Topic: A to Z of Spices

[Yousef]

Everything you need to know about spice for beginers

Ajwan Seeds - A flavour similar to thyme but much stronger. Used in Indian breads, Gram flour snacks and also go well with fish. They are also a common ingredient in balti cooking and in bhajias and pakoras. Also known as Carom or Lovage.

Amchoor (Mango) Powder - Made from peeled, dried, green mangoes. Used as souring agent, in marinades and as a tenderiser. Best used towards the end of cooking.

Aniseed Star - This aromatic spice has an aniseed-like taste and is used in Chinese spice blends. Great on spare-ribs, crispy duck, roast chicken, and in beef soups and stir fries. Best used sparingly and can be ground before use.

Asafoetida (Hing) - Probably the strongest spice in the world and should be used very sparingly. Gives a garlic like aroma. Used mainly in vegetable dishes

Cardamoms (Black) - These have a strong menthol aroma and are used in small quantities. An essential ingredient in "garam masala" mixtures, pilau's, biryani's and certain curries

Cardamoms (Green) - Highly aromatic with a sweet distinctive flavour. Used in rice dishes, desserts, apple pies and Indian meat dishes.

Cardamom Seeds - Seeds of the green cardamom which have been painstakingly removed form their shells. Can be used in many curry dishes, adding a distinctive aroma.

Cassia Bark (Dalchini) - Used in pilaus, lamb and other meat dishes.

Chillies (Bird Eye) - Whole Very hot, small whole chillies that can be used instead of fresh chillies. Great for hot sauces & chilli oil. Chillies are the hot cousins in the Capsicum family. Bird Eye chillies may be small but they are very hot so use with care!

Dried Chillies - A unique taste and many uses. Heat whole dried Bird Eye chillies in some oil until they increase in size. The frying enhances their flavour.

Chilli Crushed - A hot fiery spice that can be used in place of whole chillies and releases its flavour quickly into dishes. Ideal as a seasoning for pizzas and casseroles.

Chilli Powder - Hot made from the skins of dried chillies. It is extremely hot and an essential base for all vindaloo recipes, providing considerable zest and flavour. Please note that chilli powder is also known as cayenne pepper. This is to distinguish it from the Mexican variety which contains cumin, garlic and oregano.

Cinnamon Sticks - A sweet, mild spicy flavour. Delicious in puddings, cakes, stewed fruits and hot drinks.Cinnamon Ground An alternative to the sticks, also delicious added to cake mixtures and hot beverages.

Cloves - Whole One of the world's oldest and most useful spices. Use to make authentic garam masala and in various dals and pilau rice. Has a vast range of uses in all types of cooking.

Coriander Seeds - Possibly the most important of all curry ingredients. Coriander seeds have a warm fragrant odour and pleasant, mild taste. A popular spice used in most Indian dishes.

Coriander Ground - Dhania A convenient alternative to seeds. Can be added to soups.

Cumin Seeds (Brown) - An essential ingredient in curry and masala mixtures. Strongly aromatic, spicy and slightly bitter in taste.

Cumin Seeds (Black) - Black - rarer form of cumin. These seeds are sweeter, smaller and have a more delicate taste.

Cumin Ground (Jeera) - Stronger than whole seeds and its flavour is strengthened by toasting. It can be used in meat, rice and vegetable dishes.

Curry Leaves - highly aromatic leaves, used mainly in Southern Indian cooking. An essential ingredient of curry powder, green chutneys and marinade pastes. Use generously, doubling the quantity in those recipes that require fresh curry leaves.

Curry Powder - An authentic blend of exotic spices used by generations since the days of the Raj. Excellent for adding flavour to sauces, soups and rice. Ranges from mild to very fiery.

Fennel Seeds - These have a warm aroma and a sweetish taste like aniseed. Tastes great with seafood, pork, stuffings, sauces, pickles and some curries. In India it is chewed as a natural breath freshener and as an aid to digestion.

Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds - These are normally sauteed in hot oil before adding vegetables to your dish. Used in pickles and chutneys and an important ingredient of the Vindaloo. Sprouts easily like cress. Excellent in salads.

Fenugreek (Methi) Leaves - Grown from Fenugreek seeds and have a stronger, distinctive flavour. Sprinkle Fenugreek leaves over meat, fish and potato dishes.

Garam Masala -A traditional blend of aromatic spices from a secret recipe used since the days of the Raj. Garam Masala literally means mixed or blended hot spices

Garlic Powder - A useful alternative to using fresh garlic in preparing Indian pastes. Mix in with butter and herbs to make your own garlic bread.

