Top Nine Indian Spices

Indian cuisine can best be described as a combination of enticing aromas, vibrant colours and spicy, sweet, tangy flavours. While delicious out, it can be challenging to properly prepare Indian cuisine at home. This is because many home chefs believe that Indian cuisine is complicated and that it uses rare and hard to find spices to give it that authentic taste.

It’s true that many Indian recipes do call for a lot of ingredients and that most of those ingredients are spices, but the spices needed can be found at just about any grocery store or online retailer. It is a good idea to stock up on the traditional Indian spices so when the mood strikes, you will have what you need to prepare any authentic Indian dish you like.

With that being said let’s take a look at some of the most commonly used Indian spices that you should always have on hand.

Nine Essential Indian Spices

Cumin- there are a lot of authentic Indian dishes that use cumin for its warm and earthy flavour.

Coriander- coriander is used as both a spice and a garnish in Indian cuisine. It has a nutty and fruity flavour.

Mustard Seeds- mustard seeds have a unique peppery flavour and they are used to flavour soups and vegetables.

Ginger- fresh ginger can give a delicious, peppery flavour to Indian dishes and it should always be stored in the freezer to prevent it from spoiling.

Garam Masala- Garam masala is a blend of spices which can vary from cook to cook and region to region throughout India. It is almost always added to the pan near the end of cooking to add fragrance and flavour to the dish.

Turmeric- turmeric is a vivid yellow spice which gives Indian dishes their distinctive colour. It is known for its anti-inflammatory properties as well as its ability to add flavour and colour to curries.

Cinnamon- Ceylon cinnamon adds sweetness to savoury recipes and is antioxidant-rich and good for reducing cholesterol and stabilising blood-sugar levels.

Cardamom- cardamom is a very strong flavour that should be used sparingly in Indian cuisine such as chai, curries, and rice dishes.

Spicy Red Chile Pepper- adding heat and flavour to Indian cuisine is easy with chilli peppers. Spicy red chilli peppers are used in a wide range of curries.

Contact Chandra Foods

To learn more about top nine Indian spices and many other Indian foods, contact Chandra Foods and shop a wide selection of high quality traditional Indian foods today!

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