In the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, there is a spice with a unique flavor that is hugely popular across India. The spice is called Jira. It is also referred to as Shahi jeera, or royal cumin.
Although this spice is used in many recipes, most people use it to make a special type of tea called “Shahi Jeera Tea”. This tea is mostly served at formal parties and events because of its rich taste.
Why does our shahi jeera taste so good?
The answer lies in the process of extracting the jeera oil from the seeds. Traditionally, it is extracted using a hand operated press, which gives it its rich flavor and aroma. Hand operated presses are not used as commonly anymore as they were a few decades back. The reason being that hand powered machines take up too much space and are inconvenient to operate.
Toddy Presses
Around the 1960’s, companies found an alternative method to extract the oil by using automated machines called Toddy Presses. These presses are very similar to the manual ones but instead of being operated by hand, they run on electricity. They consist of two parts, an upper part and a lower part.
The upper part has an open cavity with small holes where the
Methods used to make the best tasting shahi jeera:
– Roast the cumin seeds. This will give a nice toasted aroma and taste to the jeera. Always roast it on a low flame and stir frequently. Also roast it in batches, as this helps in uniform roasting of jeera.
– Let the roasted jeera cool for 10 mins. So it is not directly exposed to hot air.
– Grind the cooled roasted jeera along with little water in a mixer grinder. Do not grind too much quantity at once or else it will get heated up and it will loose its aroma and flavor.
– Now we need mashed potatoes to add in jeera powder paste. Mash the boiled potatoes along with little salt.
– Add mashed potato to the jeera powder paste and mix well so that there are no lumps left in paste.
– Now add sugar, “mawa” (khoya), cream and cardamom powder, if you want to make more rich taste then add kesar also in the paste.
– Add sufficient ghee or butter and mix again so that everything is well combined. The mixture should be of medium thickness so that it can be spread easily on breads and parathas also.
What makes the taste of our shahi jeera so different and so good?
First of all, it is a special recipe, which has been passed down through generations of my family. Second, the spices are roasted in pure ghee. Third, they are ground on a stone called a dhaba (hence the blog name). Finally, the mixture is cooked over charcoal fire, which adds an extra smoky flavor.
What makes this spice blend so different and so good?
First of all, it is a special recipe, which has been passed down through generations of my family. Second, the spices are roasted in pure ghee. Third, they are ground on a stone called a dhaba (hence the blog name). Finally, the mixture is cooked over charcoal fire, which adds an extra smoky flavor.
I have tried to get people to tell me how to make this spice mix by asking around. But every time I ask someone from another family about it, I get a different answer! So finally I decided to figure it out myself by looking at the ingredients and testing out various amounts until I got it right. And here it is!
Shahi jeera is an Indian spice mix that has a reputation for being very tasty. It is so tasty that people from other countries often make it at home. But, as people from other countries have reported to me, it doesn’t always turn out quite right.
Which raises the question: what makes shahi jeera taste so good? And how can we ensure that our homemade shahi jeera tastes just as good?
This blog is an attempt to answer these questions. I will try to describe the properties of shahi jeera that make it so tasty, and suggest ways to use those properties in making your own shahi jeera.
I was once at a restaurant and I asked them to serve me their “best” shahi jeera. I wanted to know why my homemade shahi jeera didn’t taste as good as theirs.
The response I got surprised me. “Sir, this is the best we have and you are welcome to try it.” That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I thought I had been quite specific in my request.
I tried again: “Can you tell me why your shahi jeera tastes so good? Is there a secret ingredient that you add?” This time, though, I was more specific about how I meant the question: “Is there something that you add that gives your shahi jeera its distinctive flavour?”
There was a brief pause, and then the waiter responded with another question: “Do you mean the garam masala?”
“Yes,” I replied, now getting frustrated because my second question had been answered with another question, “What do you add that makes the masala so tasty?” The waiter said he would ask his manager and went away. He returned after a while and said, “The chef says garam masala.”
The most important ingredients are ginger and mint leaves. The ginger adds the necessary heat, while the mint leaves adds a refreshing aftertaste. The cardamom gives the shahi jeera its distinct smell.
The main ingredient in any shahi jeera is roasted cumin seeds and not the chilli powder. The cumin seeds are roasted for about 30 minutes in low flame before being grounded and mixed with other ingredients.
The final product is served with ice cubes, which intensifies the shahi jeera’s flavour, although it may be preferred without ice cubes by some people.
Shahi jeera is that indian spice mix that you have in your kitchen right now. It is a mixture of all the spices that are commonly used in indian cooking. These spices include:
Coriander Seeds,
Fennel Seeds,
Black Cardamom (which looks like a pod),
Clove,
Fenugreek seeds,
Black Cumin seeds, and
Dried Ginger Powder.
There are many variations of this spice mix. Some people add asafoetida to it, while some use only black cumin seeds or fennel seeds. But the basic recipe I am referring to has all of the above mentioned ingredients with some salt added to it. This spice mix can be added to any dish for flavor and taste. It can be used for soups, curries, rice dishes, etc. It is very versatile and adds a very interesting flavor to your dishes. In fact, I would say that shahi jeera is my favorite spice mix out of all the mixes in my kitchen cupboard.
