Less Common Seasoning Glossary

Less Common Seasoning Glossary


Hoisin sauce Recipe
a sweet, spicy, dark red sauce made from
soybeans, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and various spices, widely used
in southern Chinese cooking.

Stir together

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Variations on Garam Masala

In fact, there is no single garam masala recipe. The ingredients differ according to the
region as well as each chef’s individual preferences. But for the most part, garam masala
will include coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In other variations on garam masala, ingredients may include turmeric, saffron, fennel
seeds, ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, mace, star anise, tamarind, fenugreek, bay leaves
or malabar leaves.

In northern Indian cuisine, garam masala is typically used in powder form, while in the
southern part of the country, garam masala is often formed into a paste with coconut milk,
vinegar or water. Note that in general, any given culture is more likely to feature hotter
chiles (and more of them) in its cuisine in direct relation to its proximity to the equator.
The closer to the equator a population lives, the hotter its food tends to be.

This is mainly due to the fact that chilies thrive in hotter climates, and the increased
exposure to hot sunlight develops higher levels of capsaicin, the chemical that causes them
to be hot. Due to this, garam masala blends from southern India tend to be hotter than
the ones in the north.
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Amchoor or Amchur
also referred to as mango powder, is a fruity spice powder made from dried unripe
green mangoes and is used as a citrusy seasoning. It is produced in India, and is used
to flavor foods and add the nutritional benefits of mangoes when the fresh fruit is out
of season.

What is a good substitute for amchoor?

Amchoor or dried Mango powder used in Indian cuisine could easily be replaced with
Tamarind Powder It has a wonderful sweet and sour flavour that works well with fish
and vegetable curries. Lime powder used in Middle Eastern cooking , especially Persian,
is used as an evocative souring agent and goes well with lamb, chicken, seafood, veggies
and more. The following article gives a nice overview of the spice.

Middle Eastern Dried Limes Enliven Cooking

Food grade Citric acid powder aka “sour salt” makes an excellent substitute but lacks
the fruity notes of lime or tamarind powder. It’s available in most large supermarkets,
usually in the baking aisle as well as some health food shops.

If it’s not important to use entirely dry ingredients, then as already suggested by others
lemon and/or lime juice can be substituted, along with tamarind paste or even rice wine
vinegar which is less acidic than plain white or malt vinegars and is often used in SE Asian
salad dressings. Thai and Vietnamese varieties would more closely match the tartness of
amchoor than Chinese or Japanese brands.