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Wet Masala Masala means simply
"mixture" and can refer to a blend of wet or dry
ingredients. A dish may even call for both. In South India, cooks begin
many dishes by grinding freshly grated coconut with a favorite blend of
aromatics. The Pillai family favored turmeric, cumin, and ginger. You can
see in their prep dish here a handful of fresh curry leaves as well.
Almost every home has a huge, heavy grinding stone, even if there's a
high-speed blender tucked away beneath the counter somewhere. They come
with a house--no moving one of these--and some have been in continuous use
for generations. The wet masala is plopped onto the flat stone and then reduced
into a smooth paste in seconds with a few rolls of the pestle. The jar in
the corner holds water. A quick drizzle of water and a swipe with the side
of your hand will clean the stone. Faster, better, more fun than a
blender--although it helps if you've done it a few hundred times before. next
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