protective factors in turmeric help in detoxifying harmful drugs or chemicals that are converted to toxic metabolites. Turmeric also helps in increasing the mucin content of gastric juice and reduces irritation in stomach. It is also used to relieve sore throat, cough, cold and against flatulence. Turmeric isolated from turmeric showed potent antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. The active principle of turmeric, curcumin is known for its inhibitory action on bacteria and arrest the growth of fungi.

(The author works as associate professor (marketing & operations) at Presidency School of Business, Bengaluru. He can be reached at kalakadvganapathy@gmail.com)