Cook Authentic Indian Food

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 Panir

Saffron

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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