Every Indian kitchen has a box of masala, which contains 7 essential Indian spices, and a combination of 7 spices (or herbs) is used in the preparation of most dishes. The masala box contains freshly collected whole spices or powdered spices.
The seven spices include: Dhaniya Powder (Coriander Powder), Garam Masala (Whole Spice Mix), Haldi (Turmeric Powder), Hari Elaichi (Green Cardamom), Lal Mirch Powder (Red Chilli Powder), and Sabut Jeera (Cumin Seeds or Shahjeera).
A set of five herbs is also famous in Indian cuisine, and these five herbs are used in certain alternative recipes. These are known as Panch Phoron, which is used in recipes prepared particularly to soothe the digestive system and cure indigestion. Panch Phoron includes Cumin, Brown Mustard, Fenugreek, Nigella and Fennel.
To understand Indian cuisine, you must learn about the signature spices and the traditional techniques for balancing them to craft a delicacy. The earthy, aromatic, slightly nutty pot of spices, cooked with raw vegetables, lentils, cereals, or meat extract, adds a depth of flavour unique to the dish. Experts are aware of the differences among herbs used in various preparations.
For instance, they know cumin seeds are earthy and roast; coriander seeds bring citrus flavours; fennel can give you a bright floral taste; cinnamon is slightly earthy and sweet; and cardamom is a game-changer for all desserts.
All basic Indian spices contain distinctive fragrant oils that break down when heated. These herb mixes are versatile and can be added to curry pastes, barbecue rubs, juices, salads, and desserts.
Traditional cooks employ definitive techniques to avoid pairing incompatible herbs; for instance, mustard seeds are not added to desserts or milk-based recipes, but they are roasted and sauteed with rice and yoghurt to make smoky, tangy yoghurt rice. Raw yellow mustard paste is added to fish curries cooked in mustard oil, and a small amount of citrus ingredient is added to the preparation to soothe the excessively pungent flavour.
Turmeric must be added at the start of preparation, and mustard oil must not be added to curries of vegetables or lentils to avoid the strong, raw aroma. The seven basic Indian spices are dhaniya powder (coriander Powder), garam masala (whole spice mix), haldi (turmeric Powder), hari elaichi (green cardamom), lal mirch powder (red chilli powder), sabut jeera (cumin seeds) and laung (cloves).
These seven Indian food spices are used in almost all preparations. The best way to use spices is to store them in airtight containers; otherwise, their flavour and aroma evaporate. Desserts made with jaggery or honey are spiced with cardamom and fennel seeds to enhance their flavour. You can also find a variety of spicy, milk-based dishes, some made with lentils and jaggery.
Here Is The List Of The Top 7 Indian Spices
1- Coriander (Dhaniya) - Coriander (cilantro) can be used as a green garnish, and the seeds can be roasted and powdered to balance the heat. In the traditional system, foods are categorised as cold, not based on temperature but on how the body responds when they are consumed. For instance, green or red chilli, onion, hot peppers, garlic, alcohol and caffeine increase body heat and cause sweating.
If the body does not release the heat or if you take such foods in excess in hot weather, it can lead to body odour; alternatively, herbs such as cloves, cardamom and cilantro ( or coriander seeds) reduce body odour, so they are often added to hot spicy chilly and cream-based foods to balance the heat.
Coriander is not just used in vegetables or meats; it can be made into a sweet bhog called Panjiri, where the seeds are roasted in clarified butter(Ghee) and blended into powdered form with grated coconut, almonds, and jaggery or sugar, a recipe that is served during Krishna Janmashtami in the temples as offerings to Krishna.
2. Garam Masala: Numerous different compositions of Indian food spices are part of garam masala, but most come with subtle sweetness, floral notes, and a hint of heat due to the presence of black peppercorns and dry red chillies. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace are dominant components in all varieties of garam masala.
