Spices and Flavourings
Indian food has been a favourite in the UK for some years now, usually enjoyed in Indian restaurants or takeaways. If you want to cook authentic Indian food at home the first thing you must do is to learn about the spices and flavourings and how they are used to create the wonderful taste and texture of these great dishes.
Cardamom
It’s best to buy it in pod form because as soon as the pod is opened it begins to lose its flavour.
The whole pod is used to flavour rice and meat dishes and discarded after cooking, also the pod can be opened and the seeds are crushed and sprinkled over sweets.
Chilli Powder
Powdered dried red chillies and sometimes other spices such as cayenne, paprika, cumin and garlic.
Chillies Fresh Green
For a less pungent result, discard the seeds.
Cinnamon
Ground or in stick form, if using in stick form discard before serving.
Coconut
This is used in many sweet and savoury dishes mainly in the form of coconut milk. Keep a look out for future posts on how to make your own coconut milk.Fresh Coriander
Use chopped as a garnish or stir it in at the end of cooking, you can also pure it to make sauces.Coriander Seeds
Very fragrant when used in ground form. Coriander seeds create a deeper flavour than fresh coriander.Curry Leaves
Usually used in curry dishes fried along with the chopped onion.
Apparently they aid digestion and help with the break down of food.
Fennel Seeds
This is an aromatic anise flavoured spice and is one of the most important spices in Kashmiri Pandit.
Cumin Seeds
A strong flavoured caraway like seed used as a traditional ingredient in Indian curry.Garam Masala
Commonly used in roghan josh and various types of pilaf. Look for future posts on how to prepare your own Garum Masala
Ghee (clarified butter)
This is better than ordinary butter for cooking because it can be heated to a higher temperature without burning. You can buy it or you can make your own.
Look out for future posts on how to make your own Ghee
Fresh Ginger
Grated, finely chopped or pureed
Gram Flour
Ground chick peas. Used in place of flour for making batter.
Mustard Seeds
When fried for a few seconds they smell delicious.Oil
Groundnut oil is the most commonly used in Indian food.
Panir (Indian cheese)
A curd cheese. Look out for future posts on how to make your own PanirSaffron
This comes powdered or in shreds. The threads are soaked in hot water or milk before using.
It gives the food a lovely yellow colour with a great taste and aroma.
Taramind
Comes in pod form or pulp, both must be soaked in water then squeezed and strained.
Used as a souring agent
Sesame Seeds
A seed with a nutty flavour, use in vegetable dishes and sprinkled on naan.
Yogurt
This is eaten daily all over India, plain, in vegetables or with fruit. Look out for future posts on how to make your own yogurt
Turmeric
Yellow in colour with an earthy taste.
Coming Soon
How to make your own coconut milk
How to prepare your own Garam Masala
How to make your own Ghee (clarified butter)
How to make your own Panir (Indian Cheese)
How to make your own yogurt
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