Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken marinade:
500 g boneless chicken
19/lemon freshly squeezed
1 tbsp grated Garlic and ginger/ or ginger and garlic paste
2 tablespoons of Greek style yoghurt
1 tbs Salt to taste
1 tablespoon organic masalan blend
1 tablespoon organic Tandoori masala blend
1 tsp organic garam masala
2 tbsp oil (to fry chicken)
Chicken tikka masala:
One large onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated garlic and ginger/ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon organic masala and blend
1 teaspoon organic meat masala blend
1 teaspoon organic Garam masala
1/2 tsp red crushed chillies (optional)
1 teaspoon salt to taste
1 cup water - gradually added and mixed well in masala
Two medium tomatoes - blended
Handful of cashew nuts - finely blended
2 cups water
1 tbsp fresh coriander
Method - chicken marinade
To make the chicken marinade mix chicken with lime juice garlic and ginger Greek style yoghurt salt and all the spices. Store in the fridge for one hour or overnight.
Method - tikka masala
Click the link for all the perfectly paired spices used to make the dish
https://thesingingspicecompany.com/products/5-pack-spice-blend-bundle
]]>
Some of the comments from the Judges:
“Attractive looking spice with a good grind, A pleasing spicy aroma.”
“Well blended spices that complement each other. Tasted as the raw product this is a mouth filling spice.”
“This garam masala smells and looks good, with visible flecks of spice remaining in the ground mixture and with vivid aromas of cardamom and clove. It is clearly a complex blend, and used as seasoning, the perfume of ground coriander seed came through in tandem with the punchier spices.”
]]>The Garam Masala Blend from The Singing Spice Company, based in Yorkshire has been awarded a 1-star by Great Taste, the largest and most trusted food and drink awards on the planet. Out of 5,383 products worldwide to receive a Great Taste 1-2- or 3-star accolade on Tuesday 21 September, The Singing Spice Company Garam Masala Blend will now be able to display the unmistakable black and gold logo, a stamp of excellence that is recognised by retailers and consumers alike.
Some of the comments from the Judges:
“Attractive looking spice with a good grind, A pleasing spicy aroma.”
“Well blended spices that complement each other. Tasted as the raw product this is a mouth filling spice.”
“This garam masala smells and looks good, with visible flecks of spice remaining in the ground mixture and with vivid aromas of cardamom and clove. It is clearly a complex blend, and used as seasoning, the perfume of ground coriander seed came through in tandem with the punchier spices.”
All our blends are handcrafted to family recipes steeped in history and tradition that my mother brought with her when she emigrated to the UK from the Punjab. We launched our blends in November 2020 just as people were discovering home-cooking during the pandemic and we wanted to bring to market a healthy sustainable alternative to conventional, mass-produced spice blends on the market. All our blends contain 100% organic, non-genetically modified (non-GMO) spices with no additives, salt, preservatives, or bulking agents. Our spices are sourced from organic farmers around the world. My inspiration behind creating these blends was my mother’s delicious cooking I had grown up eating as a child which I wanted to recreate for my own children but utilising the optimum health benefits of spices by using premium quality organic spices that were not only good for us but also for the planet. Our family run business allows us to do what we love and share our passion of people, purpose and planet with all of you.
Sofia Javed, founder explains: I am thrilled to have received this award especially for a blend that has been in my family for generations. It fills me with pride that my mother’s sacrifices leaving her homeland to start a new life and yet managing to remain connected to her roots through food has manifested itself in this award. This is for all those “desi” mums who have kept their families connected to their roots through authentic homemade food. This is the first time I have entered the awards and during a time where so many people have discovered home cooking during the pandemic. With consumers experimenting more with recipes, we wanted to offer them a spice blend alternative, a blend that has the health and well-being of both people and the planet in mind. This great taste award is recognition of the hard work that goes into working with organic farmers and suppliers sourcing only the highest quality organic spices that go into our blends. The award undoubtedly will open doors to new customers and retailers and has given us the confidence and credibility that our organic spice blend is definitely a “hero brand” for the food and drink sector, and a well proven way to tackle environmental challenges to support human and planetary health.
Facts and figures about Great Taste 2021:
There’s never been a better time to be a part of the organic movement than during Organic September this year.
In the face of climate change, diet related ill-health and widespread decline in wildlife, a transition towards sustainable food and farming systems that work with nature offers a way to begin combating these issues
With more of us seeking to make choices that minimise our impact on the planet, organic offers a simple, trusted way to be more sustainable in our daily lives.
There are so many ways you can be involved with the organic movement this September, from learning more about what organic means and sharing this knowledge with friends and family, to supporting the organic farmers in your local community and learning to grow your own at home.
