Reddit mentions: The best indian seasonings

I am a little late to this but I'll agree with what others have said that what your describing is papdi chat.

The great thing about papdi chat is that it's kind of a build your own snack. When hosting parties my mom often will have the various ingredients that go into it set out individually so people can build the chat according to their own preference. A few more thoughts:

• The onions you're talking about were raw, usually of the red variety or either finely chopped or minced.
  
  
• While you can use greek yogurt its more common to use plain yogurt since it tends to be less dense and hence easily spreadable and plain yogurt will be less creamy, even a touch sour compared to Greek yogurt.
  
  
• There were two other components that often get added to a chat that you were missing: chat masala (easy to get either at an Indian food market or you can order it [here] (http://www.amazon.com/Shan-Chaat-Masala-Seasoning-100g/dp/B000MSS6CO/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1462838233&sr=8-6&keywords=chat+masala)); and tamarind chutney (imly in Hindi), which has a sweet and somewhat piquant taste. The sweetness nicely balances out the other savory / spicy flavors. Edit to add: If you use the chat masala which is entirely optional and wouldn't necessarily be missed if you didn't just be sure to use it sparingly. Its pretty strong and a little bit will go a long way. Best to just dust a little on top when everything else is put together.
  
  
• Last point about the yogurt. If you really want to go all out you can make (or if you have an Indian food market near you get pre-made) dhai bhalle which is yogurt with deep fried lentil fritters. [Here's a good recipe] (http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/dahi-vada-recipe/). Bhalle are really nice in chat because they offer a bit more of a softer doughier mouth feel in contrast to the papari though the outside will have that great fried crunch.
  
  Ok. I think I've gone on for long enough about papadi chat. Time to get back to work. Hope this was helpful.

Well, i like to cook so i prepare all my lunches for the week at home on sundays. (We cook dinners too, but more flexible there)

I make a tandoori chicken drumsticks. this is the powder mix I have: http://www.curryfrenzy.com/curry/recipes/Tandoori-Powder.html

There is also this(for the lazy): http://www.amazon.com/Shan-Chicken-Tikka-BBQ-Masala/dp/B000MSS6C4/ref=pd_sbs_gro_2 , but i don't know the macro's on that.

(also buy this: http://www.ishopindian.com/shan-meat-tenderizer-pr-23637.html , it's basically roasted ground pomegrante seeds)
so the recipe for that is:

(Serves 12 drumsticks)
Take your thawed chicken drumsticks and strip off the skin. (You could actually make a crispy chicken skin w/ this, which is something i'm experimenting with).

Make cuts in the thickest part of the drumstick and make sure the cut is down the bone. Use a SMALL amount of the meat tenderizer powder 1/2 teaspoon.

Rub in very well, making sure to get the powder inside the drumstick and along the bone.

Let sit for about 20-30 minutes. Not too long or else the meat will turn almost... gooey.

Afterwards mix in:
3 tablespoons of tandoori powder (you might need to add more chili powder here, I usually do, but i'm indian and we like spicy :) )
2 cups of yogurt
8 tablespoons of lemon juice (be cautious here, I like my chicken rather tart, you might not, experimentation is KEY :P )
2 tablespoons of oil, i prefer sesame for the flavor/smell.
salt to taste, for this amount I'd say about 1 tablespoon will be sufficient, if it's not part of the mix (not sure about the shan mix, but my mix above doesn't have salt).

Let sit for 30 minutes. (btw, if you want you could mix all the powders & liquids at once and let sit for 45 min. I find it slightly changes the taste though as the tenderizer doesn't have room/space to do it's magic)

take a baking pan and line it with aluminum foil (for easy cleaning).
but a elevated cooking rack on top. put the chicken on the rack so the grease/fat & juices drip into the pan below.

pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

throw in the oven for 20 minutes, flip the chicken over at the 1/2-way mark.
Remove, let cool for a couple minutes and enjoy.
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The chicken you make won't quite look like what you get at a restaurant, but it'll taste at least as good. (they use a tandoori oven, which is a kind of horizontal grill, so the outside of the meat caramelizes & burns way better. i think they use some kinda food coloring too, cause those are super-bright red)

It's "just OK". Aldi occasionally has boxed kits - the tikka is passable, but the vindaloo is surprisingly good. Like, really good. I always buy 5-6 boxes when they have it.

Aldi sometimes has jarred Indian sauces with a dry spice packet on top, like this. The Madras is very, very good, as are the Rogan Josh and Dopiaza (those last two are for red meat, though). Again, the Tikka sauce is passable. Just an FYI, if there's a Lidl near you, they carry these sauces all the time.