Ginger Powder - An essential ingredient for preparing pastes and marinades.Kasuri Methi Leaves - similar to the Methi Leaves, but should be soaked in water before use, strongly scented. Suitable for dishes such as Lamb Methi where a greater quantity of leaves is required, they also combine well with spinach in saag dishes.

Mace Ground - A rich aroma and a strong, warm taste. Mace is the lacy outer covering of nutmeg. Best used sparingly in sauces, soups, desserts, meats, fish, and Moghul dishes

Mustard Seeds Black These are normally sauteed in hot oil, and impart a delicious mild nutty flavour to most Indian vegetable dishes.

Nigella (Kalwanji) Seeds - A mild peppery flavour and are used in tandoori breads, spice mixes and buttered vegetables. Sometimes known as onion seeds.

Nutmeg - Grate before use and sprinkle into deserts, cake mixtures, curries and hot drinks.

Panchpuran - 5 spice mixture typical of Bebal. It consists of fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and kalwanji seeds in equal proportions

Paprika - Ground from capsicums, adds flavour and a reddish colour to foods. A sweet piquant spice.

Pepper (Black) - The worlds most popular spice.

Poppy Seeds - Lightly roast before use. A nutty aroma and crunchy texture. In India the seeds are usually ground, to thicken and flavour sauces. Tastes good in sweet pastries, breads and is ideal for garnishing vegetables.

Saffron Mancha - The three stigmas of the saffron crocus. Saffron is strongly perfumed with the scent of honey.

Sesame Seeds - Nice on sweets, biscuits, breads and cakes. Used a lot in Indian cooking as a finishing coating with potatoes or vegetables.

Tamarind - Often used in both Indian and Thai cuisine giving it a sweetish tangy flavour. A souring agent used for chutneys, dips, sweet and sour dishes.

Tandoori Masala - A mixture of authentic spices lightly roasted before grinding and blending to bring out their highly aromatic flavours. Delicious on all roast and grilled meat dishes.

Turmeric - Part of the ginger family and is a strongly flavoured spice used in most Indian dishes.

[ghanna]

hi
thank you ,it is very nice of you to do that.
it is going to be very easy for me to look up what i want by just clicking on ,instead of searching different cookery books.
thanks
ghanna

[coolinshot]

Curry Powder - An authentic blend of exotic spices used by generations since the days of the Raj. Excellent for adding flavour to sauces, soups and rice. Ranges from mild to very fiery.

Very helpful list -  I shall be printing a copy to keep handy in my kitchen.

Just one point (not trying to be picky) I never thought of curry powder as an authentic indian spice (or mixture) just something put together in a sort of "oh just throw a bit of curry powder in" way. The definition of curry powder from Wikipaedia is below:

Curry powder is a mixture of spices of widely varying composition developed by the British during their colonial rule of India as a means of approximating the taste of Indian cuisine at home. "Curry powder" is thus a British invention, where it is still popular, in contrast to India, where it is (practically) unknown.

Do any of you guys / gals actually use it by the way?

Col

[Curry King]

It is used in some of the recipes on here but not many, I think the only place I use it is in the Bruce Edwards spice mix.

cK

[Cory Ander]

Just one point (not trying to be picky) I never thought of curry powder as an authentic indian spice (or mixture) just something put together in a sort of "oh just throw a bit of curry powder in" way. The definition of curry powder from Wikipaedia is below:

Curry powder is a mixture of spices of widely varying composition developed by the British during their colonial rule of India as a means of approximating the taste of Indian cuisine at home. "Curry powder" is thus a British invention, where it is still popular, in contrast to India, where it is (practically) unknown.

Do any of you guys / gals actually use it by the way?

Well, my view is that you can really consider ANY mixture of spices to be a "Curry Powder" (or "Masala").  The only question is..."is it added as individual spices or as a "pre-mixed" blend of spices (i.e. a "spice mix" or a "curry powder")?"  In which case, such a concoction is used is ALL curry recipes!.....I think? 

Regards,

[tempest63]

Doesn't Gingelly oil come from sesame seeds?

Is this the same as the sesame oil used in chinese cooking?

[tempest63]

Doesn't Gingelly oil come from sesame seeds?

Is this the same as the sesame oil used in chinese cooking?

I answered my own question by looking on wikipedia

There are many variations in the colour of sesame oil: cold-pressed sesame oil is almost colourless, while Indian sesame oil (gingelly or til oil) is golden and Chinese sesame oil is commonly a dark brown colour. This dark colour and flavour are derived from roasted/toasted sesame seeds. Cold pressed sesame oil has less flavour than the toasted oil, since it is produced directly from raw, rather than toasted seeds.

Sesame oil is traded in any of the forms described above: Cold-pressed sesame oil is available in Western health shops. In most Asian countries, different kinds of hot-pressed sesame oil are preferred.