Whole Spices

Carom is very strong, and used in many Indian dishes. Each tiny carom fruit has a huge amount of thymol in it, and this gives it a flavour a bit like thyme, but several times stronger. Using carom in breads is common throughout India. When used in Indian dishes, it is used in moderation, fried first imparting a smoky flavour, and balances well with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and other assertive flavours like mustard, cardamom or cumin.

Black cardamom seeds have the same eucalyptus scent as green ones, and are one of the most essential spices in our list. The key difference is that before being used in food, they're dried over a fire, hence are blackened and smoky in flavour.

There is no substitute for the unique fragrance of black cardamom. Many dishes use them. Recipes serving about 4 people usually only use one or two black cardamom pods whole. In Indian cooking, you'll often find these in Biriyani.

You all know the flavour of black pepper. It is worth noting that its particular sharpness is unique in the pepper world. You are likely to taste the heat of black pepper first before any other hot ingredient, and it adds a powerful high flavour note that no other spice can hope to duplicate.

Whether it's brown, yellow or black, Mustard seeds are an essential component in Indian cooking, imparting a nutty, sharp note to many curries, and like many of the whole spices we've mentioned, they are often favored for cooking in oil at the beginning of preparing a recipe.

Cassia bark Is an ingredient you find in most Indian grocery stores. It is a relative of cinnamon, and you can use it in exactly the same way. Thus this advice goes for both cinnamon and cassia. Usually cinnamon and cassia bark are fried whole at the beginning cooking an Indian dish, and left in.

Chironji - Most people know this name as an ingredient used for dressing the various Sweet dishes cooked in their kitchen on special occasions. As it replaces the almonds, it is also called ‘Cuddapah almond’.

If you've ever cooked an Easter Ham, you know Cloves. They're strong. Add too much, and you will overpower other subtler flavours. Generally for a familysized meal, we're using between four and ten whole cloves, depending on the dish. They are another very important biryani ingredient. You can find them in dishes like out Patiala chicken, in all Biryanis, and in many aromatic Indian curries.

Coriander is the seed of cilantro, and is one of the most essential spices in our list. This seed has an aroma like citrus mixed with some leafy, woody notes, and is used in many dishes including Madras and Vindaloo. Ground into powder just prior to adding to a sauce is the best way to use coriander seeds.

Cumin seed is a spice with a flavour profile a little like caraway or dill, and is a staple of Indian cooking and curries. Generally cumin seeds are best used whole, and fried in oil at the beginning of a dish (the process called taarka). At a higher heat, cumin seeds will turn brown quickly, in 15 or so seconds. Make sure you don’t burn them, and when they start to pop, you know they're done. Ground cumin powder is also an essential spice used in India, and is one of the key ingredients in garam masala spice mix.

By no means the least significant Indian spice, curry leaves are one of the most enigmatic Indian spice. They are the leaves of the Murraya koenigli, and — while available as a dried herb - are best used fresh, in the first or second stage of cooking, fried up with onions and your tadka spices, to impart a pungent, citrus-like aroma.

One of the subtle Indian spices is Fenugreek. Fenugreek seeds are quite bitter, but have enormous health benefits. The leaves are a green aromatic spice and are less prone to bitterness, and have a delicious maple-like aroma. This Indian spice is what people say "smells like curry." of all Indian spices, this spice may be the most essential. You may use up to a few tablespoons in a family size dish near the end of the cooking process, but start with a teaspoon. Fenugreek seeds also have many health benefits.

Fennel and anise both bear a strong resemblance to black licorice. Fennel is great as a whole spice in taarka, and is another key ingredient in the flavoring of madras and other curries. Indian restaurants often use candied fennel seed as an after-dinner mint.

Fenugreek commonly known as Methi is an annual, multi-purpose herb with green leaves and small white flowers. Fenugreek seeds (Methi seeds) are commonly used in Indian kitchen for its various culinary purposes. However, its usages are not limited to the kitchen but beyond it. Fenugreek seeds are highly recommended for various health and beauty benefits. These seeds are a common ingredient in Indian curries, as well as Turkish, Persian, and Egyptian cuisine.

You can’t mistake the flavor of green cardamom. It tastes a lot like eucalyptus (and hence like many cough lozenges) owing to a compound called cineole. Its great fried in hot oil at the beginning of cooking an Indian dish. Usually between two and six whole cardamom pods are what you will find in an Indian recipe.

Mace is a webbing or leaf-like spice that wraps the nutmeg seed. Mace has an even more savory, musky flavour than nutmeg, but they are similar enough that their flavours can easily be confused.

Mace is often fried whole, and usually one blade or leaf of mace is enough to really impart a strong flavour.

The sesame plant, Sesamum indicum, produces seeds that contain protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Sesame seeds also provide calcium, B vitamins, vitamin E, and antioxidants.

People can eat sesame seeds as they are, add them as an ingredient to meals, or use sesame seed oil in cooking.

Anise tastes like fennel, but sharper and less floral. Star anise is used in some preparations of Garam Masala. It is a delicious frying spice, and is the key seasoning of the incredible tamarind chutney that you will find in many restaurants or as a side of dipping sauce when you buy chapatis, samosas, and other Indian street-type foods.

In Indian cooking, Tej Patta is used in much the same manner as European bay. It is included as a whole leaf and usually cooked for the length of the dish, removed just before serving. Its aromatic flavour is reminiscent of cinnamon and clove.

Tej Patta leaves are usually added with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, and other frying spices at the beginning of a dish and browned slightly.

Whole, grated nutmeg is a common ingredient across India, particularly in south Indian cuisine. When used as a whole spice, you can either shave it with a sharp knife. Use this spice by shaving the nutmeg with a sharp knife. You can also leave the nutmeg whole or smash it into larger chunks, and use it in a taarka step. In south Indian cuisine and many Indian dishes, nutmeg is toasted and ground along with coconut, sesame, and poppy seeds, and mustard seeds, along with other spices to make masalas (spice mixes) for Keralan chicken curries, and thattukada (street vendor) dishes.

Yellow Mustard brings an aromatic, rustic taste and fragrance to your dishes. Yellow mustard seeds are the ones used in American yellow mustard.