Indian Food Cuisine

Spices are one of the most important ingredients of Indian cooking. Without them, Indian food would lose its uniqueness and be as ordinary as the others. Herbs and spices are also one of the reasons why Indian cooking is becoming increasingly adored by people all over the world.

One of the most popular Indian dishes, the curry, is one example of the clever use of spices and herbs in Indian cooking. Curry which came from the word kari literally means vegetables drenched in spices. Curry became so attached with Indian cuisine that in fact, made it a symbolism of Indian food in all parts of the world.

There are a lot of spices and herbs that could be found in India, however, you need not know all of them. There are just some spices that youll use more commonly than others such as the asafetida, turmeric, chilli pepper, tamarind, fenugreek, black mustard seed, cumin, aniseed, ginger, star anise, garlic and coriander seeds. In sweet dishes, rose petal essence, saffron, nutmeg and cardamom are often used. These spices and herbs, as well as other things related with Indian spices would be enumerated below.

Bhuna - Bhuna is a method of cooking Indian spices, particularly gently frying the spices in a substantial amount of hot oil. This process is used to unleash and preserve the flavors of the spices while removing the raw taste of them.

Tadka - This is also a process of cooking spices which is similar to Bhuna. However, the difference is that Tadka is used for whole spices only.

Masala - Masala is a term in India which means blend of spices cooked in oil. Its most popular version is the Garam Masala which is used in cooking many Indian dishes like curry. This mixture of five or more dried spices is usually added at the end of cooking to retain its flavor. Every region has its own blend of Garam Masala.

Fenugreek seeds (methi) are brownish-yellow seeds with a strong odor and bitter taste that lingers on the tongue. It is widely used in South Indian cuisine such as chutneys, pickles, batters and lentils, and essential in South Indian curry powder. Fenugreek leaves and seeds are different and cannot be used interchangeably.

Turmeric (haldi) Turmeric is used widely in Indian cooking. This intense bright-yellowish powder is derived from grinding the dried roots. This spice is known not only in India, but also in other Asian countries because of the beautiful color and aroma it imparts to a dish.

Cumin (Jeera) - Cumin seeds are very commonly used in Indian cooking, particularly that of North Indian. Its taste is distinctive, slightly bitter yet gives a dish a sweet aroma. When roasted or cooked in hot oil, cumin seeds release a more intense flavor. Its available in whole or in powdered form. Cumin is found to have digestive attributes and is used to flavor food such as curry and vegetables.

Star Anise - Star anise has the wonderful aroma of licorice and is perfect for flavoring biryanis and other non-vegetarian Indian dishes. As its name suggests, this spice is star-shaped with each of its points containing a star anise seed. Ground star anise should be stored in an airtight container for no more than 3 months in a cool, dark place.

Ginger (adrak) - This spice with peppery flavor and slightly sweet in taste is very commonly used in Indian cooking. Its aroma is pungent and spicy. Please note that dried ground ginger and fresh ginger cannot be used interchangeably in a recipe.

Aniseed This is an aromatic seed that is golden-brown in color. Aniseed is claimed to possess the property to stimulate the appetite and help in digestion.

Asafetida (hing) - It is the dried gum resin extracted from an Indian plant that has a strong odor and mildly spicy and garlicky flavor. Just a pinch of this yellow powdered spice is usually used for cooking vegetables, fish and making Indian pickles.

These are some of the things you need to know about Indian spices and herbs. Indian spices are not really difficult to deal with and some are similar to what we use in other cuisine. It is just a matter of blending and cooking them in a right way.

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