List of Indian spices facts for kids

Turmeric powder, mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin seeds

Spices at a Goa market

Indian spices with labels (garam masala components)

Indian spices include a variety of spices grown across the Indian subcontinent (a sub-region of South Asia). With different climates in different parts of the country, India produces a variety of spices, many of which are native to the subcontinent. Others were imported from similar climates and have since been cultivated locally for centuries. Pepper, turmeric, cardamom, and cumin are some examples of Indian spices.

Spices are used in different forms: whole, chopped, ground, roasted, sautéed, fried, and as a topping. They blend food to extract the nutrients and bind them in a palatable form. Some spices are added at the end as a flavouring — those are typically heated in a pan with ghee (Indian clarified butter) or cooking oil before being added to a dish. Lighter spices are added last, and spices with strong flavour should be added first. "Curry" refers to any dish in Indian cuisine that contains several spices blended together, whether dry or with a gravy base. However, it also refers to curry leaves, commonly used in South India.

Below is a list of spices and other flavouring substances commonly used in India.

Image	Standard English	Notes
	Alkanet root	(Hindi: Ratanjot)
	Amchoor	Raw unripe mango is sun-dried and then ground to fine powder. (Hindi: Amchoor आमचूर)
	Asafoetida	Intensely aromatic - flavor profile sometimes compared to that of truffles and garlic. Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Hing हिंग)
	Bay leaf, Indian bay leaf	Both Indian bay leaf and bay leaf are similar and called tej patta in Hindi. However, they are from two different species and have differences in taste. Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Tej Patta तेज पत्ता)
	Black cardamom	Very earthy and darkly aromatic. Often used in North Indian curries. Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Badi Elaichi बड़ी इलाइची)
	Black peppercorns	Pepper may be used whole or ground in Indian cuisines. The largest producer is the southern Indian state of Kerala. Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Kali Miri काली मरी)
	Charoli	Also known as chironji, Cuddapah almond or almondette; a type of nut particularly used in making desserts. (Hindi: Chironji चिरोन्जी)
	Capers	They are immature flower buds of Capparius spinosa, also known as caper berry. (Hindi: Kabra कब्र)
	Capsicum or bell pepper	(Hindi: Shimla Mirch शिमला मिर्च)
	Caraway seeds	Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Shahijeera शाहजीरा)
	Carom seeds	Also known as bishop's weed, they are different from celery seeds and radhuni seeds Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Ajwain अजवायन)
	Cassia buds	Also known as Mesua ferrea; the unopened flowers of the cinnamon tree that are picked just before blooming and dried in the sun. Used in Ayurveda for treating fever, vomiting, UTIs, migraines, etc. Also used in Chyavanprash. Used as a tempering spice.
	Char magaz	A mixture of four types of melon seed kernels (watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, pumpkin). (Hindi: Char Magaz चार मगज)
	Cinnamon	Grown commercially in Kerala in southern India. Two types, cassia (common) and royal. Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Dalchini दालचीनी)
	Citric acid
	Cloves	Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka are largest producers in India. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: Laung लौंग)
	Coriander seed	Also used in powdered form. Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Sabut Dhaniya साबुत धनिया)
	Cubeb or tailed pepper	Tastes of clove with added bitterness with a persistent mild numbing sensation (Hindi: Sheetal Cheeni शीतलचीनी/Kabab Cheeni कबाब चीनी)
	Cumin seed	Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Jeera जीरा)
	Cumin seed ground into balls
	Curry leaf or sweet neem leaf	Foliage of the curry tree. Cannot retain flavour when dried. Only used fresh. (Hindi: Kari Patta करी पत्ता)
	Fennel seed	Used as natural mouth-freshener. Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Saunf सौंफ)
	Fenugreek leaf	(Hindi: Methi मेथी)
