Ingredients
The potato is a starchy vegetable and tuber that forms under the soil. There are a number of varieties of potato, including Russet potatoes, the yellow colored Yukon Gold, and many others that are purple, red, small and large. All potatoes have a very thin skin, though baking potatoes have a slightly sturdier skin. The potato is hard and inedible until cooked. It can be boiled, baked, fried or cooked any number of ways and is an extremely versatile starch vegetable. The texture of a cooked potato is soft, while holding its shape and has an earthy and sweet flavor that is extremely bland, until salted.
White bread is a common bread found in America. It is yeast leavened and made from white flour. It has a soft brown crust and even softer center. The crumb is airy and incredibly light. The flavor is mild, slightly sweet and salty. It has very little flavor compared to many other breads and is used for toast, sandwiches and other bread dishes.
Vegetable oil is obtained by extracting oil from seeds. Types of vegetable oil include canola, sunflower, corn, and safflower. Light and with a neutral taste, vegetable oils are used to fry foods, or can be used to lightly coat meats and vegetables before roasting. Vegetable oils are also used as ingredients in salad dressings and sauces.
Gram flour, also called chickpea flour is used in many Indian recipes and is made from the ground chickpea, called chana dal in Hindi. The flour has a higher protein content than many flours milled from grain. A creamy yellow is a notable aspect of gram flour, which has a fine and soft texture. Gram flour is used to make desserts, breads and crackers. Chickpea flour can be found in other cuisines, including an Italian flatbread called socca.
The green chili pepper is a spicy vegetable by culinary standards, but botanically it's a fruit. Green chili peppers have thin, green bodies with a tapered bottom. They are 2-3 inches in length with a one inch diameter. Their skin is a medium shade of green and is shiny and very thin. The flesh of the pepper is thin too and contains hot seeds in its center. It is an extra hot chili with a wonderful flavor and used in many dishes to add heat.
Rice flour is made by grinding the rice grain. Rice flour can be made using white or brown rice, though white rice flour is used far more frequently than brown rice flour. White rice flour is white and fine like a wheat flour, but has a coarser and drier texture. Rice flour made from glutinous rice has a much finer texture and is almost like a powder. White rice flour can be used for baked goods, as well as pan-cooked flatbreads. It is useful in many savory and sweet applications. The flavor is bland.
Green peas are a starchy green vegetable. They grow in a tough green pod and these round peas are harvested and used in many dishes. They are about 8 mm and tender with a shiny body and bright green color. They are very sweet and a bit vegetal, with a soft moist texture. Peas are used in American cuisine, as well as in spiced Indian dishes and can be found across cuisines.
Lemon juice is made from the flesh of the pulpy yellow lemon fruit. The juice is squeezed from the flesh of the lemon and is a pale yellow color. The flavor is very sour and bright. Lemon juice is used in multiple cuisines around the world to brighten and enhance the flavors of the other ingredients. Lemon juice is used to make lemonade and goes well on fish. It has many uses.
Ginger paste is made by blending the ginger root with water and salt to form a smooth paste. This paste is yellow/golden and tastes like ginger, with the sharp, spicy and earthy flavors that are characteristic of the root. Ginger paste is used in many cuisines including East and South Asian and Western dishes. It blends well into sauce and rubs and can be used for many culinary purposes to add flavor.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
Cilantro is a leafy herb with a thin green stalk and small, partially fringed green leaves that look similar to a three leaf clover. It has a distinct smell that is similar to a lime and a flavor to match that. In addition, it smells and tastes the same and has a strong flavor with a hint of greens. Due to a genetic trait, some people find that cilantro tastes like soap. This herb is used in many cuisines, particularly from Asia and Central and South America.
Botanically the chili pepper is a fruit, in culinary terms it is a vegetable. There are a number of varieties of red chili peppers. Some common ones used for spice powders include the piri piri, cayenne, pasilla, New Mexico chile and chile de árbol, among others. Each pepper is red and has a thin skin, with a thin flesh and seeds inside the middle of the pepper. The peppers are dried and ground into a powder that can be used in cooking. The heat level of each kind of red chili will vary as will the flavor, but it is always hot and some may be smoky, will others are earthy or bright.
Garam masala is a well known and popular Indian spice mix, used in a multitude of dishes throughout Indian cuisine and is sometimes found in fusion recipes as well. There are different variations of garam masala, however; some of the common spices include coriander, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. Nutmeg, cloves, mace and other spices may be added. The general flavor of garam masala is sweet and a bit spicy with a very warm quality. This powder is brown and typically used in smaller amounts.
Asafoetida is a spice, commonly used in Indian cuisine. Asafoetida is sold as a powder and sometimes as a paste. Its smell is pungent and and its color is a pale yellow. The flavor lends to dishes and creates a satisfying taste that is similar to the effect that garlic and onions give in boosting the flavor of a dish.
Curry leaves are a small dark green leaf with tapered ends and a thin body. They are about in inch long and are often sold dried. Curry leaves are very aromatic and used in South and East Asian cuisine for its bright flavor. The flavor is almost citrusy, with a pungent note to them. They pair well in Thai and Indian dishes and add a pop of unexpected flavor, as they are often used whole.
Carom also known as ajwain or ajowan, has a sharp and distinct taste similar to the herb thyme, but much sharper and pungent. The seeds are in the parsley family and are small and light brown. A tiny bit goes a long way and they are often used in Indian dishes, creating a kick to a mild flavor such as potatoes, or flatbread.
Turmeric is the root of a flowering plant and is used as a spice. The root is woody, but easy to cut and looks similar to ginger. Rather than growing in clusters, each root is a several or so inches long, cylindrical and 1 or more inches in diameter. The thin skin is a brownish-orange and protects the inner root which is bright orange, like a carrot. Turmeric dyes everything it touches and leaves a golden color. The flavor is earthy, pungent and slightly bitter. It has numerous uses, including flavoring and coloring food.