The basic ones contain coriander seeds, green cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves, nutmeg, mace, cumin seeds, and cinnamon. All herbs are roasted and ground into a powder format. Before infusing it into curries, it is mixed with water, oil, or yoghurt to make a paste.
3. Cumin Seeds or Sabut Jeera (or Shahjeera)- Cumin and Coriander are a must-have spice combo. If you do not want to add complex spices, you can use turmeric, cumin, and coriander powder for earthy, mild flavours. These are low in heat and found in all chutneys, spicy foods, and curry blends. Roasted powdered cumin adds an extra fragrance to tangy recipes such as dahi bhallas, gol gappe, and chaat. Shahjeera or Syah Jeera is a slightly different version of the same that comes in darker shades.
4. Haldi(Turmeric Powder): Turmeric, which is a distinct yellow colour, is added to most Indian lentils, vegetables, and curries. A pinch of turmeric intensifies the flavours of most dishes.
5. Hari Elaichi(Green Cardamom) Whole green cardamom and seed powder are added to beverages and desserts. These are often added to sweets to balance the overwhelming feeling of saturation after a multi-course or high-fat meal. Further, you get a warm, herbal, citrusy, spicy, and minty taste that is not just impressive but also lightens the mood, especially when consumed after lunch or dinner. At the same time, whole black cardamom has a strong impact and adds a smoky texture to meat, rice, and chicken dishes.
6. Lal mirch powder(Red Chilli powder). There are many varieties of red chilli powder added to everyday Indian foods. Some are spicy, and others are just red and diluted.
7. Laung(Clove) - Cloves are unopened flower buds that enhance the pungent zest to dish up the devour.
Nowadays, most Indian restaurants prepare the famous curries with red chillies, tomatoes, nuts and cream, but traditionally, basic masala paste was specifically ground for each variety of vegetable or meat; for instance, fish curries were cooked in chilly or citrusy gravies or coconut milk or mustard where cloves, cinnamon or cardamom are avoided. In contrast, the meats and biryanis were infused with aromatic herbs such as cardamom, bay leaves and cinnamon.
Modern restaurants often create a nutty, rich, velvety tomato version of fish, chicken, meat, or everyday vegetables. Such nutty buttery onion, tomato, chilli, garlic, and ginger gravies with a large portion of garam masala are part of all get-togethers, unlike modern restaurants', traditional curries were flowy and soupy with intensely herbal flavours, where onion, nuts, creams, or tomatoes were excluded.
Street foods such as samosas, dahi bhalla, and chaat blends burst with spicy, tangy zest. Topped with tamarind and green sauces, they present sweet, salty, crunchy, and savoury sensations. They are often prepared with green chillies, green coriander, and fresh mint, while the typical heating species are avoided in such foods.
The five most common Indian spices used in Indian cuisine, called Panch Phoron, are known to soothe the digestive system. It contains cumin, brown mustard, fenugreek, nigella sativa, and fennel seeds.
In most regional cuisines, Indian food spices such as cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds are toasted and ground before use. A harmonious blend of herbs is chosen to avoid an intense, repelling aroma. Some milk-based beverages are made with cardamom and saffron, and acidic herbs are not added to such recipes. Essential Indian spices enhance the warmth of milk without overwhelming the cream flavours.
Indian spices are added in the right amounts to balance the external heat. Cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, and nutmeg are added in a smaller amount than coriander powder or fennel in most recipes. Since the South Indian climate is known for high temperatures and humidity, foods are prepared with coconut milk and coconut oil instead of mustard oil.
Most essential Indian spices enhance the flavours of foods; herbs act as preservatives; and some herbs can be used to break down fat or protein. Herbs are classified into heating or cooling agents.
For instance, green cardamom can be used in tea blends, whereas black cardamom, with large, dark brown pods, is avoided in sweet dishes and is used only in meat, lentil, or vegetable curries. Green cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon are comforting spices used in sweets and milk-based drinks, often with almonds and cashews.
