Michael and I love all kinds of food!! He loves to cook all kinds of food and I love to EAT all kinds of food.

In the past, his specialty has been Italian and we have enjoyed amazing Pork Milanese, Lemon Pasta, Turkey Meatloaf, and other delights!!

For Christmas, he was given a book about Indian food and decided to give a few recipes a try.

But first, he needed to make a Masala!!

A Masala is a blend of ground spices and you don’t just go out and buy a bottle…..you make it yourself!!

The recipe that he wanted to start with needed two different Masalas that used THESE spices……

He started the process by putting all of the seeds and pods into a small skillet and toasting them slightly…..

As the wonderful aroma permeated the house, it compelled me to join in the fun!!

It also called for ground Nutmeg…..but not pre-ground in a jar, but from a whole Nutmeg…..

All of this was added to the spice grinder……

….and the grinding began. Again, the aroma was amazing!!

So, at the end of the first cooking session, there were two bags of Masala…..Garam and Chat.

NOW…what to use them for!!!

The first meal was “Kati rolls with Pickled Onion and Green Chilli (the Indian spelling of Chili) Salad” and it was magnificent……

The meat was pilled on the Paratha bread, topped with pickled onions and a dollop of Yogurt…..

YUM……