Spices are aromatic seasonings obtained from the roots, bark,leaves, buds or seeds of various plants. They should be used sparingly as they can overpower the flavor of foods being seasoned. A description and uses of most used spices with their Indian names is provided to familiarize readers.
Asafetida (Hing): It is a flavoring obtained from a giant fennel, that grows mainly in India and Iran. It has a fetid, garlicky smell with a strong flavor and must be used in minute quantities. The powder form resembling white pepper is recommended .
Black Peppercorns (Kaali Mirch): Most internationally popular among spices, they are black circular seeds with ridges, very pungent & are used whole, crushed or ground. Pepper powder adds a spicy flavor to bland food. White pepper is de-husked corn. Green pepper can be pickled.
Carom seeds (Aj-wain): They are greenish brown, comma shaped seeds that look like caraway seeds. They have a sweet licorice flavor, taste like thyme & are used in making fritters & pickle.
Cardamom (Ilaychi): Aromatic cardamom comes in white, green and brown pods. The white and green pods are used in desserts & the large brown pods are used in savory dishes such as rice pilaf, vegetable curries (kormas) & ground in curry powder (garam masala).
Cinnamon (Dal Cheen): They are the aromatic inner bark of the tree, resembling small sticks. Whole sticks can be used in savory or sweet dishes. Ground cinnamon is used in curry powder.
Cloves (Lavang): Cloves are the stems of the tree that look like a pin with a head. They have a strong flavor & can dominate the other spices. They are used in flavoring rice & in garam masala.
Coriander Seeds (Dhania): They are a native of the Orient & Mediterranean as well as a relative of the parsley family. These tiny tan seeds are lightly ridged with a combined flavor of lemon, sage & caraway. They are used whole or roasted & powdered into Dhania, Sambhar or Rasam powder.
Cumin Seeds (Jeera): They are shaped like caraway seeds & grow in 3 colors: amber, white and
black. The black cumin is more peppery. The seeds can be used whole, ground or roasted. They are used to flavor a curry base or rice, in spice mixtures & for seasoning vegetables.
Chili (Mirchi): They are long & short fruits, with a pungent taste. They are green when raw & ripen to become red & dried for future use. They vary from mild to hot in their degree of hotness. Green chilies are recommended as they are less harmful to the digestive system.
Fennel Seeds (Saunf): They resemble caraway seeds, but are shorter & fatter in shape. They are sweet to taste ground in curries & eaten raw after a meal, to aid digestion (kormas).
Fenugreek Seeds (Methi): These are bitter to taste & used in small quantities. Fried seeds are used in tamarind sauces & Sambhar powder. Ground seeds are used in pickles as a preservative.
Mustard Seeds (Rai) They are brown or black round seeds with a very sharp taste & must be used in small quantities. They splutter in hot oil, releasing their flavor during the seasoning process. Mustard powder is used as a preservative in mango pickles.
Pomegranate seeds (Anar dana) These are dried, black seeds of the fruit, that are ground to add flavor, texture & a sour taste to the sauce (curry).
Sesame Seeds (Til) These tiny, flat, oval-shaped seeds come in shades of brown, red, black & ivory. They have a nutty, sweet flavor possessing a very high oil content.
White Poppy Seeds (Khus-Khus) These small, dried, bluish-gray seeds of the poppy plant have a crunchy texture & a nutty flavor. They are soaked & ground to thicken vegetable kormas.
Saffron (Kesar) It is the dried filament of the purple crocus flower, grown in Kashmir & Spain. It is available as strands or in a powder form with a strong sweet smell & used in biryani.
Coriander powder (Dhania powder) Coriander seeds are sun dried or dry roasted & powdered. Coriander powder has a strong flavor and is used to thicken curries.
Cumin powder (Jeera powder) Cumin seeds are sun dried or dry roasted and powdered. Dhania Jeera powder is an equal mixture of coriander & cumin seeds powdered together.
Curry powder (Garam Masala powder) This spice powder is a mixture of several spices, such as black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, dry bay leaves & black cumin.
Madras Curry powder (Sambhar powder) This is a South Indian variation of curry powder combining coriander, fenugreek, lentils, red chili, curry leaves & asafetida, that are sun dried or roasted separately & powdered together.
Mango Powder (Aam Choor powder) This powder is made from sun dried mangoes & is a souring agent. It is used in stuffed vegetables & can be used as a meat tenderizer.
Nutmeg Powder (Jaifal powder): It is an oval shaped seed with a pod; its skin is powdered for use.
Red Chili powder (Molagai powder): It is made by powdering red chilies, that adds a spicy flavor.
Dosai chili powder (Dosai Molagai powder): This is a milder form of chili powder made with white & chick pea lentils, sesame seeds and asafetida, that are dry roasted, powdered & mixed with red chili powder. It can be substituted when the hotness of red chili pepper is to be reduced.
Rasam powder (Rasam powder): This is a combination of coriander, cumin, black pepper, lentils, red chili, curry leaves and asafetida that are dry roasted individually & powdered for use in soups.
Turmeric Powder (Haldi powder): This basic spice is the powdered, sun-dried root of the turmeric plant. It has antioxidant, antiseptic, anti cancerous & anti-inflammatory properties. A small quantity is recommended for use in foods, as too much of it, turns the food bitter.
