India is popularly known as the "land of spices" because it is the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices in the world. About 75 of the 109 varieties of spices listed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) are produced in India, which roughly accounts for half of the global spice trade. With the rise of e-commerce in the country, you can now order spices online from the comfort of your home.
Spices are the essence of Indian cooking. They can give life to any dish by enriching its flavour and aroma. In this article, we will discuss the top Indian spices and suggest culinary ways to use them in Indian cuisine.
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Cumin (Jeera)
It is an essential ingredient in Indian cooking. And, it is one of the first spices added while cooking Indian dishes. However, make sure to roast them carefully because they can burn if overheated, and burnt jeera tastes bitter.
How to use cumin in cooking?
Depending upon the type of recipe, you can use cumin in different ways. You can use cumin by sprinkling it on salads, chaats, soups, and other foods. You can also use it when making curries or gravies along with coriander powder or garam masala.
Clove (Laung)
Cloves are one of the most common and flavoured Indian spices in the country. They are derived from the clove tree. In addition, they have also been traditionally used as a herb to cure various diseases. You can find them in a wide range of Indian dishes like fried rice, biryanis, curries, etc.
How to use cloves in cooking?
Cloves are used in making masala chai tea and other flavour hot drinks like cider. You can also use cloves in making curries or gravies by blending them with other spices.
Mustard Seeds (Rai)
Mustard seeds can be black, yellow, or brown. These nutty seeds can be used in many dishes, from chutneys to curries to pulses. You can buy this spice in both offline and online spice shops.
How to use mustard seeds in cooking?
Mustard seeds can be used in making pickles, sauces, and salad dressings. You can also make marinades and spice rubs by combining mustard seeds with other spices.
Coriander (Dhania)
Coriander is another significant ingredient that you can find in Indian cooking. The easiest way to use coriander seeds is to grind them into powder form right before adding them to a dish.
How to use coriander in cooking?
It is used in many dishes, including chutneys, vegetables, meat dishes, soups, etc. To use it in powder form, you can dry roast them at a low temperature in a pan or the oven, then grind them into ground coriander in a spice grinder.
Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)
Fenugreek is one of the most subtle Indian spices. The seeds of fenugreek are bitter. However, they can provide a lot of health benefits. Its seeds are very flavourful and aromatic.
How to use fenugreek seeds in cooking?
Fenugreek seeds are used in garam masala and other spice blends and can be used whole or crushed. To lessen the bitterness of fenugreek seeds, the pan roasts them over medium heat and combines them with other strong spices like paprika, cumin, and coriander.
Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
Ajwain is a popular Indian spice that is used in cooking as part of a spice blend. Although, it is used in moderation in Indian cuisine due to its strong flavour. It mixes well with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and other spices.
How to use carom seeds in cooking?
You can use carom seeds by briefly frying them in a pan and then adding them to a meal. Usually, ajwain is used in Indian cooking to make tadka curries or gravies.
There are many renowned e-commerce marketplaces in the country from which you can order a diverse range of Indian spices online. One such online store is Nourish, where you can find all the spices in one place. Spices at Nourish Store include Sabut Dhania, Jeera, Rai, Methi Dana, and Ajwain, to name a few.
We hope through this article you get to know about the top Indian spices and also learn how to use them in cooking.
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