Indian Cooking 101: Know Your Spices {Part 1}

Throughout history, the lure of spices has led the adventurous to unexplored lands. Heck, Kerala’s spices enticed Arabs and Mediterranean and the spice trade dates back three thousand years.

Spices improve and enhance the flavor of food. They are also rich in nutrients and antioxidants. In addition, spices also have medicinal properties and are used in home remedies and Ayurvedic medicines.

If you’re a beginner to Indian cooking, you’d be overwhelmed by the number of spices we use in our daily cooking. However, what if I say, you need only 5-7 bare minimum spices to prepare a delicious meal? Sounds good? Read on.

Forms of Indian Spices

Spices can be:

• whole
• powdered
• curry paste

Whole spices can be ground and powdered in a spice grinder and stored in airtight containers for convenience. Traditionally, a grinding stone or a mortar and pestle was used for this purpose.

Spices are also available as powders in the market. It is also available as curry paste.

Let’s start with the basic spices that you should have in your pantry before you go all out into hoarding the many Indian spices.

Five Basic Indian Spices That You Must Have In Your Pantry

These five spices – cumin seeds, mustard seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder constitute the staples of Indian spices.

English	Hindi	Malayalam
Cumin	Jeera	Jeerakam
Mustard	Sarson	Kaduku
Red Chili Powder	Lal Mirch	Mulaku Podi
Turmeric Powder	Haldi	Manjal Podi
Coriander Powder	Dhaniya	Malli Podi

• Notes: I mainly use Cumin seeds for simple North Indian stir-fries. It has an aromatic and spicy flavor which intensifies when heated.
• Mustard produces a strong, pungent oil that is used in some traditional Indian foods (eg: The Bengali Mustard Fish Curry). In South India, mustard is mainly used for tempering (explained below).
• Red Chili powder can be made from ground dried red chilies.
• Turmeric powder is made by grinding the root of turmeric in the ginger family. It is a natural antiseptic and is used in many home remedies. It adds a pop of color to dishes like dal and is used along with other spices in curries.
• Coriander is one of the oldest recorded spices- from Sanskrit texts to tombs of pharaohs. It can be used as whole seeds, ground powder, or fresh leaves. Considered an aphrodisiac, the powder can be made by grinding aromatic coriander seeds and then stored in airtight containers.

It is easy to master these spices and you can whip out some delicious Indian dishes using them.

Quick Recipes Using Basic Indian Spices

Take, for example, Jeera Aloo which is sauteed potatoes in cumin seeds. All you need, apart from seasoning, is a pinch of turmeric powder and cumin seeds to cook potatoes.

Here are a few more simple stir fry recipes that make use of only the above spices.

What is Curry Powder?

Now, this is going to break your heart.

There is NO SUCH THING as a Curry Powder in India and it is NOT used in authentic Indian dishes. It is in fact, an American/British version of Indian spice mix which is used to add into soups, stews, and curries.

So, if you mix together some cumin, turmeric, coriander, and ginger, it doesn’t guarantee you to bring a traditional Indian flavor to your curries.

Every Indian recipe calls for specific spices in a certain amount. Only this will bring out its true flavor and not a spice blend like curry powder.

For eg, if you add curry powder to your chicken curry and to your vegetable soup, the taste remains the same, barring the different vegetables or condiments you’ve used in both the dishes.

What is Garam Masala?

Now you’d ask me what Garam Masala is. And how that being a spice mix, we add it in most of the curries.

Yes. Garam Masala is an aromatic blend of whole spices, namely Coriander, Cumin, Cardamom (Black and Green), Cloves, Cinnamon, Peppercorns, Nutmeg, Bay leaves and Fennel.

English	Hindi	Malayalam
Cardamom	Elaichi	Elakka
Cloves	Laung	Graambu
Cinnamon	Dal Cheeni	Karuva Patta
Peppercorns	Kali Mirch	Kurumulagu
Nutmeg	Jaayphal	Jaathikka
Bay Leaves	Tej Patha	Vazhana Ela
Fennel	Saunf	Perumjeerakam

These spices are dry roasted and then ground to a fine powder to be added in curries like Beef Roast or Chicken Curry. Once made, it can be stored in an airtight container.

However, Garam Masala is added along with other spices, and it is mostly not the overpowering one in any dish. Often, Garam Masala is added for ease and to avoid biting into whole spices like clove or cardamom.

Recipe Using Garam Masala

Readymade garam masala powder is available in the market and for ease of use, you may purchase them. But as always, nothing beats homemade spice blends.

