Spices occupy a pride of place in all culinary preparations of India. India, in fact, is renowned for its spices, globally since ancient times. Each of the Indian spices has a unique flavour and taste and when used in various combinations and permutations, they transform a very ordinary dish into an exclusive exotica.
The variety in taste and aroma of some spices among the whole lot used in the Indian kitchen can be elaborated in brief as follows:
Pepper
The list of Indian spices has to begin with pepper which made India famous as a treasure trove of spices during medieval times. This spice hits the tongue inside out as you taste the various soups and main course dishes using it.
Cumin Seeds
Cumin is best used in the seed form to get a stronger aroma. It starts to give its aroma when cooked in hot ghee or oil during the seasoning. Fried or roasted cumin seeds add a distinct smoky flavour to the dish.
Dhania
Dhania is the dried form of fresh coriander and has a crunchy taste and a nice earthy flavour. They can be roasted and powdered for use or added to food preparations in non-roasted form, too. However, it is best to powder and use dhania seeds as and when needed at home to maintain its flavour.
Ajwain
Ajwain has a strong pungent taste and is rarely used in its raw form. It lends its flavour best when it is tempered in hot ghee or oil or lightly roasted.
Clove
Clove is cooked in its whole form in ghee or oil to add zing to spicy foods. When chewed slowly in raw form it releases a strong aroma in your mouth and leaves a cooling and numbing sensation when over.
Asafoetida
Known as ‘hing’ locally, it is a must include spice in many Indian dishes as it is an effective remedy for intestinal gas. It has a strong and pungent aroma in raw form but mellows down and gives an appealing taste to the food item when tempered in hot ghee or oil.
Green Cardamom
Green cardamom comes in form of black seeds enclosed in a pod. When the pod is opened and seeds are crushed, it releases a nice aroma. If it is chewed in the raw form, it gives a nice cooling sensation in the mouth.
Mustard seeds
The most commonly used mustard seeds in Indian cooking are the black variety though the yellow and the brown variety are also used to some extent. Black mustard seeds are the most pungent of the lot and have a stronger flavour than the other two.
Red Chilli powder
There are many varieties of chilli powders made from different types of peppers which vary in colour, aroma and the spice level. Among the whole lot, the chilli powder obtained from the Kashmiri Chillies is high on colour and low on the spice quotient.
The above list just gives a glimpse of the many Indian spices that are being used all over the world. However, it is essential to stock your spice requirements from well-known spices dealers. There are many quality spices exporters in India obtaining valuable foreign exchange for the country.
Pankaj Joshi
