Before jumping in and starting to cook, I think it is important to
learn the basics. One of the most important and often a mysterious aspect of Indian
food is understanding the use of spices. Simply put spices, or masala (blend of
spices), equals flavor, and fragrance. Almost all the dishes involve
some combination of spices. For people like my mom, nanima (grandmother), and aunt it almost a second nature knowing which
spices to use in combination or in a particular dish. But for right now I will
stick to the basics. Below are some of the most common spices used in everyday
Indian cooking, and are readily available in Indian grocery stores.
1) Clove (lavang)
2) Cumin (jeera)
3) Turmeric (haldi)
4) Garam masala
5) Fenugreek seeds (meethi)
6) Salt (namak)
7) Black pepper (mari)
8) Cinnamon stick (taaj)
9) Cardamom pods (ilachi)
10) Mustard Seeds (raai)
2) Cumin (jeera)
3) Turmeric (haldi)
4) Garam masala
5) Fenugreek seeds (meethi)
6) Salt (namak)
7) Black pepper (mari)
8) Cinnamon stick (taaj)
9) Cardamom pods (ilachi)
10) Mustard Seeds (raai)
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