asafoetida powder
Asafoetida imparts a deep aroma and a leek-like flavour to dishes. It is most often used with lentils to aid digestion and reduce flatulence,
ingredients
Information on some of the common Indian ingredients and mixtures. The articles describe the ingredients, how you might use them and how to buy them and store them.
The articles will give the common name in India, usually in Hindi, links to reference material and the botanical name of the ingredient. Several entries point to our homemade recipes. Making some of these ingredients at home is much better than the store-bought alternative.
basmati rice
Basmati rice is the fragrant rice used in many Indian dishes.
bay leaves
Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in slow cooking for their distinctive bitter flavour and fragrance.
besan
Chickpea flour, or besan, is a gluten-free flour used in the preparation of both sweet and savoury dishes.
black eyed peas
Black-eyed peas are creamy white in colour and have a black mark on their inner curve. They have a subtle, nutty aroma and a rich creamy taste that is slightly earthy.
black gram
Black gram or urad dal is common in Indian cooking. The product sold as black lentil is usually the whole urad bean, whereas the skinned and split bean, which has a white interior, is called the white lentil.
black mustard seeds
Black mustard seeds are usually fried quickly in oil to give a hot and spicy flavour once the seeds have popped. When fried, the taste is nutty rather than fiery.
black pepper
Black pepper is probably the world's most used spice. It's use in Indian cooking is over 4,000 years old.
cardamom – green
Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic, resinous fragrance.
carom seeds
Carom seeds, or ajwain, belong to the cumin and parsley family. They are tiny, erect and oval-shaped with a sharp and penetrating taste. They are used to flavour oil used in dal dishes.
cassia
Cassia is the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree. This bark is noticeably harder than cinnamon and has a more robust and less sweet flavour.
chaat masala
Chaat masala is used to sprinkle over snacks, vegetables, fruit and into drinks. It has a distnictive sour and salty taste.