To read the full post click here
]]>
Flavour – Earthy| Herby | Woody
Spice Story
Evidence of cumin in Egypt’s pyramids suggests that it was in use more than 5,000 years ago. The Ancient Greeks and Romans used cumin as a table seasoning alongside salt. It was regarded as the ‘king of condiments, ‘ by Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder. In modern day Georgia and Africa, salt combined with cumin is still a popular seasoning. From the 7th century CE, Arab traders transported cumin on their spice caravans to North Africa and east to Iran, India and Indonesia and China. Consequently, it became a key component in many regional spice mixes including Baharat (Middle East), Garam masala and Panch phoran (India) and Ras el hanout (Morocco).
Thought to be native to Egypt’s Nile Valley and the Eastern Mediterranean, cumin is cultivated in India (the largest producer and consumer), China, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Palestine and USA are also other producers.
Health Benefits
In the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India, cumin seeds have immense medicinal value, particularly for digestive disorders. They are used in chronic diarrhoea and dyspepsia.
Cumin seeds are nutritionally rich; they provide high amounts of fat (especially monounsaturated fat), protein, and dietary fibre. Vitamins B and E and several dietary minerals, especially iron, are also considerable in cumin seeds. In conventional spices, these vitamins and minerals are lost due to excessive use of fillers, anti-caking agents and chemicals but not so in organic spices.
Although we tend to widely use the seeds of cumin (C. cyminum L.) as a spice for their distinctive aroma, they are also commonly used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases, including chronic diarrhoea and dyspepsia, acute gastritis, diabetes, and cancer. As a child, my mother would make us Kahwa ( a traditional hot herbal drink) using cumin seeds as one of its ingredients to help with an upset stomach and to aid digestion.
Cumin may be helpful for people trying to their manage body weight. Consuming 3 g of cumin powder per day has also resulted in lower levels of total cholesterol. Cumin is also known to significantly reduce blood sugar, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c levels. These are all markers of good diabetes management.
Cumin may play a role in helping the body handle stress and may help fight the effects of stress by working as an antioxidant.
Kitchen Creativity
Cumin is an essential component in most Indian, North African, Levantine and Mexican cuisine. Used alone or in combination with other spices, it permeates a diverse range of savoury dishes with its distinctive, highly aromatic and pungent flavour.
The Science of Blending
Cumin has a uniquely musky, spicy flavour which derives from cuminaldehyde, a compound found in roast beef and cinnamon but sparingly in other spices. Other important compounds include pinene, which gives the spice its dry, pinewood nuance and cymene which has a fresh aroma.
Let the King Sing!
Have you tried our chemical free, non- GMO, organic cumin seeds.
Cumin is particularly responsive to toasting. Why not bruise and dry fry our organic cumin seeds to produce nutty, roasted flavours or release the sulphur within the spice to bring flavours of green vegetables and roast meats.
Our organic cumin seeds add flavour to all types of Dhal dishes and other lentil stews, or why not scatter over hummus. Shop Now
Happy Cooking!
Sofia
Founder
]]>
The true power of organic spices
While many health buffs are deeply aware of the importance of buying organic fruits and vegetables over regular produce, that awareness doesn’t often cross over to their selection of spices.
Over the ages and to present time, many spices have been used to treat ailments, boost energy and vitality, detoxify the body and increase longevity, making them highly prized for their healing and medicinal properties. With the creation of The Singing Spice Company, we set out on a mission to carefully protect the following characteristics contained within some of our favourite spices:
Organic turmeric: Turmeric halts the progress of many types of cancer by decreasing cancer cell growth and mutation. In animal studies, turmeric extract has been shown to decrease tumour formation by as much as 80% in as little as 30 days.
Organic coriander: Enriched with antioxidants, coriander helps to detoxifying the body by neutralising free-radicals which exist as a result of stress, poor dietary choices or environmental pollutants. One study points to coriander’s ability to significantly reduce skin damage caused by overexposure to UV radiation.
Organic cumin seeds: Takes the cake for the second most popular spice in the world behind black pepper. Cumin seeds have been shown to reduce stress levels naturally, enhance memory and protect against cancer.
Why do conventional spices get such a bad rap?
Just as spices danced across the world in the spice trade, it pays to learn how that dance has changed in recent times. Unfortunately mass-produced conventional spice companies devise plans for the most cost-effective strategies for growing and harvesting their spices in order to gain maximum profits. On the other hand, you’ll notice organic spice companies tend to hold your health as their number one priority.
Many conventional spices lose their nutritional profile and can even become toxic for the following reasons:
During growth
After harvest
Before packaging
Overall, conventional spices lose not only their nutritional value but their taste and texture through the above unnecessary processes. From harvest to shelf, the end product ends up being a very long way from what we can consider to be food, at least not of the natural kind. When purchasing organic spices, you’re guaranteed that is exactly what you’re getting- 100% natural with no nasty chemicals.
While the world has evolved in so many incredible ways since the spice trade, it’s important to be aware of the many processes involved in getting those spices to the supermarket shelf. By selecting organic spices, you’re not only boosting the nutritional value of your meal but adding vibrant flavours without worrying about the intake of harmful chemicals.
Sofia
Chief Spice Officer
The Singing Spice Company.