Kashmiri recipes, such as Roganjosh, are made with only three herbs: red chilli, dry ginger powder, and fennel seeds (or powdered fennel seeds). It is considered a savoury dish presented for special occasions.
The classic meals were made from locally grown Indigenous biodiversity, with vegetables and fruits collected as a medley of seasonal unripe beans, bananas, sweet potatoes, banana stems, lotus stems, coconuts, and other delicacies designed to please the palates of those invited to the in-house feast prepared by home cooks.
For everyday household meals, freshly picked greens, beans, lentils, and cereals (rice, wheat, maize, maizey, and other regional fermented grains) were sauteed with a pinch of pepper, cumin, turmeric, mustard seeds, and coriander powder. A small amount of raw mango, tamarind, and chillies was later added to the preparation for additional sweet, sour, and tangy flavours.
Essential Indian spices are used to marinate foods before cooking, so a regular vegetable fry may not contain much spice, whereas butter, chicken, tikka masala, pulao, and kofta may contain a complex blend of turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cumin, peppercorns, bay leaves, and more.
Indian everyday street foods, e.g. bhel puri, samosa, gol gappe, or breakfast dishes like kachori, paratha, dosa, pav bhaji or wada pave, kathi rolls, poha, are made from simple chilly powder, dry mango powder, green mint, coriander powder and leaves, cumin and asafetida and boiled potatoes. One may not find cinnamon, clove, or cardamom in street recipes, but they are added to desserts such as payasam, halwa (kesari), and milk dishes.
Most street appetisers, fried vegetable fritters, and snacks have tantalising flavours influenced by local culture. South Indian dosas, idlis, and vadas, often served with sambar, are made with regional sambar masala and have unique compositions.
paneer, lentils, and rich, creamy, buttery curries are served for lunch or dinner and often include garam masala, ginger-garlic, tomato, and chilli paste, and cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, or cardamom.
Spicy Indian food is enhanced with cumin, turmeric, fennel, ginger-garlic, and other herbs. The amount of spicy red chilli determines the spiciness; different varieties offer varying levels so that you can choose based on your heat tolerance.
Cayenne pepper and cloves have intense flavours and are rubbed onto meats or fish for marination, but they may not increase the spiciness.
The spiciest is the Phaal curry, prepared with the bhot jholakia chillies, the hottest in the world. Such a level of spiciness is used only in chicken or meat curries, not in vegetable or lentil dishes. Most green vegetable preparations contain a small quantity of fresh green chillies, while red chilli powder is added to curries and soupy recipes.
Pork Vindaloo is another spicy dish made with red chillies, cloves, cumin, black pepper, and other herbs, and it can take you on a fiery ride.
Some regional South Indian dishes contain gunpowder, which is basically lentil powder sprinkled over dosa or rice. It bursts with a spicy flavour and contains chillies, lentils, cumin seeds, and garlic. Some of the spiciest chillies are used in Kolhapuri, Rista (a Kashmiri recipe), and Andhra chilli chicken varieties. Kozhi curry is widely eaten in Kerala and is one of the spiciest curries.
Black pepper powder is sprinkled on certain recipes, but its sharpness differs from that of typical red chilli.
Masala, or spices, are specific combinations used in preparing Indian meals. Spices are used to prepare curries with basic ingredients such as lentils, potatoes, spinach, or meat. The famous creamy, bright-orange tomato-based curry, tikka masala, is spicier than butter chicken, but the preparation techniques are similar.
Some essential Indian spices are extensively used in kormas and kofta curries. Kormas are creamy, fragrant dishes in which meat or vegetables are braised in coconut milk, with cashew or almond paste added to the curry. One of the sweetest versions of korma with added flavours is navratan korma.
Malai kofta is another version of paneer potato dumplings, served with a creamy, velvety sauce made with chillies, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic paste. It contains herbs with sweet flavours such as cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, as well as turmeric, cumin, coriander, and golden, pungent saffron stigmas.
