GUIDE TO HERBS & SPICES.......
What are Spices? Spices are strongly flavored or aromatic substances of vegetable origin such as roots, bark, buds, seeds, berries and other fruits that are obtained from tropical plants. Spices add flavor to food. They are mixed with vegetables, fruits and meat preparations. They are excellent preservatives, flavoring agents and have nutritional values. India enjoys an abundance of spices of tongue tickling varieties.
What is a Herb? The word "herb" is from the old Sanskrit bharb, meaning to eat. A herb is a plant whose properties allow its use as a medicine. Most of the herbs we use today as seasonings were originally medicines. To the cook, a herb is primarily a plant which adds flavor to food and drink.
Bay Leaf (tej patta): is the aromatic leaf of several species of the Laurel family. Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance. Bay leaves are pungent and have a sharp, bitter taste. The whole leaves are used only to impart flavor and should be removed after cooking.
Black Cardamom (bari elaichi): Is aromatic with a hint of smokiness. Black cardamom can be used liberally and won’t dominate a dish; in fact it enhances and intensifies the flavors of the other ingredients. To fully release the flavor of these pods, crush them slightly before using, but not enough to release the seeds themselves.
Mixed Spices (mix of whole spices lightly crushed): To Make 2 tbsp of mixed spices : 3 Green Cardamom, 1 Black Cardamom, and 1/2 stick Cinnamon, 4 Cloves, 12 Black pepper corns and 2 tsp of Cumin.
Cardamom (elaichi): Referred as the “Queen of Spices” because of its very pleasant aroma and taste. Cardamom is widely used as a flavoring material in whole and ground form. In Asia, it can add a lingering sparkle to every kind of dishes both traditional and modern.
Carom (ajwain): It tastes like caraway or thyme, only stronger. The seeds are small, gray-green in color and quite peppery when raw, but milder when cooked. Ajwain is most commonly added to chutneys, curried dishes, breads and legumes. Coming from the same botanical family as cumin and parsley, it is also known as carom and bishop’s weed. Ajwain is commonly added to deep-fried foods, such as fritters, in Indian cooking, to help ease of digestion.
Cayenne pepper (lal mirch): Cayenne Pepper is made from the dried pods of pungent chili peppers. This fiery spice adds flair to dishes and is extremely hot to taste.
Channa Masala: Is an exotic blend of Indian spices ideal for cooking any kind of legumes, beans, peas, meat, lentils or vegetables. Spices, including - Coriander Seeds, Red Chili Pepper, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cloves and Cumin, Dried Green Mangoes, and Black Salt. The packet of ready made channa masala is easily available at Indian grocery store.
Cilantro (hara dhania): Cilantro is the leaf of the young coriander plant which is a most common herb used in Indian cuisine and has uses ranging from flavoring curries and pastes, to its use in making chutneys, pastes and raitas when combined with other herbs and spices.
Cinnamon (dalchini): Obtained from the inner bark of a tree cultivated chiefly in Ceylon and the East Indies. Used as a flavoring. It is one of the ingredients of garam masala.
Cloves (laung): Cloves can be used in cooking either whole or in a ground form, but as they are extremely strong they are used sparingly. In the north Indian cuisine, it is used in almost every sauce or side dish made, mostly ground up along with other spices.
Coriander (sookha dhania): Aromatic seed which is the dried ripe fruit of the coriander plant, Coriandrum sativum, an annual herb of the parsley family. The coriander seed is round, light brown in color, and has a strong, nutty aroma, and sweet piquant taste. It is available powdered or whole.
Cumin Seeds (jeera): A strongly aromatic seed. Looks like caraway seeds. It is one of the most important spices in India. It is used as a condiment, and is an ingredient in curry powders.
Fennel Seed (sonf): Fennel Seed is the oval, green or yellowish brown dried fruit of Foeniculum vulgare, a member of the parsley family. Fennel has an anise like flavor but is more aromatic, sweeter and less pungent. Indians often chew fennel seed (or saunf) as a mouth-freshener. It is traditionally used in drugs to treat stomach problems.