	Dry Fenugreek leaves	It is rubbed gently in the palms of the hands and sprinkled over the cooked dish towards the end. (Hindi: Kasuri Methi कसूरी मेथी)
	Fenugreek seed	Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Methi dana मेथी दाना)
	Garcinia gummi-gutta	Used in fish preparations in Kerala
	Garam masala	Blend of eight or more warming spices. Each family has its own recipe. (Hindi: Garam Masala गरम मसाला)
	Garcinia indica	Used mainly in Maharashtrian Konkan and Gujarati cuisine. It has a sour taste with a faintly sweet aroma. (Hindi: Kokam कोकम)
	Garlic	(Hindi: Lasson लहसुन)
	Ginger	(Hindi: Adarak अदरक)
	Dried ginger	mostly powdered (Hindi: Sonth सोंठ)
	Green cardamom	Malabar variety is native to Kerala. Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Hari Elaichi हरी इलायची)
	Green chili pepper	(Hindi: Hari Mirch हरी मिर्च)
	Indian gooseberry	It is used in Chyavanprash. (Hindi: Amla आंवला)
	Inknut	Also called haritaki. Used in Ayurveda for treating chronic ulcer, diarrhea, dysentery and piles. (Hindi: Harad हरड़)
	Jakhya	Also called dog mustard or wild mustard. Used in Garhwali and Kumaoni styles of cuisines. Tasteless and odorless when uncooked; earthy and crunchy when crackled in oil. (Hindi: Jakhya जख्या)
	Black Stone Flower	It has a strong earthy aroma and a very dry, light fluffy texture and feel to it. It is widely used in Chettinad cuisine and to some extent in Hyderabadi and Marathi cuisine. (Hindi: Pathar phool पत्थर फूल)
	Guizotia abyssinica	Kaaral/khuraasni/raamtill
	Liquorice powder	(Hindi: Mulethi मुलेठी)
	Mint leaves
	Rose petals
	Long pepper	Used in South Indian cuisines. (Hindi: Pippali पिप्पली)
	Kaachri
	Mango extract
	Marathi moggu
	Yellow mustard seed	Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Sarson सरसों)
	Brown mustard seed	Used as a tempering spice. (Hindi: Rai राइ)
	Naagkeshar	Used in Maharashtrian cuisine as one of the ingredients of godaa masaalaa. (Hindi: Nagkeshar नागकेसर)
	Nigella seed	Gives smoky, nutty flavor; dry-roasted or used as a tempering spice (Hindi: Kalonji कलौंजी)
	Nutmeg	(Hindi: jaayaphal जायफल)
	Mace	Mace is the outer covering of nutmeg nut and has a similar aroma. (Hindi: Javitri जावित्री)
	Panch phoron	This is a Bengali spice mix that combines fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and nigella seeds. Used as tempering spices.
	Pomegranate seed	Dried and ground in the Middle East. (Hindi: Anardana अनारदाना)
	Poppy seed	Very popular in West Bengal known posto, with no of Bengali cuisine, most popular Allu Posto (Hindi: Khas khas खसखस)
	Pandanus (Screwpine)	(Hindi: Pulao Patti पुलाव पत्ति/ Annapoorna Pattiyaan अन्नपूर्णा पत्तियां)
	Radhuni Seeds/Wild celery	It is dried fruit of Trachyspermum roxburgianum. Mostly used in Bengali Cuisine. (Hindi: Ajmod अजमोद)
	Red Chili Pepper	(Hindi: Lal Mirch लाल मिर्च) Bhut Jolokia (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland). Kashmiri Mirch (Kashmir). Guntur Sannam (Andhra Pradesh). Jwala Chilli (Gujarat). Byadagi (Karnataka and Tamil Nadu). Ramnad Mundu/Gundu (Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh). Dhani (Manipur and Mizoram). Kanthari (Manipur, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala). Warangal Chappatta (Telangana). Used as Tempering Spice.
	Saffron pulp	Actually, safflower concentrate
	Saffron	World's most expensive spice. Used for flavouring rice & desserts. (Hindi: Kesar केसर)
	Sesame seed	Black Sesame seed (Hindi: Kala Til काला तिल) White Sesame seed (Hindi: Til तिल)
	Star Anise	Exotic, Chinese-influenced flavours Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: Chakra phool चक्र फूल)
	Sichuan Pepper	Also known as Teppal/ Tirphal. (Hindi: Tirphal तिरपाल)
	Tamarind	Provides tartness in South Indian curries. (Hindi: Imli इमली)
	Thymol/carom seed	Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: Ajwain अजवायन)
	Turmeric	It is used extensively in Indian cooking. It is also often used as a colourant. It has a warm, peppery taste with musky, earthy undertones. Raw Turmeric (Hindi: Kachi Haldi कच्ची हल्दी). Dry Turmeric (Hindi: Sukhi Haldi सूखा हल्दी). Ground Turmeric (Hindi: Haldi हल्दी).
	Gum Tragacanth	A thickener and coating for desserts
	White Peppercorns	Mostly used in white, cream based gravies/curries. (Hindi: Safed Mirch सफेद मिर्च)

List of Indian spices facts for kids

See also