Mangalore Spice

Mangalore, Karnataka

Alkanet root, better known as Ratan Jot, is traditionally used to add colour to Indian food. It is the original natural food colouring that gives the famous Kashmiri dish Rogan Josh its signature red colour.Kashmiri Pandits use a dried herb called Ratan Jot to add a pleasing red colour to their dishes. This spice was originally used in many much-loved Indian dishes such as Rogan Josh and Tandoori Chicken. It is an herb that one rarely comes across now, after the advent of synthetic food colours. Along with Kashmiri chilies which are red and appear flaming hot in appearance but lack pungency, Ratan Jot provides many Kashmiri and Punjabi dishes their dashing good looks!Alkanet root is soluble in alcohol, ether and oils, but is insoluble in water. Therefore, fry approximately a teaspoonful of Ratan Jot in 2-3 tablespoons of warm oil (ghee is a better option for superior flavour). When the liquid turns a deep red, strain it using a metal sieve, keeping the oil and discarding the Ratan Jot. This oil or ghee will turn your curries a natural flaming red, without the heat of course!

Mace is the aril (the bright red, lacy covering) of the nutmeg seed shell. Mace has a flavour and aroma similar to that of nutmeg, with a hint of pepper. Mace has a wide range of uses from desserts to savoury roast meats. Mace has a versatile flavour that can be used to complement a variety of foods. Mace is the main flavouring of white sauce, lasagna, and some stews. It is also used in sausages, pastries, sauces for fish and pickle, chutneys, jam and in some Indian desserts. Mace makes a notable appearance in Chettinad and Mughlai cuisine. Mace is a highly nutritional product that contains protein and fibre. Mace works especially well with milk dishes like custards and cream sauces. It contributes to flavouring light-coloured cakes and pastries, especially doughnuts. It can enhance clear and creamed soups and casseroles, chicken pies and sauces. Mace and nutmeg are very similar, though mace is somewhat more powerful. A small amount will enhance many recipes, adding fragrance without imposing too much flavour. Mace is where the depth of spice meets the lilt of the floral. Where nutmeg deepens, mace elevates. The mace is removed from the nutmeg shell and its broken parts are known as blades. The history of mace is closely tied to the history of nutmeg for obvious reasons, though the two items have been treated separately. Because the yield of mace is much less than nutmegs it has had greater value. A pile of fruit large enough to make one hundred measures of nutmeg produces a single measure of mace.