List of Spices in an Indian Grocery Store

A List of Spices That You Can Only Get In an Indian Grocery Store Wow… That’s a reaction that people give when they visit an Indian grocery store, even if it’s located in a foreign land. And this reaction is natural. It’s because India is rich in spices. It is like” you demand and the Indian spice manufacturers will deliver” without a second thought.

Do you know what types of spices you can get in an Indian Grocery Store? Here is the list for you along with their usage in the Indian Cuisine.

Turmeric Powder Also known as Haldi, turmeric powder is the most common Indian spice. It belongs to the ginger family and is bright yellow. Usually, it is added in almost every Indian cuisine to give a unique vibrant color. Currently, turmeric powder is also making healthcare and wellness products.

Carrom Seeds Also known as Ajwain, Carrom Seeds are native to India and used as Ayurvedic for their strong essence. The bitter and pungent taste of carom seeds is used to develop a more subtle and complex aroma in the dishes. Typically, it is dry-roasted or fried in ghee and poured into lentil dishes to increase the taste.

Red Chilli Powder Indian dishes mean spicy so the list is incomplete without red chili powder. Along with adding spiciness to the food, the powder gives a red color to the food. Red chili powder is of different kinds because different dried red chilies are grounded and pulverized in a fine powder. The spiciness is different in all. For example, Kashmiri Chilli Powder is mild.

Coriander powder Also known as Dhaniya, Coriander is prepared after grinding coriander seeds. It’s the king of spices because very few dishes can be made without the touch of coriander powder. It adds taste as well as helps in preparing gravy. Indian cuisine tastes bland without coriander powder.

Dry Mango Powder Also known as Amchoor, dry mango powder is prepared by slowly drying unripe mangoes in the sun and grinding them into a fine powder. The powder adds a tangy flavor to vegetables and curries. It plays an important role in side dishes of Indian cuisine like chutneys, pickles, etc. Also, dry mango powder is used to make candies and helps in digestion.

Black Cardamom

Also known as Badi Elaichi, it is used in savory dishes to add a smoky flavor. It belongs to ginger and is a relative of green cardamom. On daily basis, it is used in bland lentil and rice dishes to elevate the flavor in an unsubtle but not overwhelming manner.

Cumin seeds Also known as jeera, cumin seeds are frequently used whole to add a smoky note to Indian dishes.

It’s easy to identify cumin seeds by their distinct ridged brown seeds and intense fragrance. Other than cooking, it helps in digestion and possesses anti-flatulent properties.

Poppy seeds Also known as khus khus, the poppy seeds have a nutty flavor which is brought out by lightly toasting. It is used in Indian dishes as a thickener in curries and to make paste and fillings. It is particularly popular in Northern India.

Mustard seeds In India, mustard is one of the most common crops and mustard seeds have been used for a long.

The major role of mustard crops is to extract mustard oil, which is important for Indian dishes.

Mustard seeds are usually fried in oil before using any dish.

Garam Masala Garam masala is not a solo spice; rather, it is prepared using popular Indian spices like black and white peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, mace, green cardamom, black cardamom, bay leaves, cumin, and coriander. It is used in whole or after grinding into a fine powder. It’s added over and above coriander powder in curries.

Fenugreek Also known as methi, fenugreek is also a common ingredient in many Indian curries and Indian spice mixes. After the dry roast, fenugreek develops a nutty maple flavor. It’s healthy to include in your daily diet. Other than cooking, fenugreek is for its medicinal qualities and immunological value.

Cinnamon It’s the oldest of all spices and is used food as medicine and spice. Cinnamon has a sweet–tasting taste with a warm and woody aroma. The smell is pleasant, stimulates the senses but keeps the nerves calm. It’s used in preparing tea.

Cloves It looks like small nailed-shaped flower buds that are dried. The flavor and aroma of cloves are intense. The distinct taste comes from the concentration of oil it holds. Also, it is high in antioxidants. It is used for preparing tea and other Indian curries.

You got the list of popular Indian spices. So rush to an Indian grocery store now and enjoy flavourful Indian dishes at home.