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Indian Spices and Seasonings
Essential Indian Spices -The Role of Spices in Indian Cuisine

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Indian Spices in food are used subtly and although Indian food is not bland, most Indian dishes are delicately spiced to enhance the flavor of the main cooking ingredient. Curry powder is the definition of fine spices roasted, combined and ground dry. Fresh ground spices are the order of the day in an Indian home and will be chosen according to the nature of the dish, season, and family.

The role of spices and herbs goes beyond just cooking.  Ancient Ayurvedic texts prescribe the herbs and spices for curative and therapeutic functions.  Ayurvedic scripts dating back to 3000 years, list the preventive and curative properties of various spices.

1. Curative Properties:  Most spices used in Indian cooking are very healthy, and make the digestion process much easier. The typical Indian cook has learnt to use this knowledge and weave them into everyday dishes. Ginger prevents dyspepsia, garlic reduces cholesterol and hypertension, and fenugreek is a good resistance builder. Pepper is often served as antihistamines, turmeric is used for stomach ulcers and for glow of the skin.
2. Preserving Foods: Spices have been used to make the food last longer in the days when refrigerators were not avaialable.
3. Aiding Digestion: In the Western part of the world, after dinner mints are usually given at a restaurant. Indian restaurants serve fragrant spices such as fennel, cardamom or cloves. Not only are they great mouth fresheners, but they aid digestion, prevent heartburn and curb nausea. Others such as asafetida and ginger root, have been known to counteract flatulence and colic, and are added to lentils, a must with every Indian meal.
4.  Balancing Tastes and Properties of Food: Each spice has a property-not just a taste property, but a warm or cooling property to it, along with many others. The cook generally understands these properties and cooking is elevated to yet another level by using this knowledge of spices into the cooking.

Masala is a word that is often used in an Indian kitchen. It means a 'blend of several spices.' Garam (hot) masala is the most important blend masala and an absolute essential to north Indian preparations, added just before serving the dish to enhance its flavor. The Garam masala is a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Masala may be in dry, roasted ground or paste form. Each State in India has its own particular blend, and furthermore, each family is partial to their own blend, as well as each cook is partial to his blend.
South India has a wonderful blend of 'wet spices' where the spices are ground with various combinations of spices, fresh herbs and nuts. Below are names of spice blends.

Indian Spices - Indian spice names and Indian spice descriptions are also mentioned

Curry Leaves (Fresh) - ships Tues only ,
Ginger Root (Fresh) - ships Tues only , 
Garlic Cloves (Fresh) - ships Tues only ,
Green Chilies (Fresh) - ships Tues only , 
Fresh Mint Leaves - ships out only on Tuesday , 
Baking Spice , 
Mace Powder or Javentri , 
Whole Nutmeg , 
Kasturi Methi or Fenugreek Leaves (Shambalileh). , 
Fried Onions , 
Panchpuran- Indian Five Spice Blend - magical flavor for tomatoes, squash, zucchini, fish , 
Saffron ,  Asafoetida or Hing (Vandevi) , 
Mustard seeds or Rai. , 
Black Pepper (Ground) , 
Cardamom Pods Green Whole , 
Red Chili Ground , 
Turmeric Ground or Haldi , 
Coriander Seed or Dhania , 
Coriander Ground , 
Cumin Seed or Indian Jeera , 
Cumin Ground , 
Fennel Seeds or Saunf , 
Cloves , 
Fenugreek Seed , 
Amchur - Green Mango Powder ,
Poppy Seed or Khas Khas , 
Ajwain Seed, Bishops Weed, Carom , 
Black Salt - Rock Salt or Saindhav , 
Whole Round Chilies , 
Garam Masala (WholeSpices) Blend , 
Anardana / Pomegranate Seed , 
Curry Powder , 
Cinnamon (Malabar Cinnamon) , 
Ginger Ground , 
Black Cardamom , 
Black Pepper (Whole) , 
Sesame Seeds White , 
Kallonji Nigella Seeds , 
Sesame Seeds Natural , 
Coconut - Shreded and Unsweetened , 
Coriander-Cumin Blend , 
Garam Masala Powder , 
Cardamom Seeds , 
Green Cardamom Powder , 
Nutmeg Powder , 
Spice Box - Traditional Indian , 
Spice Box with 7 Spices - Traditional Indian Masala Dubba , 
Fennel Powder , 
Clove Powder. ,
Caraway Seeds or Shahi Jeera or Kala Jeera , 
Tamarind Paste - Tamarindo, Tamar Hind , 
Ghee - Clarified Butter 64oz , 
Ghee - Claified Butter ,  Ghee - Clarified Butter , 
Jaggery - Dried Sugarcane Juice , 
Ghee - Clarified Butter , 
Ginger-Garlic Paste , 
Garlic Paste , 
Ginger Paste , 
Pinch of India , 
Coconut Milk , 
Coconut Cream Powder .

