Herbaceous Mixture (Aromatic Spice Blend)
A classic British-Indian aromatic herb and spice blend used to flavour curries and savoury dishes. This recipe creates a large batch of potent seasoning powder combining heating spices like cloves and white pepper with aromatic herbs like marjoram, basil, and lemon-thyme.
Ingredients
- 2 oz White peppercorns (Whole)
- 2 oz Cloves (Whole)
- 1 oz Dried Marjoram
- 1 oz Dried Sweet Basil
- 1 oz Dried Lemon-Thyme (Or regular thyme mixed with dried lemon zest)
- 1 oz Powdered Nutmeg
- 1 oz Powdered Mace
- 0.5 oz Dried Bay Leaves
Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to its lowest setting (around 170°F/75°C). Place the marjoram, basil, lemon-thyme, and bay leaves into a paper bag (or wrap in parchment paper) to protect them from direct heat and preserve their oils.
- 2Place the wrapped herbs in the oven and let them dry slowly until they are completely brittle and crumble easily when touched.
- 3While herbs are drying, place the white peppercorns and cloves in a mortar or spice grinder. Grind them into a fine powder.
- 4Once the herbs are brittle, remove them from the paper. Pound them in a mortar (or pulse in a grinder) until fine. Add the ground peppercorns, cloves, powdered nutmeg, and powdered mace to the herbs.
- 5Sift the entire mixture through a fine hair-sieve (or fine mesh strainer) to ensure a uniform powder. Discard any large fibrous pieces or re-grind them. Transfer the powder immediately to a stoppered bottle or airtight container.