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Since the ancient era, India has been a capital of spices and herbs, where traders would come and go with packs full of fragrant peppers, cardamom, and much more. The local weather and soil conditions have blessed the country with plentiful harvests as well as an impressive variety of different spices. If you wish to enhance your dining experience, look no further than these top 5 Indian spices!
Table of Contents
Long Peppers
The king of all spices, long peppers have played an integral part in the history of the world, both culinary and economically. In the ancient days, peppers were a rare resource that was only available to the rich or royalty, and rulers went to war just to gain control of this precious resource.
Indian peppers are a different species from the common black peppers. Indian peppers impart a slightly sweeter and less pungent aftertaste compared to their more popular cousin. This means that they could be used to season most dishes without fear of over seasoning. Long peppers are much rarer than black pepper or white pepper, but the taste as well as well as the texture are well worth the price.
Turmeric
Indian cuisine would not be the same without turmeric, arguably the most iconic Indian spice. Featuring a slightly earthy taste with a pungent aroma, turmeric imparts a characteristic golden color to Indian dishes. Aside from its amazing taste, turmeric boasts a wide range of health benefits that make it arguably one of the healthiest kinds of spice on the market. Turmeric can help ease stomach pain and indigestion, making it the perfect choice for those with stomach issues. Some research also suggests that turmeric will also help prevent stomach cancer.
Cardamom
Cardamom is the world’s most expensive spice in the world by weight, and it certainly does not disappoint. It imparts an aromatic and slightly spicy flavour that enhances not just food but also drinks. Black cardamoms, a variant of cardamoms, have a much smokier fragrance, making them the perfect choice for stews.Green cardamoms are commonly used by Indian chefs to make authentic local dishes. In India, cardamom cultivation and harvest take place mostly in the state of Kerala. Thus, the local food makes extensive use of this spice for a uniquely spicy and aromatic taste profile. Cardamom is also popular in baking, hence its common association with Christmas Yule cakes.
Cinnamon
With its spicy and slightly sweet taste profile, cinnamon is perhaps one of the most popular and most common spices in the world. India has been cultivating true cinnamon, otherwise known as Ceylon cinnamon, since the ancient era, so the spice is interwoven with the culinary history of the country. With a milder and sweeter taste compared to cassia cinnamon, true cinnamon is considerably more expensive and difficult to procure, but the elevated taste is certainly more than worth it.
Cumin
A rather divisive spice, cumin is another mainstay in every Indian family’s spice cabinet. In fact, India is the world’s top producer of cumin! This spice lends a terpenic and warm aroma to the dish, adding depth to your dishes. Cumin can either be used as seeds or ground powder. One can find cumin in a wide range of South Asian dishes, especially staples such as curries, tandoori dishes, and sometimes samosas.
Conclusion
Another ingenious way to make use of this spice is to put cumin in the cooking oil before frying. This step adds a unique and alluring aroma to the finished dish.A world without spices would certainly be quite a boring one. Spices bring not just the flavours and aromas to your favourite dishes, but they also add unique touches to cuisines around the world. With such a vast variety of different spices, Indian cuisine offers plenty of delightful flavours to everyone!