]]>Organic means working with nature. The Soil Association standards require higher levels of animal welfare, lower levels of pesticides, no manufactured herbicides or fertilisers and more environmentally sustainable land management:
]]>Non-organic food production makes wide use of pesticides which can pollute water, the environment and make their way into our food chain. Government testing in 2017 found pesticide residues in 47% of British food, and many of these contain more than one pesticide. Between 2011 - 2015, 100% of oranges and 86% of pears tested contained multiple pesticide residue. The best way to reduce your exposure to pesticides in all food is to buy organic. Certified organic food, including all fruit and vegetables, processed food, dairy and meat products will overall contain fewer pesticides.
In 2016, over 16,600 tonnes of pesticides were used on British farms to kill weeds, insects and control crop diseases. Many pesticides don’t just kill the target pest. They can affect other wildlife and the environment by either direct poisoning, contaminating water courses or disrupting ecosystems.
Many people don’t realise almost 300 pesticides can be routinely used in non-organic farmingand these are often present in non-organic food eat despite washing and cooking. Organic farming standards, on the other hand, don't allow any synthetic pesticides and absolutely no herbicides such as Glyphosate.
Organic farmers are permitted to use just 20 pesticides, derived from natural ingredients including citronella and clove oil, but only under very restricted circumstances. Research suggests that if all UK farming was organic, pesticide use would drop by 98%! This means that organic farms are a haven for wildlife and these toxic pesticides can't make their way into the food chain and into us.
Organic farming reduces disruption to the natural environment. By rotating crops and selecting crop varieties with a natural resistance to particular pests and diseases, organic farmers are able to reduce or avoid disease problems and the need to control them with chemical inputs.
Glyphosate—the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup—is the most widely sold weedkiller in the world. Government figures show its use in UK farming has increased by a shocking 400% in the last 20 years.
Glyphosate is one of three pesticides regularly found in routine testing of British bread, appearing in over 60% of wholemeal bread samples tested by the Defra committee on Pesticide Residues in Food.
Glyphosate’s manufacturers insist the levels in our food are safe. But a report by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that glyphosate is a ‘probable carcinogen’. And research published since the IARC report suggests there is no safe level of glyphosate in food.
No herbicides (weed killers) such as Glyphosate are allowed in organic farming.
Glyphosate is one of three pesticides regularly found in routine testing of British bread, appearing in up to 30% of samples tested by the Defra committee on Pesticide Residues in Food.
Source: Soil Association.
]]>It goes without saying that weight loss needs discipline and dedication. It is not a feat that can be achieved overnight. Your diet forms a significant part of weight loss journey. Swapping unhealthy, refined and fattening ingredients with healthy and wholesome ones can go a long way in shedding those extra inches around your belly. In addition to foods, there are plenty of herbs that are known to induce weight loss as well. Coriander is one such herb that is known for its incredible digestive and weight loss benefits.
It is tough to imagine an Indian kitchen without coriander leaves, coriander powder and coriander seeds. Coriander is said to be one of the oldest spice ever known to mankind. Food writer Marryam H. Reshii in her book 'The Flavour of Spice' writes, "the oldest coriander seeds have been excavated at a pre-pottery era Neolithic site in Israel that dates back to 7000 BCE." Coriander is valued immensely in Ayurvedic medicine too. It is packed with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Studies have shown that they can regulate cholesterol, stimulate appetite and improve digestion."
Here's How Coriander Helps Weight Loss?
Coriander stimulates digestive enzymes and juices, which are known to enhance our digestive system. They are a good source of fibre too. A good digestive system is key to weight loss. Bad digestion can lead to weight gain, as we are not able to absorb and assimilate our nutrients properly; moreover, it may not be able to eliminate waste from our body efficiently either. This may lead to slowing down of the metabolic rate, which makes it more difficult to burn calories properly.
Coriander leaves-infused water can replace all your high calorie beverages too! Bunge in few leaves in a tumbler of water and keep sipping into this low-cal beverage through the day. Coriander leaves possess an important element, known as quercetin, which helps fasten metabolism too. Coriander water serves as a great detox drink as well. Detoxing helps eliminate all excess toxins and help you feel light and contribute to weight loss.
How To Make Coriander Water For Weight Loss:
1. You can throw some coriander leaves in a bottle of water and leave it in refrigerator overnight. Drink next morning.
2. You can juice coriander leaves too. Chop a cup full of coriander leaves and add them to a grinder. Add a cup of water and blend it well. Drink it every morning for best results.
How To Use Coriander Seeds For Weight Loss:
All you have to do is take one tablespoon of dhania seeds and boil some water. Put the seeds in the boiling water and let it bubble for a minute or so. Remove the water from the flame and let it cool. Keep the water with the dhania seeds overnight and filter the water in the morning. The seeds help the body in shedding the excess water weight, in a healthy and natural way.
For more healthy tips, cooking ideas or offers on our organic spices, please follow us on Instagram/Facebook @thesingingspicecompany or visit us at www.thesingingspicecompany.com
]]>