Indian spices list with names included -
1. Cumin(jeera): Cumin is an earthy, flavoursome spice used to prepare rice and vegetables. It is also combined with cardamom, coriander, and turmeric and added to meat dishes.
2. Nutmeg(jaiphal) and mace (javitri): Nutmeg is a warm, woody, intensely floral herb that is added to butter, steamed green vegetables, curries, and cakes.
3. Saffron (kesar) -It is collected from crocus flowers. It adds a yellow colour to recipes such as pulao and teas.
4. Mustard seeds (sarson dana). Black and yellow mustard seeds are used to temper green chillies in most South Indian recipes. They bring a strong, smoky flavour to the table. In North India, raw mustard paste is added to vegetables or fish curries for a unique smoky flavour.
5. Kashmiri Red chilli powder (Kashmiri lal mirch). It is added to create a unique, tangy red texture that is not very spicy. Fennel powder and red chilli powder are added to meat and dum aloo recipes.
6. Dry ginger powder (saunth) Dry ginger or saunth gives a warm, zesty flavour to meals. It is added to gravies and soups to soothe the throat and warm the meal, especially in cold climates.
7. Fennel powder(sauf) Fennel seeds are added to many desserts, yoghurt-based Kashmiri Yakhni, and other recipes.
8. Asafoetida A pinch of Asafoetida is added to many Indian recipes, as it is believed to enhance digestion. It is alkaline and aids in digestion.
9. Cloves (laung) - Cloves are warm, sweet, and aromatic, adding a complex flavour to the recipe.
10. Cinnamon sticks(dalchini) They are used as savoury. They add a woody flavour to meat curries or rice biryanis.
11. Cardamom(elaichi) - It adds sweet, floral notes to recipes. It can be green or black. Green is used in cakes, beverages, and desserts, while black is used in curries.
12. Caraway or Black Jeera (shahi Jeera) - Caraway seeds are added to meat and rice for a rustic, tangy, nutty flavour.
13. Bay leaves (tej patta). Both clove leaves and bay leaves can be added to dishes for a feast. They impart unique flavours, and they are often removed before serving. It is spicy and warming, often added to rice preparations, meat stews and casseroles.
14. Star Anise(badiyan) Also known as Badiyan, it is added to rice preparations for a delightful twist in flavour.
15. Black pepper(kali mirch) Black pepper is a versatile spice that adds a unique zest to oily fish, eggs, and vegetable curries.
16. Fenugreek seeds(methi) Fenugreek seeds are nutty and earthy with a hint of bitterness. They are added to vegetable curries, pickles, and sambar.
17. Curry(Curry patta) - Curry leaves are prominently used in South Indian cuisine, and they impart an aromatic kick to the recipe.
18. Nigella sativa (kalonji): Nigella seeds add piquancy to dishes. They can be added to parathas or Indian curries.
19. Carom seeds(ajwain) - Caraway or Ajwain seeds are strongly flavoured and added to bread and lentils.
20. Dry raw mango powder (amchur) - It is a zesty, tangy powdered form of raw mango added to get a sweet-sour zing.
In most Indian kitchens, a masala box is used to store spices for everyday cooking, and the seven spices are kept in it. Theon spices stored in a Masala box are cumin seeds, coriander powder, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, red chilli powder, garam masala, and black pepper.
Curry leaves, grated coconut, tamarind, dried mango, whole red chillies, bay leaves, and jaggery powder are often stored in separate boxes to prevent contamination and to keep herbs with shorter shelf lives separate. Honey, nigella sativa, fenugreek seeds, carom seeds, and black salt have a longer shelf life, but black salt can absorb moisture, so it must be stored in a separate box.
Another set of Indian spice boxes contains nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, asafetida, and black pepper, which are not used in all recipes. Yet they must be carefully stored in an airtight container, as the flavour evaporates quickly if left open for too long.