But the best Indian sauce\spice packet I've ever had is Indian Essentials Butter Chicken (note the Amazon price is for a box of 12 packets). The packets are nothing but spices (I don't even think there's salt in them) and it's super easy to make: cut up chicken and onions, brown them in a pot, add the packet, cook for a couple minutes until fragrant, add a 16 ounce can tomato sauce and reduce heat. Put some rice on; when there's a few minutes left on the rice, add a ½ cup cream to the curry and stir well.

i need that! i tried this one (http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Essentials-Seasoning-Tikka-Masala/dp/B00H5QPD8G/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_3_dp) for the first time last night and i loved it! i followed the recipe on the back minus the oil and subbing in greek yogurt for heavy cream. it was about ~350 calories for 1/3 of the recipe. super filling. would have been less if i had plain tomato sauce instead of jarred pasta sauce to use. i think yours wins though in terms of ease of use and convenience!

Try a pilaf! My friend made a great one this weekend for our party: just crumble up your cooked rice very well and sautée with some frozen veggies (peas and carrots and beans are good mix--microwave them a bit first) and chick peas, and add some pav bhaji masala (can be found at any Indian grocery store).

Asian market near me has a masala spice blend they make up from the bulk spices if you ask. Found this on Amazon. Or maybe this one is a better fit. If you just buy curry powder it will be a different spice blend so a different flavor profile. If you are in the UK Kohinoor makes a pretty good Delhi Butter Chicken simmer sauce. They probably make and sell a butter chicken jar sauce here as well. If you don't make it very often a premade sauce may make sense. I struggle to use up certain spices like asefoetida and garam masala.

We do Beyond burgers on homemade brioche buns a lot. I make them with sweet potato fries and use veganaise for fry sauce. :)

We eat a lot of "butter chicken". I replace chicken with baked tofu and cauliflower then use butter chicken spice packet and sub coconut milk for yogurt.

Speaking of, can't go wrong with thai green curry IMHO. I make it with fried tofu, basil, and tons of vegetables (whatever's on hand).

Finally, we're big time taco eaters and I make a lot of cauliflower/chickpea tacos or refried black beans and plantains. I also make torchy's avocado crema at home. :) My partner (omnivore) says he could eat the whole thing himself. Best served with homemade tortilla chips and/or guacamole. Here's the recipe.

I just use those curry packs and water. Stuff like this. This makes a nice thick curry. I always cook my veggies and chicken first, then make the curry. Maybe that'll help since your curry liquid won't be over heat for nearly as long.

Thai curry with coconut milk is supposed to be thinner and more soupy so it really soaks into your rice. I do the same thing as before though with cooking my veggies and meat then adding the curry and liquid.

And these sort tikka masala packs are amazing for marinating chicken. Cube the chicken, mix up the masala and yogurt with the chicken and let it sit in a sealed tupperwear overnight. Then after cooking the chicken I like to toss the cooked rice into the pan and use a little bit of water to get the remainder of the masala seasoning and add that to the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes and you're in business.

I agree with a previous poster of the McCormick grillmates packets. The mesquite is hands down my favorite, just follow packet directions and let marinate for a couple hours.

I recently started making my own marinade with tamarind paste, I had a bunch of it from making micheladas and didn't know what to do with it. I mix equal parts olive oil and white vinegar, probably ~1/2 cup or so, start with 2 tablespoons of the tamarind and adjust if you want more tang, a butt load of lemon pepper, garlic powder, and freeze dried dill. Let that marinate the chicken for a few hours. I usually let it sit from noon time until I'm ready to cook so maybe 5-6 hours. I'll often mix up the marinade a day or 2 in advance so the dry herbs/seasoning have a chance to rehydrate. My friend has dubbed it "weird chicken" but it has become a huge hit with my group of friends.

This is the tamarind I bought at my grocery store in the Asian food section: Tamarind Concentrate 14 oz packaging may vary https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UWKMDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TkBzCbZPWMD77

Yeah I never seem to have all the ingredients for Indian food at the same time, but it is a great way to eat cheap and healthy. If there isn't an ethnic market near you, you can always try Amazon

Boneless thighs typically contain lots of globs of fat; when I made shwarma last week I marinated in yogurt for a day, then laid up the stack with a shawarma paste, and it had enough fat I think. Ziyad makes a surprisingly good Shawarma mix which I tried out of desperation after not-finding sumac in four different stores.

We do a lot of puerco al pastor (every day if we're vending) on a trompo; the threshold for getting the meat to stick together right seems to be right at three tablespoons salt per 18 ounces marinade, where the marinade is made of one cup pureed chile ancho, one cup boiled pineapple juice, and 1/4 cup lime juice or vinegar. There are other spices in there but I don't think it makes any difference to the discussion. You need to bind or compress it and it needs to marinate for at least eight hours. I did much the same thing with the chicken, as far as ratios salt to acidic liquid, the shawarma mix did a good job of making a paste, and it all stuck together fine (I did mine on a small electric trompo I use for recipe development, not in a bread pan). And it was very, very good.

