Most Essential Indian Spices and Herbs – How To Stock Pantry for Indian Cooking

Cumin seeds and cumin powder is an essential item in Indian cooking that may be found in a variety of Indian dishes and it adds nutty, toasty flavors and depth to a variety of foods. They’re also widely available at regular grocery stores and very cheap.

They are generally used whole, fried in oil at the beginning of a dish, this process is called Tempering or Taarka. Roasted and ground cumin can be used later in the cooking process. Cumin gives soups, daals, and curries an earthy flavor and substance.

Cumin seeds will brown quickly at a higher heat, in around 15 seconds. You’ll know they’re done when they start to pop and make sure they don’t burn. Ground cumin is one of the main ingredients in North Indian Garam Masala. Cumin is a savory spice that is pungent and nutty. It is great in marinades for meat and fish.

Turmeric is very bright and vibrant and is used in almost all Indian curries. Turmeric has long been thought to have various health advantages in addition to its color and taste functions. A teaspoon is usually all that is needed to flavor and color a dish for most standard recipes. Turmeric is a mild spice, it has more smell than an actual taste.

Coriander powder is another must-have to get started making Indian food. It’s used in a variety of dishes to offer a flavor that’s both pleasant and delicate. If you have a coffee/spice grinder, get whole coriander seeds instead of ground coriander seeds to ensure maximum freshness. Then dry-roast and powder the mixture yourself.

Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant and it has a lemony citrus flavor with some leafy, woody undertones, and the best way to use coriander seeds is to grind them into powder before adding them to sauces. Roasted Coriander Seeds are also often used in Indian cooking.

Mustard seeds are aromatic and pungent, and they’re used in a variety of dishes. Mustard seeds are typically roasted in oil until they splutter and then used as a tempering agent in recipes. Choose black mustard seeds over yellow mustard seeds, which are more common in Western cuisine. They have a horseradish-like bite. They’re not spicy, but they have a nice zing to them. It is widely available in the spice aisle of regular supermarkets, Indian grocery stores, and online.

This is the spice that must-have. Try to buy whole and grind yourself so you get the freshest flavor.

Green cardamom/Elaichi is a sweet and aromatic spice that is essential for Indian delicacies as well as curries, rice dishes, puddings, and pulao. When using the entire pod, make sure to remove it before eating the meal. Discard the outer pod and crush the seeds into a coarse powder in a mortar and pestle for desserts. We always keep the cardamom as a whole and crush them when needed.

It’s deliciously cooked in hot oil at the start of an Indian dish. You only need three to six entire cardamom pods in most of the standard recipes. Recipe with cardamom: Kerala Style Chicken Curry

Cinnamon is considered a sweet spice. When you roll the cinnamon in your hand it should smell really nice. It is used in meat dishes, biryani, etc.

Nutmeg is warm and spicy. It has a unique flavor.

A well-known Indian spice blend that has been quite popular in recent years. It’s sold in the spice section of most supermarkets and isn’t much more expensive than other spices.

Garam masala is a general word for a spice blend. Garam masala is made out of a variety of aromatic spices such as peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander, cloves, bay leaves, and so on. Garam masala is typically used near the end of the cooking process to impart a burst of scent and flavor to the food.

Check out our article on how to make garam masala at home.

Although there are many different types of dry red chilies used in Indian cooking, I prefer the mild Kashmiri red chile, both whole, and ground, because it has a bright red color and a smokey flavor. When using other chiles in place of Kashmiri red chilies, keep the heat level in mind.

Kashmiri chili powder is made using milder dried chilies (these chilies are deep red in color and have wrinkled skin) and are quite mild. Instantly turns any meal into a bright red color with a touch of heat. it’s quite common in Indian cooking. You can soak these chilies in water and make your own chili paste. You can also use red chili flakes if you like spicy.

Cilantro is a fantastic “must use” herb with its bright green color and lemony refreshing flavor that brightens up the appearance and flavor of any dish. It goes especially well with rich, deep-flavored dals and meat dishes.

Black Cardamom is a large brown pod with strongly scented seeds native to the Eastern Himalayan highlands. Unlike green pods, this cardamom is not commonly used in desserts or sweet foods. It’s a common ingredient in African, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisine. It has a distinct smoky flavor and is commonly found in Indian Biryani, Curries, Basmati rice, and stews. Because of its strong aroma, black cardamom should be used sparingly.

The main distinction is that they are dried over a fire before being used in cooking, giving them a blackened and smoky flavor.

Ginger is the most important Indian spice used in almost all curries. Based on the recipes, it may call for ginger powder, ginger garlic paste, and fresh ginger. Make sure to peel the ginger.

Ginger/garlic paste is used in almost all Indian recipes and here is the recipe for making ginger/garlic paste at home. If you don’t have ginger garlic paste, chop a 1-2 inch length of raw ginger, grated or minced, and add it to your garlic once it’s been cooked.

If you want a softer flavor, add it when you first start frying the onions, or if you want a stronger flavor, add it after the onions have softened, giving the garlic less time to cook.

This traditional Indian cooking ingredient is also known as hing. It has a unique flavor that is slightly bitter. Recipe with Asafoetida: Kerala Style Sambar

Carom seeds have a strong flavor so it is used in small quantities and almost always cooked. Spice is frequently used in Indian cooking as part of the tadka. Tadka, or tempering, is a cooking procedure in which entire spices are put into hot oil or butter (usually ghee) and fried. This oil and spice mixture is then added to curries as a finishing touch or garnish.

Clove is a common spice in Indian cooking. The high concentration of essential oils in clove gives it a pungent, unique flavor. Cloves are actually flowers, and they are pressed for their oils before being dried and used in cooking. Cloves can be used whole or combined with other spices in spice blends. You only need very few since it has a strong flavor. Recipe with clove: Kerala Style Biryani

This aromatic plant is recognized for its pleasantly bitter, slightly sweet seeds. Whole and crushed fenugreek seeds are used to flavor a variety of Indian dishes, including curry powders, spice blends, and teas.

The leaves of Indian bay are larger, olive green in color, and have three veins along the length of the leaf. It has a flavor similar to cloves and cinnamon. They are a key ingredient in the aromatic Moghul or Mughlai cuisine and are one of the most often used spices in North Indian cooking. They are also often added to Garam masala.

These sweet strands infuse distinctive aroma, delicate flavor, and lovely yellow color in rice dishes and puddings.

Amchoor is a tangy, citrusy, light gold-colored spice extensively used in North Indian cuisines like pakoras, samosas, and chutneys. It is made from unripe mangoes that are harvested early and dried to make Amchoor Powder. When mangoes are out of season, this powder is a great way to enjoy their flavor and nutritional advantages.

Curry leaves are mostly used in south Indian cooking. It gives a distinctive flavour to dishes.

• Coriander seeds/powder
• Chili powder/flakes
• Turmeric powder
• Cumin seeds/powder

• Mustard seeds
• Fenugreek seeds/Fenugreek leaves
• Fennel seeds
• carom seeds

• Cloves
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom
• Indian Bay leaves

• Whole Red chilies
• Nutmeg
• Black Pepper
• Saffron