5 Spices You Need to Start Cooking More Indian Food (2024)

FAQs

5 Spices You Need to Start Cooking More Indian Food? ›

These types of varieties are known as the seven whole spices of India, which are cumin, coriander, turmeric, clove, cinnamon, cardamom and fenugreek. These whole spices are used for both cooking as well as health purposes, and many are used in herbal medicines.

These types of varieties are known as the seven whole spices of India, which are cumin, coriander, turmeric, clove, cinnamon, cardamom and fenugreek. These whole spices are used for both cooking as well as health purposes, and many are used in herbal medicines.

Garam masala

This spice blend is usually made with ground coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon bark and cloves, but you could always add to it or, like my biji, create your own using the spices you like best.

Five spice powder usually has clove, star anise, Szechuan pepper, cinnamon & fennel seed. Some regions switch out one of these and add ginger root. It was created to use all five tastes such as sweet, bitter, sour, salty and spicy.

Black Pepper is considered the 'king of spices' and rightfully so. Unlike its perennial companion, salt, which is easily available in any nook and corner of the world, the black pepper owes its origins to Kerala – a state in South India.

One of the subtle Indian spices is Fenugreek. Fenugreek seeds are quite bitter, but have enormous health benefits. The leaves are a green aromatic spice and are less prone to bitterness, and have a delicious maple-like aroma. This Indian spice is what people say "smells like curry."

How to Make Indian Food More Spicy. If you're feeling courageous and wish to experiment with your spice tolerance levels, here are some ways to make your Chef Bombay Indian meals spicier. The most low-effort (and one of our favorites) way is to just finely chop up some green or red chilis and sprinkle it in your curry.

You'll find hing or asafatida in about 90% of Indian recipes. It's that pale looking spice that smells a bit like eggs and tastes rather bitter. But don't be put off by hing's foul odour - most Indians certainly aren't. Hing is the spice responsible for giving Indian food its heady and authentic flavour.

TURMERIC. That is the go to spice in any South Indian kitchen to enhance a dish.

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

What spice gives curry a kick? ›

Dried Red Chilli's: Ranging from medium to hot, red dried chillies can give your dishes a strong kick. The more you add, the hotter the curry will be. They're milder when used whole. Cinnamon: Perfect to channel that sweet undertone, cinnamon adds a natural and fragrant flavour to a curry dish.

Indian food is lauded for its curries, mouth-burning spices and complex flavor pairings. With its use of cardamom, cayenne, tamarind and other pungent ingredients, the resulting taste combinations are unlike anything found elsewhere around the world.

Some of the most common Indian spices include bay leaf, black peppercorn, cinnamon, clove, coriander seed, cumin seed, fennel seed, fenugreek, ground ginger, green cardamom, mustard seed, nutmeg, red chili, saffron, ground turmeric, and the spice blend garam masala.

Garam masala consists of ground spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, bay leaf, mace and black pepper. Some versions even consist of fennel seeds, red chilies and black cardamoms.

Mustard Seeds EUR” these little black balls are commonly used in South Indian cooking as part of the tadka and are known for their digestive properties. They release their full flavor when popped.