Clean it up, make slits in the meat, add some spices that you like (I use the Indian kabab masala that I bought on amazon, just don't buy this 12 pack, too much to start with), add veges like peppers, cut potatoes, cauliflower, brocolli, eggplant and mix with the spice mix.

Roast till you happy or chicken cooked. Eat out of tin foil container :D

I'd post pictures but need to find them. Let me know if you are actually interested to see them.

Brown rice and cooked chicken breast. Also trying to lose weight and am lifting, so it's a great source of protein.

I've recently begun experimenting to find out the best way to spice up the chicken and have discovered that Indian Chaat masala is fucking amazing shit, compared to what I usually use (garlic, pepper and salt). All this, plus half a teaspoon of Sriracha = 1 satisfying meal.

I've recently begun doing meal prep for my meals, so this week's dinner is pretty much brown rice, chicken breast and a little Sriracha. Next week I'm going to try adding some veggies and seeing how that goes.

But yes, Chaat masala on things, goddamn.

If you can find a block of dates, I'd use some of that and rehydrate a chunk of it in some hot water water and bunch of lemon juice (lime would probably work as well, but I think the lemon would be closer to tamarind itself, even though it goes exceptionally well with lime). Then mash it with a fork, or your hands if it's cooled down enough, and squeeze it into a paste and strain to get rid of the fibrous bits.

If you can find a block of tamarind, making the extract is just a matter of rehydrating it like above without the lemon juice. The taste is different and awesome, I used to have trouble finding it and used the method above. Now I make a bunch at a time and just freeze it in an ice-cube tray for later use (usually for pad thai or curries). Dried, it usually looks something like the one linked below. I usually find it in Asian grocery stores, although one of the walmarts around here also has it in its section of ethnic foods
https://www.amazon.com/TAMARIND-SEEDLESS-ME-CHUA-14oz/dp/B07CPCK6H2/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538174066&sr=8-2&keywords=tamarind+block

Edit: I haven't made vegan Worcestershire sauce though..

I tried with 24 oz today - Mocha. Still salty. My palate is probably trained for Indian dishes - where generally sweet & salty are kept separate, which could be the issue.

If you are interested in getting a non-chicken savory flavor, let me know. I'm going to try different combinations of spices - like the "paani puri" or "Jal Jeera".

https://www.amazon.com/MDH-Pani-Puri-Masala-100g/dp/B0065888IC

(in local Indian grocery stores, 5x cheaper)

> organic traditions

Looks like Amazon's price is pretty close, $18.27 per 454 g.

u/atvar8 you should add this tikka masala spice mix! It makes for an amazing meal, all you need to add is the chicken, cream, and tomato sauce (but you can add onions too), and then serve with basmati rice! And the packets last for a long time. Means less eating out, because I can get my Indian food fix at home!

Edit: fixed summons...

I kept meaning to let you know that (a) this sounds fantastic, and (b) apparently kalonji/nigella seeds are also called black cumin, and love-in-a-mist. They may also be mislabelled as "black onion seeds" because they look like ... well, onion seeds. As long as they have the botanical name - nigella sativa - somewhere on the packet, you know you are getting the right thing.

And hey, I just found them on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nigella-Seeds/dp/B000XB21DU

Sure, it's called Indian Essentials. http://i.imgur.com/dSO9VQC.jpg

Here's Amazon link for a pack of 12...

Indian Essentials Seasoning Mix, Butter Chicken, .9 Ounce (Pack of 12) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H5QPCW8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zkKuybJPHMBZW

You can also get pre ground spice mix such as https://www.amazon.com/MDH-Dal-Makhani-Masala-100g/dp/B002C2ROCG/ at an Indian market for under $2 and also ready to eat pouches for under $3 such as https://www.amazon.com/Gits-Ready-Eat-Dal-Makhani/dp/B009T5QJNY if you want to try something that's probably closer to authentic than the recipe you tried.

Sriracha and honey mustard are good. This, this, and this saved my ass during prep.

https://www.amazon.com/Shan-Chicken-Tikka-Masala-Powder/dp/B000MSS6C4
This will do the trick along with some fresh squeezed lemon and let it sit for a few hours.

Aw man bummer! If you ever find this in a grocery store, I highly recommend it. It's comes with all the spices you need and a simple recipe card you can save on the back of the package. It hits all the right flavor buttons.

There are recipes online, but I'm not sure if they're the same as what comes with that little pack. I have the recipe card, I'll take a pic and link it here after dinner.

Oh, sorry. I just found it on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Dagad-Phool-Pathar-Flower-50gram/dp/B004XDYM22

I buy a seasoning at my local ethnic shop(link below) and cook up some tomatoes and onions in oil, add chicken and cook till it's done, add seasoning, then throw it in with the rice. It's not really biryani, but it's close enough for me!

https://www.amazon.com/Shan-Chicken-Biryani-Recipe-Seasoning/dp/B00MX2Z0DA/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1491020885&sr=8-6&keywords=biryani+spice+mix