Fenugreek (Methi Leaves): An herb with aromatic leaves. The highly aromatic variety is dried and is available in packets. Used as flavoring in Indian Curries.
Garam Masala: A mixture of whole spices (Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, black peppercorns, Cardamom seeds, Cinnamon stick & cloves) blended together and used as seasoning in Indian cooking. Garam masala is frequently added to many Indian recipes towards the end of cooking, to give the dish a final kick just before serving.
Garlic (lassan): Garlic is the edible bulb of the garlic plant (Allium sativum). It is used in many types of cooking around the world. In Indian cooking; only fresh garlic is used, whole, chopped or minced. It is one of the three major seasonings in Indian curry recipes.
Ginger (adrak): A pungent tasting root of an aromatic tropical plant. It should be peeled and ground before use. Fresh ginger should be used whenever possible.
Green Chili (hari mirch): Green Chili is the young pod of the pepper plant Capsicum. They vary in the strength of their heat from mild to very hot. As a general rule, the smaller the chili, the hotter it is. The seeds in the chili will add heat to a dish. If you prefer your food to be less hot, then the seeds can be removed from the chili before cooking.
Mango Powder (amhur): A spice made from fruit of mangos that have been harvested when they are green, prior to ripening. Light tan in color, the mangos are cut into slices and dried and then ground into powder. Commonly used in the preparation of East Indian foods, amchur provides a citrus’ acidic taste that is somewhat sweet to spicy in flavor. It is often used to enhance the flavor of curries, chutneys, marinades, dipping sauces, soups, stews, fish, poultry, and meats.
Mint (podina): An aromatic herb. Mint is used for flavoring meat, fish, sauces, soups, stews, vinegar, tea etc. Fresh leaves are used for preparation of Chutneys too.
Paprika (Degi mirch): comes from the mild chili pod of the plant Capsicum. The pod is sun-dried and ground to a mild-tasting, bright red powder. It is used primarily to lend its brilliant red color to the food.
Peppercorns (kali mirch): Whole dried berries of black pepper. It is an important component of culinary seasoning of universal use and is an essential ingredient of numerous commercial foodstuffs. It is also used as an ingredient in spice mixes. Black pepper is an essential ingredient in Indian system of medicine. The major functional properties of pepper are analgesic, anti-pyretic, anti-oxidant and anti-microbial.
Saffron (kesar): Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world is derived from the dry stigmata of the plant Crocus Sativus It is very aromatic and yields yellow color. Used in the preparation of rice pullao and curries.
Tandoori Masala Tandoori masala is a ready mixed blend of spices which include fenugreek, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, garlic & ginger, with red food color to give the meat its nice authentic bright red color. Tandoori masala is used for tandoori cooking. Tandoor ovens are traditional Indian clay ovens used to cook meats and vegetables in a kind of barbecue. The tandoori masala is mixed with yoghurt and the meat is coated with the mix and left to marinate before cooking in the tandoor oven.
Tamarind (imli): The pulp of tamarind pods, which grow as the fruit of large trees native to Asia, India and North Africa. The pulp is dried and frequently concentrated. It is used to add a fruity sourness to many East Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Tamarind pulp, which keeps indefinitely on the shelf, should be soaked in warm water for about 5 minutes, and then squeezed through a sieve. In the west, tamarind is used as a key ingredient in Worcestershire sauce.
Turmeric (haldi): Pungent spice of the ginger family. Turmeric is mildly aromatic and has scents of orange or ginger. Used in powdered form to color foods golden yellow in Indian cooking. Turmeric is a necessary ingredient of curry powder. It is used extensively in Indian dishes, including lentil and meat dishes, Turmeric has been used medicinally throughout Asia to treat stomach and liver ailments. It also was used externally, to heal sores, and as a cosmetic.
