Recipes, origins & useful kitchen notes.

Punjabi Chhole

A homestyle chhole with a dark, glossy gravy — built on garam masala, amchoor and a slow-cooked onion-tomato base.

You need

• 2 cups kabuli chana, soaked overnight
• 2 large onions, finely chopped · 3 tomatoes, puréed
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste · 2 green chillies
• 1 tsp Devika Cumin Powder · 2 tsp Devika Coriander Powder · 1 tsp Devika Red Chilli Powder (Kutti) · ½ tsp Devika Turmeric Powder
• 1½ tsp Devika Garam Masala · 1 tsp Devika Dry Mango Powder (Amchoor)
• 1 black tea bag · salt · 3 tbsp oil or ghee · fresh coriander

Method

1. Pressure-cook the chana with the tea bag, a pinch of salt and enough water to cover, until soft (about 6 whistles). Discard the tea bag; keep the cooking water.
2. Heat oil, add onions and cook on medium until deep brown — 12–15 minutes; do not rush this step.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies; cook 2 minutes. Add turmeric, coriander, cumin and chilli powder; stir 30 seconds.
4. Add tomato purée and cook until the oil separates, about 8 minutes.
5. Add the chana with 1½ cups of its water. Simmer 15 minutes, crushing a few chana against the pan to thicken the gravy.
6. Finish with garam masala and amchoor; simmer 2 minutes more. Rest 10 minutes, then top with coriander. Serve with kulcha or rice.

Storing spices in monsoon

Humidity is what turns a fresh powder into a clump. Six habits that keep whole and ground spices lively through the wet months.

1. Transfer, don't top up. Empty the pack into a clean, fully dry jar; never pour new powder on top of old.
2. Keep the lid on and the spoon dry. A wet spoon is the most common reason a whole jar cakes.
3. Away from the stove. Heat and steam from cooking are the enemy; a shelf across the kitchen is better than the one above the hob.
4. Small jars, refilled often. A 100 g pack in use for a month keeps better than a 500 g jar open for six.
5. Whole spices last longer than ground. Buy whole cumin, coriander and pepper for the season and grind small amounts if you can.
6. Check the best-before. Every Devika pack shows 12 months from packing. Aroma fades before anything goes wrong — if a powder smells dull, it is time.

From origin to aroma

The same spice grown in two districts can taste quite different. A short guide to the growing regions behind the spices in an Indian kitchen.

General background. This note describes Indian spice geography. Devika buys every spice directly from farms in the region where it is grown.

Turmeric — Erode & Sangli

Curcumin content, which gives colour and the characteristic earthy bitterness, varies by variety and soil. Erode (Tamil Nadu) and Sangli (Maharashtra) fingers are prized for high curcumin and a bright, even colour.

Chilli — Guntur & Byadgi

Guntur chillies are hot and pungent; Byadgi chillies are milder with a deep red colour and a wrinkled skin. A good red chilli powder is often a blend of both.

Cumin — Unjha

Most of India's cumin passes through Unjha in Gujarat. Cumin from this belt is oil-rich and roasts to a warm, nutty aroma without bitterness.

Coriander — Kota

Rajasthan coriander seed has the citrus-and-nut note that gives a dhaniya powder its lift; seed from other regions can be flatter.

Cardamom & pepper — Idukki and Wayanad

The high ranges of Kerala grow small, intensely aromatic green cardamom and bold, high-piperine black pepper — the two spices that carry a garam masala.