Masala Lab : The Science of Indian Cooking
- Harshal
- Feb 3
- 4 min read
Book Review: 5/5 Impact On Me (Book By Krish Ashok)
Read more about the book here
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I rate its impact on me 5 out of 5.
I read it when I was deep into food science and nutrition science. The book gave me more useful information in both areas. It also placed that information in an Indian food context, which mattered a lot to me.
Before this, when I shared science-based food experiments with my Indian family, they often said: “That might be true for the West, but is it true for our cooking?” This book helped with that challenge. The author connected scientific experimentation with Indian food traditions, and that helped me connect the dots more clearly.
I wrote a lot of notes while reading. After a point, I ran out of time to keep writing notes, but I still kept absorbing ideas. I also kept coming back to the book and referencing it. These are the takeaways I noted.
Dal, lentils, and fermentation
Add a small amount of oil to dal to reduce foam in a pressure cooker.
Add about half a teaspoon of oil in the pressure cooker for dal or lentils so foam does not come out of the whistle and does not clog the safety valve.
Urad dal has lacto bacteria on the surface, and that helps start fermentation for idli and dosa.
Rice basics and better rice texture
Brown rice has the outside bran.
When you cook rice, use the one knuckle method (index finger) instead of volume or weight. This helps account for evaporation, otherwise you end up chasing a 1.1 ratio.
Parboiled rice gives nutrition similar to brown rice, but it feels easier to eat like white rice.
When cooking rice in an open pot: wait until all water disappears, then let rice sit for 10 minutes. This rest helps amylose and amylopectin align so grains stay separate and fluffy.
Fluff rice with a fork, not a spoon.
Soak rice before cooking to reduce sticking, scorching, uneven cooking.
Soak rice for 20 to 30 minutes.
Basmati and other long-grain rice has less amylopectin, so grains stick less to each other.
Microwave rice (small servings)
Use the microwave if you cook rice for one or two people, but not if you cook for more.
Microwave method: high for 10 minutes, then low for 10 to 15 minutes.
Flavoring rice
Use coconut milk as part of the liquid.
Use soy sauce instead of salt, or add onion powder and garlic powder to the water.
For flavored rice: make steamed rice, cool it in the fridge, then mix flavoring into it.
Atta, gluten, and dough handling
Mix atta and water, then wait 30 minutes. Gluten forms on its own.
Add a little salt after resting.
Knead only a little.
Idli and dosa ratios and process control
Idli and dosa: 4:1 ratio (as noted).
Use different soak times to avoid sticky idli.
Grind separately.
Mustard: flavor vs heat
Whole dry mustard seeds give only a little flavor.
If you want mustard’s pungent heat, soak seeds in water for a few hours, then grind into a paste.
Baking powder and baking soda
Do not buy too much baking powder because it has a shorter shelf life than baking soda.
If you use baking soda or baking powder for fermentation, do not wait more than 30 to 45 minutes because they act fast.
Bread fermentation for better flavor
Longer fermentation gives richer, more complex bread flavor.
Let dough ferment outside, and you can also ferment overnight in the fridge.
Cover the vessel so dough does not dry out in the fridge.
Deep frying and puri texture
For deep frying, use dough with less water and more fat.
Fat shortens gluten strands.
Shortened gluten strands make puri flaky, not chewy.
Do not use dusting flour for puri because it burns in 170°C oil.
Non-gluten flours and binding tricks
For bread with non-gluten flour (almond, rice, corn, lentil, millet): add a pinch of xanthan gum. It adds no flavor and helps structure.
Another option: use very hot water to make amylopectin sticky, which helps bind the dough.
This helps binding, but it still does not feel as easy as gluten-based flour.
Bulk gravy and when to optimize reactions
When you bulk-prepare a gravy (example: dal makhani style): strain to remove fibrous husks if you cooked it for a long time, like an hour. They do not add flavor at that point.
Do not add salt or sugar at this stage.
Do not aim to maximize the Maillard reaction in bulk prep. Do it later when you finish the dish.
Tempering vs infused oil
Tempering: heat oil to high temperature, add whole spices, and add this at the end for crunch and mild flavor.
Infusing oil: keep hot oil with whole spices for several hours, then use only the oil for strong flavor.
Spices, timing, and flavor control
Add powdered spices at the end, not the start.
Use mushroom powder for umami.
Use turmeric and chili powder early because you use them for color and heat, not flavor.
Thickening and balancing richness
Thicken with flour or xanthan gum.
If gravy tastes too intense, add fat like ghee, butter, cream, or coconut milk to balance it.
If a dish feels heavy and fatty, add an acid to reduce the perception of greasiness.
Salads and ratios
I remember from Kenji Alt-Lopez’s The Food Lab: for salad, use fats and acids in a 3:1 ratio, and mix fats and acids before adding to the salad.
This book’s salad section is good, but I will reuse the one from The Food Lab.
Ginger garlic paste
Store-bought ginger garlic paste does not taste good because of sodium citrate.
