For a Quicker Passage to India

A guide to some time- and labor-saving Indian ingredients found at local Indian grocers.

GINGER-GARLIC PASTE

Together, ginger and garlic form a layer of strong flavors upon which many Indian curries are built. The paste also acts as a thickening agent. While a bit less aromatic than the freshly prepared version, store-bought ginger-garlic paste works fine for most recipes.

Brands: Swad, Maya, Laxmi and Nirav sell the paste in jars ranging in size from 7 to 14 ounces. Salt and oil are used as preservatives.

How to use it: Cook along with onions at the beginning of the cooking process in most Indian curries. Add a tablespoon to your marinades to build flavor. (See recipe for Roasted Eggplant, at right.)

Storage: Refrigerate the paste (once it's opened) for up to six weeks. You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray and use the cubes as needed; frozen paste keeps for up to three months.

Price: Nirav Ginger Garlic Paste, 8.5 ounces, $2.19; Laxmi Ginger Garlic Paste, 9 ounces, $5.99.

TANDOORI MASALA

In Indian cooking, spices are used individually or in mixes; the latter add complexity, texture and flavor to dishes, exemplifying the cooking of the regions from which they originated. One common mix is tandoori masala (masala means "spice mix"), used to marinate roast meats for cooking in tandoors (large clay ovens) or, as is fine for most tandoori recipes, in conventional ovens or charcoal grills.

Brands: MDH Tandoori Barbeque Masala, Shan Chicken Tikka BBQ Mix and Shan Tandoori Chicken BBQ Mix are all excellent. Shan's tandoori mix is composed of red chili pepper, ginger, nutmeg, black pepper, cardamom, cumin, mace, dried garlic, cinnamon and anise seed. Tandoori foods once were thought to obtain their red color from being cooked in red brick tandoors, but it's just red food coloring.

How to use it: Combine with yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste and a bit of vegetable oil to create a tangy, spicy marinade for chicken, shrimp, tofu or fish. (See recipe for Easy Chicken Tikka, at right.) Yogurt is used as a meat and poultry tenderizer in Indian cooking, and it is an integral part of many tandoori marinades. You can use the same marinade for potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers and panir (Indian cheese).

Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to six months. Use your nose to check for freshness and potency of the spice mix: If it loses its aroma, discard.