[WestwardHo]

Thank you for saving my Autumn soup. Adding Middle Eastern spices, curry, and cream saved the day! My soup is delicious. While I love to cook, I believe the supreme test of a cook's ability, is creating a homemade soup that makes everyone beg for more! Thank you for your magic touch!

These new recipes look delicious, sadly, they come too late for me! I have already exhausted my 2011, one of these, and one of those vegitable garden! Praise God, there is always next year!

[Mrs. Don-o]

I am getting quite fond of Garam Masala, which is the spice mix found in many Indian curries. In my younger days, I wasn't used to warm/hot spices so much, but now they are "growing on me." They sure kick bland's butt!

Garam Masala aparently has a lot of regional, even personal, variations. Don't be intimidated by this recipe. If you don't have some of the spices, try just leaving them out. But do get the cardamom. It needs cardamom.

Garam Masala (Indian curry spice mix)

3 bay leaves
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp cardamom seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp (scant) whole cloves
1 tsp (scant) nutmeg
1/2 tsp turmeric
A couple good pinches of poppy seeds, fennel seeds, dried red pepper flakes

Dry-roast in skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they turn several shades darker and give off a sweet smoky aroma, about 10 minutes. (Do not raise the heat or it will scorch.) Cool, grind, store. If roasted, OK to add into a dish at last minute. If unroasted, add spices at hot oil phase of recipe.

This makes only about 1/4 cup (store in a little jar or a sandwich baggie), and will last you through several modest curry recipes. Tweak the amounts to your own taste, and then double or triple the batch if you really get into curries.

When you triple teaspoons, they turn into Tablespoons. :o)