Spices from an Indian Kitchen
When herbs and spices are added to a dish, they act on the ingredients in some specific and wonderful ways. Contrary to what you might think, they don't always make the dish spicy. Only a few spices actually add a hot taste. Most indian spices act as aromatics, which add subtle fragrance to the food. Others are coloring agents, to make classic dishes lovely to behold. Still other spices add tartness or can help to tenderize the meat. Still other spices can lend texture a sauce.
Aromatic Herbs
- Asafetida (Heeng)
- Derived from the roots of certain plants in India and Iran. Aroma used to add subtle onion flavors in some dishes.
- Cardamom (Elaichi)
- Small fragrant black seeds from fruit of Cardamom plant. Green cardamom is a small quarter inch green pod with a powerful aroma and a delicate sweetness.
- Cinnamon (Dalchini)
- There are two kinds of cinnamon, one comes from the bark of the Cassia tree. The second comes from a True Cinnamon tree. Both have a sweet captivating aroma that is found in pilafs and Garam Masala. Suprisingly, cinnamon is never used in Indian desserts as is common in the west.
- Cloves (Laung)
- Cloves are the dried bud of the plant Syzygium aromaticum, native to Indonesia. They are dark brown in color and have a pungent taste.
- Coriander (Dhania, Sooka)
- Coriander seeds are the dried ripe fruit of the coriander plant (a member of the parsley family). The seeds are round and have a nutty, piquant taste.
- Cumin (jeera)
- White cumin is widely used in many cuisines (Mexico, Africa, Spain, the Middle East). It has a nutty aroma and taste. Black cumin comes from Iran and the valleys of Kashmir. It is slightly sweeter smelling and does not require roasting.
- Mango Powder (Anchoor)
- Mango is native to India, it is plucked, peeled and dried in the sun. Then it is ground to produce a pale buff colored powder. It has a pungent aroma and can be used in place of lemon juice in cooking.
- Mustard (rai)
- Oil extracted from Mustard seeds is used for oil based pickles and deep frying. Mustard oil is an essential ingredient in Goan Vindaloo.
- Onion Seed (Kalaunji)
- Satiny black triangular seeds that have a sweetness similar to oregano. They are used as pickling spices and can be found sprinkled on Tandoori nan.
- Saffron (Kesar)
- Saffron threads have a sweetish taste and aroma. Saffron comes from the stigmas of rare saffron flowers. It doesn't take more than a few strands to impart a beautiful orange-yellow color to a dish.
Flavor Agents
- Ginger Powder
- sometimes sour, sometimes hot, this spice is instinctively added to cooking in cooler climates and during winter months.
- Mango Powder
- Adds a tart flavor to food
- Pomegranate
- Has a deep red color and can add both sweetness and tartness to a dish
- Red Pepper
- Red peppers are known for their heat. When you ask for extra stars of hotness in your dish, you're asking for more red pepper.
- Tamarind
- Tangy or sour
Color
- Paprika
- deep red
- Saffron
- orange or yellow
- Turmeric
- deep golden yellow