• Notes: Cardamoms are used in both sweet and savory food preparations. If a recipe calls for adding cardamoms, split open the pods, add the seeds.
• Did you know that cloves have antiseptic properties? It works wonders as a local anesthetic for toothache as well.
• While across the globe, cinnamon is mostly used in baking and desserts, we use it as a flavoring spice to our Pulaos, Biriyanis, and Savory Meat curries.

• Ground or powdered nutmeg is used primarily in sweets and savories.
• Here comes my favorite spice, Black Pepper. As a child, I used to pluck fresh green peppers from the tree and munch on, my Mom says. Ah, fond memories.
  This is the spice that took early traders to Kerala, in search of the ‘Black Gold’. An important ingredient in Kerala cuisine, pepper is also used for home remedies for coughs and colds.

Spices Used in Tempering

Before we learn about other major Indian spices, let’s take a look into some common cooking methods. Indian cuisine, like most others, follows the basic methods of cooking like sauteing, frying, deep-frying, shallow frying, boiling, steaming, simmering, and grilling.

But many Indian dishes use a cooking method called Tempering, either at the beginning of the cooking process or in the end as a final flavoring touch.

Tempering or Tadka (or Thalipu in Malayalam) means sauteing whole spices in hot oil or ghee to be added to the dish. This will release the essential oils from the whole spices and add more flavor to any food. Indian tempering cooking method is in no way related to tempering chocolate or eggs.

Tempering spices also differ according to region. For eg, the main ingredient for tempering in South Indian cooking is black mustard seeds and in North Indian cooking, it is cumin seeds.

The main spices used in tempering are mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, and asafoetida. In addition, we also use curry leaves, dry fenugreek leaves, and split lentils for tempering.

English	Hindi	Malayalam
Cumin	Jeera	Jeerakam
Mustard	Sarson	Kaduku
Dry Red Chilies	Sukhi Sabut Lal Mirch	Vattal Mulaku
Asafoetida	Hing	Kaayam

Here are some examples of recipes that call for tempering at the start of the cooking process.

Recipes with Tempering at the Start of Cooking

Recipes with Tempering at the End of Cooking

Here are some examples of recipes that call for tempering at the end of the cooking process.

• Notes: Asafoetida is extracted from the resin of ferula plant. It is available in the form of a resinous mass or in powder form mixed with rice flour, which is easier to use. It also has digestive properties and is used for relief from flatulence.

Other Important Spices and Herbs in Indian Cuisine

English	Hindi	Malayalam
Saffron	Kesar	Kumkumam
Cambodge/Malabar Tamarind/ Kokam	Kokam	Kudampuli
Tamarind	Imli	Puli
Fenugreek	Methi	Uluva
Ginger	Adrak	Inji
Dry Mango Powder	Aamchoor	Maangapodi
Nigella	Kalonji	Karinjeerakam
Poppy Seeds	Khas Khas	Khas Khas
Carom Seeds	Ajwain	Ayamodakam
Star Anise	Chakra Phul	Thakkolam
Garlic	Lasun	Veluthulli
Curry Leaf	Kari Patha	Kariveppila
Mint	Pudina	Pudina

• Notes: Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, which can cost around 3000 dollars for just two pounds. It is used as a flavoring and coloring agent in savory foods and desserts.

• In its purest form, Cambodge (Garcinia gummi-gutta) is different from kokum (Garcinia indica). Before reaching the market, the fruit is cut open, the inner pulp discarded, and the outer petal-like skin is sun-dried to a black color. To use, soak 2-3 petals in water for 10-20 minutes. Add the pieces to the curry. The below mentioned Kerala Style Fish Curry uses Cambodge.

• Tamarind is another souring agent added to gravies. To use, soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze to a pulp. Strain to add to the curry.
• Used in the form of seeds and leaves, fenugreek is bitter and strong in flavor. The seeds are popular in South Indian cuisine, used in tempering, and leaves are popularly used in North Indian foods, freshly sauteed, or dried to add flavor.
• Ginger is mildly aromatic and has a pungent flavor. It is used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Always wash and peel before using it.
• Nigella is used for tempering and also as flavoring agent in breads and fried snacks- just like carom seeds.
• Poppy seeds are mainly used to thicken sauces and gravies.
• Star Anise is another flavoring spice like cinnamon and clove, used in Pulaos and curries.
• From mythology to religion, garlic is featured everywhere. It has many medicinal properties and helps in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. I love garlic in my food for it blends well with onions and spices.
• Curry leaf is used in tempering and its flavor enhances when it is heated in oil. It is one of the essential ingredients in South Indian cuisine.

That’s all for now!

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Do you have a favorite spice that you like to use? I hope I’ve covered it in this post. If not, let me know in the comment section below so that I can make the necessary changes.

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