List of Indian spices

Indian spices include a variety of spices grown across the Indian subcontinent (a sub-region of South Asia). With different climates in different parts of the country, India produces a variety of spices, many of which are native to the subcontinent, while others were imported from similar climates and have since been cultivated locally for centuries.Pepper,turmeric,cardamom,cumin are some example of Indian spices.

Indian spices

Spices are used in different forms: whole, chopped, ground, roasted, sautéed, fried, and as topping. They blend food to extract the nutrients and bind them in a palatable form. Some spices are added at the end as a flavouring and are typically heated in a pan with ghee or cooking oil before being added to a dish. Lighter spices are added last, and spices with strong flavour should be added first. "Curry" refers to any dish in Indian cuisine that contains several spices blended together, whether dry or with a gravy base. However, it also refers to Curry leaves, commonly used in South India.

Below is a list of spices and other flavouring substances commonly used in India.[1]

Image Standard English Hindi Notes
Alkanet Root रातीं जोट rātīṃ (rātīn) joṭ
Amchoor आमचूर / अमचुर āmachūr/amachur Dried green and unripe mango powder
Asafoetida हींग hiṃg (hing) Intensely aromatic - flavor profile sometimes compared to that of truffles and garlic
Black cardamom काली इलायची kāli ilāyachī Very earthy and darkly aromatic. Often used in North Indian curries.
Black pepper काली मिर्च kālī mirch Largest producer is the southern Indian state of Kerala.
Peppercorns काली मिर्च kālī mirch
Black cumin शाही जीरा śāhī jīrā Sweet, floral and smokey cumin and anise-like flavour. Smaller in size than regular cumin. Often mistaken as Caraway seed. Though English translation is black cumin, the term black cumin is also used as English translation of Nigella sativa, kalonji
Capers कचरा/कब्र/करेर kacharā/kabr/karer
Capsicum शिमला मिर्च śimalā mirch
Celery / Radhuni seed अज्मुद/अज्मोदा ajmud/ajmodā
Charoli चिरोंजी chiroṃjī (chironjī) a type of nut particularly used in making desserts
Chili pepper powder लाल मिर्च lāl mirch
Bay leaf, Indian bay leaf तेज पत्ता tej pattā Both Indian bay leaf and bay leaf are similar and called as Tej Patta in Hindi. However, they are from two different species and have differences in taste
Cinnamon buds नाग केशर nāg keśar
Cinnamon दालचीनी dālachīnī Grown commercially in Kerala in southern India. Two types, cassia (common) and royal.
Citric acid निंबू फूल niṃbū phūl
Cloves लवंग/लौंग lavaṃg (lavang) / lauṃg (laung) Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are largest producers in India.
Coriander Powder धनिया पाउडर / पिसा धनिया dhaniyā pāuḍar / pisā dhaniyā
Coriander Seed धनिया dhaniyā
Cubeb कबाब चीनी kabāb chīnī Tastes of clove with added bitterness with a persistent mild numbing sensation
Cumin seed ज़ीरा zīrā (jīrā) See Kali Jeera.
Cumin seed ground into balls ज़ीरा गोली zīrā (jīrā) golī
Curry tree or sweet neem leaf करीपत्ता / कढ़ीपत्ता karīpattā/kaḍhīpattā Cannot retain flavour when dried. Only used fresh.
Fennel seed सौंफ / संचल sauṃph (saunph)/saṃchal (sanchal)
Fenugreek leaf कसूरी मेथी kasūrī methī or मेथी पत्ता methī pattā
Fenugreek seed मेथी दाना methī dānā
Four seeds तरबूज खरबूज ककडी पैंठे के बीज tarabūj kharabūj kakaḍī pauṃṭhe ke bīj Seeds of watermelon, musk melon, cucumber and pumpkin
Garcinia gummi-gutta Used in fish preparations of Kerala
Garam masala गरम मसाला garam masālā Blend of 8+ spices. Each family has their own secret recipe.
Garcinia indica कोकम kokam
Garlic लहसुन lahasun
Ginger अदरक adarak
Dried ginger सोंठ soṃṭh (sonṭh) mostly powdered
Green cardamom छोटी इलाइची chhoṭī ilāichī Malabar variety is native to Kerala.
Green chili pepper हरी मिर्च harī mirch
Indian bedellium tree गुगल/गु्ग्गल gugal/guggal Very earthy aromatic mostly used in religious
Indian gooseberry आँवला āṃvalā
Inknut हरद harad
Jakhya जख्या Tasteless and odorless when uncooked; Earthly and crunchy when crackled in oil.
Kalpasi पत्थर के फूल patthar ke phūl Also known as black stone flower
Licorice powder जेठीमध jeṭhīmadh
Long pepper पिप्पलि pippali
Mango Extract कामिकी kāmikī
Mustard seed सरसों sarasoṃ
Brown mustard Seed राई rāī
Nigella seed कलोंजी kaloṃjī (kalomjī)
Nutmeg जैफल / जायफल jaiphal/jāyaphal Whole nuts last forever. Powder, only a month.
Mace जावित्री jāvitrī Mace is outer covering to nutmeg nut. Similar aroma.
Panch phoron पञ्च फोरन pañch phoran This is a Bengali spice mix that combines fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and nigella seeds.
Pomegranate seed अनारदाना anārdānā Dried and ground in the Middle East.
Poppy seed खस-खस khas-khas Very popular in West Bengal known posto, with no of Bengali cuisine, most popular Allu Posto
Saffron pulp केसर मिरी मिरी kesar mirī mirī Actually, safflower concentrate
Saffron केसर / जाफरान kesar/jāpharān World's most expensive spice. Used for rice flavouring.
Sesame seed तिल til
Star anise चक्र फूल / बदल फुल chakra phūl/badal phul Exotic, Chinese-influenced flavours
Tamarind इमली imalī Provides tartness in South Indian curries
Thymol/carom seed अज़वाइन azvāin
Turmeric हल्दी haldī Source of yellow color in many curries.
Gum Tragacanth कटीरा गोंद kaṭīrā goṃd (gond) A thickener and coating for desserts
White pepper सफ़ेद मिर्च saphed mirch

See also

References
  1. About Indian spices, "", Indian spices

Spices list - Indian Masale/Indian Spices

  • "Spices List - Indian Names". TheSpiceMarket. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
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