Vadouvan Spice Mix

I am so glad to discover this delicious spice mix on Gourmet website, apparently, this is how the French interpret The Indian masala. So, I heard!

Vadouvan is one of those versatile spice mix, that not too hard to make, and can be added to anything from meat dishes, seafood, or even vegetarian dishes. I like to  make it in a big batch, then divide it into individual freezer ziplock bag about 1 cup per bag, then store them in the freezer up to a month. Each time I run out an idea of what to make that day, I simply grab one from my freezer, and toss it into my cooking.

This is my version of Vadouvan Spice Mix, it makes  about 3½ cups. The time of cooking is much faster then the oven roasted version, which will take about 1 to 1½ hours. It's up to you which recipe you use, the result is delicious nonetheless.

Ingredients:

1 tbs brown mustard seed
1 tbs cumin seed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 lb shallots, finely chopped
1½ lb onions, finely chopped
2 bulbs garlic, sliced
2 tbs fresh minced ginger
1 tbs cumin powder
½ tsp funegreek
5 cloves
3 cardamoms
1 tbs coriander seeds
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2  tbs cayenne pepper
a bunch fresh curry leaves
salt to taste

Heat oil in a medium to a large size frying pan over medium heat, add  brown mustard and cumin seed, as soon as you hear the brown mustard starting to crackle, add shallots, onions, and a pinch of salt, fry until the onions are translucent, add garlic, ginger, and cumin powder, stir.

Meanwhile, grind together  funegreek, cloves, cardamoms, and coriander seeds. Add this powder mix to the frying pan along with nutmeg, turmeric powder, cayenne pepper, and curry leaves, stir to coat the ingredients together. Season with more salt if needed. Lower the heat to medium low, continue to fry for about 10 or until it releases its fragrant, and the onion and shallots are soft. Taste, and adjust the amount of salt according to your liking. The vadouvan is now ready to use for your favorite dish.