If you are like most people in Britain, you love Indian takeaways. It has long been a staple in many UK dining rooms and the centerpiece of countless shared meals. Most days, you get your takeaway quickly, packed in neat boxes, and ready to be enjoyed. But have you stopped to think how much work goes into it? Indian food has a lot of spices that give it its appealing aroma and rich taste. If you are curious what they are, here are 11 spices commonly used for Indian cooking.
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Cardamom
Cardamom comes in two varieties: green and black. Green is more common. With a light and sweet flavour, it has a hint of eucalyptus.
Black cardamom is smoky, very powerful, and often used with much care. Most times, only the seeds are cooked. So if you see whole pods in your takeaway, pull them out before eating, unless you are into very spicy food.
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Black Pepper
Black pepper is one of the most traded spices in the world that `is native to South India and other tropical regions. Similar to other spices, it has to be toasted before it can be blended.
Aside from being a common ingredient in Indian and now many European dishes, black pepper is also used in medicinal and beauty products.
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Clove
Used on its own or in combination with other spices, Clove has a strong, medicine-like flavor that can be obtained from the concentration of its essential oils
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Star Anise
Star anise comes from an evergreen tree native to India, where it is known as badian or phoolchakri. It also grows in parts of Vietnam and China.
It is typically used to enhance the flavour of meat or in the preparation of masala chai and biryani.
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Cassia Bark
Cassia bark belongs to the cinnamon tree family. Cassia is cheaper and easier to produce and is used by Indians as an alternative to “true cinnamon.”
It has a milder flavour and is often used in larger quantities. It can be used whole or ground along with other spices.
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Chili Pepper
Chili is commonly found in Indian households, used to enhance the flavour of curries and dry dishes. India is one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of chili peppers.
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Cumin
Native to India and the eastern Mediterranean region Cumin is a flowering plant that adds a smoky and earthy flavour to many cuisines in both whole and ground form.
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Indian Bay Leaf
Indian bay leaf comes from a tree that can grow up to 20 metres tall. It is primarily aromatic, as its flavor is hard to characterise. Still, it is easy to know if you missed adding it to your dish.
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Coriander
Coriander is one of the most common features of an Indian spice rack. Its seeds are very aromatic and give hints of citrus flavor. Similar to cumin, it has to be dry-roasted before it can be used.
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Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a unique spice that can be used in both sweet and savoury foods. Its distinctive flavour comes from the essential oil that makes up around 1% of its composition.
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Mustard Seeds
Mustard seeds have a smoky and nutty flavour that complements curries and curry powders perfectly.
