Spicy Organic LLC: An Introduction to Indian Spices and Herbs

In the West, Indian food is often associated with butter chicken, naan bread, or curry. However, this is barely scratching the surface of Indian cuisine. There is a world of depth to explore when it comes to the rich culinary traditions of India. Television host Anthony Bourdain once said India is one of the few places on Earth where eating vegetarian is not a burden. And now, thanks to companies like Spicy Organic, it’s easier than ever nowadays to access the spices and herbs required for Indian cooking. 

Sunil Kumar and his family, who founded Spicy Organic, the largest wholesale and bulk distributor of organic spices in North America, allow North Americans and Indians abroad to experience the tastes of home with their organically sourced array of herbs and spices. The Kumar family founded their small spice shop in Lisora, India in 1980 and have since expanded to a global company with relationships with over 10,000 organic farmers and growers around the world. They are now based in McKinney, Texas. They distribute essential Indian spices such as cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, and many more, allowing anyone to create unique Indian dishes at home without sacrificing quality or taste.

Cooking Indian food or even ordering off a menu at an Indian restaurant may seem like a daunting task. The many spices and unfamiliar names can be off-putting. The dishes may seem intricate and, frankly, intimidating. However, learning the basics of Indian food is surprisingly easy. Once you learn the primary spices and cooking methods, it’s smooth sailing from there. Read on to learn the essential ingredients, names, and methods of Indian cooking.

Essential Ingredients

The following is a non-exhaustive list of herbs and spices common in Indian cooking.

Herbs & Spices:

Garam Masala: An essential spice blend that forms the basis of many Indian dishes; garam means spice, and masala means mixture. Recipes differ based on region and household; however, garam masala typically contains cardamom, cloves, cumin, green cardamom, and cinnamon.

Cumin: Also known as jeera, cumin is an essential ingredient in garam masala and is often tempered in oil or ghee in the first steps of preparing a dish. Cumin adds a nutty and earthy dimension to food and is often used in curries, rice dishes, and daals. 

Cinnamon: Ceylon and cassia cinnamon are both common in Indian recipes. They add earthy and pungent tones to many different dishes, and cinnamon is present in many masalas, or spice mixes.

Turmeric: Turmeric contains natural anti-inflammatory properties and is often used in Ayurvedic recipes. It adds a distinct yellow color and a pungent, earthy taste to dishes.

Green Cardamom: Also known as elaichi, green cardamom pods can be added to dishes whole or in ground form. They are often used to add notes of sweetness to curries and rice dishes.

Coriander: Also known as dhanie, coriander is another essential ingredient in Indian recipes and spice blends. It adds earthy notes to dishes and is often paired with cumin.

Cloves: Cloves, or laung, can be eaten in the ground or whole form. They are an essential component of garam masala and have a pungent and earthy flavor and scent. 

Fenugreek: Also known as methi, fenugreek is a pungent leaf often added to soup and curry dishes.

Tamarind: Also known as imli, tamarind comes from a fruit and adds a tangy flavor to both sweet and savory dishes.

Curry leaves: Curry leaves carry citrusy aromatic notes and are slightly tangy and nutty. They are not the same as curry powder, which is a spice blend. 

Bay leaves: Bay leaf or tej patta, is another pungent leaf added to dishes to enhance their aroma. Bay leaves are often added to curries and rice dishes.

These are just a few essential herbs and spices used in Indian cuisine. However, there are many more to explore. 

Important Names of Indian Dishes and Other Terms

Have you ever looked at a menu at an Indian restaurant and been completely lost? Understanding what each item means can seem intimidating at first, but as soon as you pick up the basic names, it’s easy. Many of the words are substitutes for common foods, like cheese (paneer). Tikka refers to small chunks, and masala refers to a spice blend. So, paneer tikka masala and chicken tikka masala refer to dishes with small pieces of cheese or chicken cooked in a sauce with a spice blend. 

Chana: Chickpeas. The popular dish chana masala refers to chickpeas cooked in a sauce using a spice blend. 

Saag Paneer: Saag refers to leafy green vegetables such as spinach. Paneer is cheese. So this Saag Paneer is a curry made of leafy green vegetables with cheese added. 

Korma: Have you heard of Chicken Korma? A korma dish is cooked in a yogurt-based sauce.

Rogan josh: Typically made with chicken, lamb, or goat. Rogan josh is a dish with pieces of meat braised in a sauce flavored with spices.

Vindaloo: Vindaloo is a spicy curry dish with meat marinated in vinegar and garlic.

Biryani: A rice and meat dish with roots in the Mughal empire.

Curry: Curry refers to gravy. There are curry leaves often added to recipes, but a curry dish has some sort of gravy. Curry leaves are not the same as curry spice blends.

Tikka: A dish with small pieces of meat.

Masala: A spice mix, such as garam masala.

Saag: Greens, such as mustard or spinach.

Paneer: Indian cheese. Similar to Panela or Halloumi cheese, paneer is a soft cheese that is not aged or cultured. It also keeps its shape and does not melt.

Palak: Spinach. What do you think Palak Paneer means? You guessed it. It’s a spinach and cheese-based dish.

Gobi: Cauliflower.

Aloo: Potatoes. Aloo Gobi is a potato and cauliflower dish.

Daal: Lentils. Daals are lentil-based dishes.

Matar: Peas.

Dosa: A type of crepe popular in South India that is made with fermented rice and lentils.

Chutney: A herb or fruit-based condiment. 

Sabzi: Vegetables.

Keema: Ground meat.

Roti: This is the bread commonly eaten in Indian homes, typically made with dough made of wheat flour and shaped into flat circles heated on a skillet.

Naan: Sometimes referred to as tandoori bread. Most well-known in the west. Unlike the flat roti, naan needs yeast to rise and is cooked in a tandoor, or an Indian oven. 

Ghee: Clarified butter.

Tadka: Tempering

Tandoori: A tandoor is a clay oven. Tandoori chicken, for example, is cooked in a tandoor.

Thali: A Thali is a large plate with a few different dishes served on it.

Indian cuisine is extremely varied and diverse. Religion, location, and other cultural factors have a heavy influence on what people eat. Hindus tend to avoid beef, while Muslims avoid pork. Coastal cities tend to consume more fish, and people in mountainous regions tend to eat more meat. 

Understand the Basic Methods

Once you learn the basics of Indian cooking styles and techniques, you’ll be able to prepare Indian food on your own. Many dishes are cooked using similar techniques. 

Tadka: Tadka is the process of tempering, where spices such as chilis, cumin, or mustard seeds are cooked in oil or ghee to bring out the flavor, along with garlic, onions, and other spices. This adds complexity and flavor to the dish. Tadka is added at the end of daal (lentil) dishes. 

Dum Pukht: In this cooking method, food cooks in its own steam, and a dough is wrapped around the pot to keep the steam in. A popular dish cooked with this method is biryani.

Tandoor: Dishes with “tandoori” in the name were cooking in a clay pot or tandoor oven.

Bhuano: This is the complex process of sauteing food at high heat levels, continually stirring and managing the heat.

Handi: A handi is similar to a wok, with a thick bottom. Food made with this method is cooked at a very high temperature and constantly stirred.

That wasn’t so hard, now, was it? Now that you know the names of common ingredients in Indian cooking, reading off menus or preparing recipes seems much less intimidating, doesn’t it? Try making a chana masala or chicken biryani dish and see for yourself.