Granite (Stone) Mortar & Pestle 8 "- Best Seller , Mortar Pestle Granite 6 "

Indian Spice Blends or Spice Masalas

Saffron Biryani - Instant Rice Hot Dish
Aromatic Rice Pilaf with Pure Saffron
Dal or Lentil Spice Blend - perfect flavor for dal
Biryani Rice Meal Spice Blend - a restaurant spiced rice favorite
Malabar Coconut Spice Blend - for veggies, fish and chicken
Spicy Curry Blend for Veggies and Fish
Goan Vindaloo Spice Blend
Southern Spice Indian Blend - spice up veggies, rice
Roganjosh Meat Spice Blend
Indian Stir Fry Spice Blend
Vegetable (subzi) Spice Blend - flavor veggies and achieve a tastes of heaven
Channa /Garbanzo Beans Spice Blend
Korma Spice Blend .

Indian Spices    Indian Spice Blends     Indian Curry Pastes

You might also be interested in:

Indian Spices and how they are used - A Primer
Indian Spice Blends - Authentic Flavor Made Easy
Indian Spices 101 - Cooking with Indian Spices

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This work is dedicated to my mother Shanta who taught me the tenants of Ayurvedic Cuisine and Knowledge.

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Curry leaves (Chalcas koenigii)
They are used as a seasoning in Indian Cooking. The currey leaves lose their delicate fragrance when dried, you should try to obtain them fresh, don't waste your time with the dried stuff!
Indian Name: Kari patta, Kareapela, Karuveppilai, Karuvepila, Katneem, Bursunga, Bowala, Karepeku, Karivepaku, Girinimba, Suravi

Chilly (Powder/fresh/dried)
Now a basic Indian spice, used mainly for its pungent and fiery taste, one may use fresh green or red chilies instead.
Indian Name: Lal mirch, Hari mirch, Morich, Lanka, Lal marcha, mulagu, Marichiphala Ujjvala, Mirapakaya

Cardamom Pods (eliachi)
Used to flavor curries, masala chai and certain vegetables and Indian desserts and is one of the spices in Garam masala. Used for its strong but very pleasing flavor.
Indian Name: Eliachi, Choti elaichi, Yellakai, Elathari, Elakkaai, Yalukalu, Ellakai

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)
Used for its sweet and pleasing flavor. It is the bark of the cinnamon tree and one of the spices in Garam masala. It is normally used to flavor curries, masala chai and certain vegetables and Indian desserts.
Indian Name: Dalchini, Erikkoloam, Dalochini, Durusita, Twak, Illavangam, Lavanga pattai, Lavangamu

Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata)
Used for its pleasing flavor. and is one of the spices in Garam masala. It easily loses its flavor and is used to flavor curries, masala chai and certain vegetables. Indian Name: Laung,Lavang, Lavanga, Labango, Grampu, Krambu, Shriisanjnan, Lavangalu

Black Pepper (Kala Mirchi)
Black pepper are used in Indian cuisine at all stages of the cooking process and as a table condiment.
Indian Name: Kala mirchi, Gulki, Menasu, Kuru mulagu, Marichan, Vella, Krishnan, Krishnadi, Savyamu, Miriyalu

Ginger (Rhizoma Zingiberis)
A basic but not essential Indian spice, used for its warming properties and wonderful aroma and taste.
Indian Name: Adrak, Sonth, Alla, Inchi, Ada, Adraka, Shringaveran, Sringaaran, Allam, Ingee

Tamarind (Pulpa Tamarindorum)
The Juice of dry Tamarind are adequate to add a touch of sourness in the curry. It is extensively used in south indian cuisine and is normally used as a replacement for tomatoes.
Indian Name: Imli, Amla, Huli, Hunise mara, Puli, Imbli, Tintiri, Tintiddii

Fenugreek (Semen Foenugraeci)
This is a basic but not essential Indian spice which is actually a lentil and is used for its strong, bitter taste. After turmeric it has the most medically useful item in the Indian kitchen. If it is burnt it gets very bitter and should be thrown away.
Indian Name: Methi (seeds), Kasoori methi, Sag methi (leaves), Mente, Methri, Vendayam, Mentikura, Mentula

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