List of Indian spices

Chili powder, mustard seeds, turmeric 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: )
	Asafoetida	Intensely aromatic - flavor profile sometimes compared to that of truffles and garlic. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	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 Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Black cardamom	Very earthy and darkly aromatic. Often used in North Indian curries. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Black peppercorns	Pepper may be used whole or ground in Indian cuisines. The largest producer is the southern Indian state of Kerala. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Buchanania lanzan	Also known as Charoli/Chironji, is a type of nut particularly used in making desserts. (Hindi: )
	Capers	They are immature flower buds of Capparius spinosa, also known as caper berry. (Hindi: )
	Capsicum or bell pepper	(Hindi: )
	Caraway seeds	Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Carom seeds	Also known as bishop's weed, they're different from celery seeds and Radhuni seeds Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Cassia buds	Also known as Mesua Ferrea, are 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. It's also used in Chyavanprash. Used as Tempering Spice.
	Char Magaz	It's a mixture of four types of melon seed kernels (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Pumpkin). (Hindi: )
	Cinnamon	Grown commercially in Kerala in southern India. Two types, cassia (common) and royal. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Citric acid
	Cloves	Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka are largest producers in India. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Coriander seed	Is also used in powdered form. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Cubeb or tailed pepper	Tastes of clove with added bitterness with a persistent mild numbing sensation (Hindi: / )
	Cumin seed	Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	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: )
	Fennel seed	Used as natural mouth-freshener. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Fenugreek leaf	(Hindi: )
	Dry Fenugreek leaves	It is rubbed gently in the palms of the hands and sprinkled over the cooked dish towards the end. (Hindi: )
	Fenugreek seed	Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Garcinia gummi-gutta	Used in fish preparations in Kerala
	Garam masala	Blend of 8+ warming spices. Each family has their own secret recipe. (Hindi: )
	Garcinia indica	Used mainly in Maharashtrian Konkan and Gujarati cuisine. It has a sour taste with a faintly sweet aroma. (Hindi: )
	Garlic	(Hindi: )
	Ginger	(Hindi: )
	Dried ginger	mostly powdered (Hindi: )
	Green cardamom	Malabar variety is native to Kerala. Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Green chili pepper	(Hindi: )
	Indian gooseberry	It is used in Chyavanprash. (Hindi: )
	Inknut	Also called Haritaki. Used in Ayurveda for treating chronic ulcer, diarrhea, dysentery and piles. (Hindi: )
	Jakhya	Also called dog mustard or wild mustard. Used in Garhwali and Kumaoni styles of cuisines. Tasteless and odorless when uncooked; Earthly and crunchy when crackled in oil. (Hindi: )
	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: )
	Guizotia abyssinica	Kaaral/Khuraasni/Raamtill
	Licorice powder	(Hindi: )
	Long pepper	Used in South Indian cuisines. (Hindi: )
	Kaachri
	Mango Extract
	Marathi Moggu
	Yellow Mustard seed	Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Brown mustard Seed	Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Naagkeshar	Used in Maharashtrian cuisine as one of the ingredients of Godaa Masaalaa. (Hindi: )
	Nigella seed	Give smokey, nutty flavor to any dish. Its either dry roasted or used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Nutmeg	(Hindi: )
	Mace	Mace is outer covering to nutmeg nut. Similar aroma. (Hindi: )
	Panch phoron	This is a Bengali spice mix that combines fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and nigella seeds. Used as Tempering Spice.
	Pomegranate seed	Dried and ground in the Middle East. (Hindi: )
	Poppy seed	Very popular in West Bengal known posto, with no of Bengali cuisine, most popular Allu Posto (Hindi: )
	Pandanus (Screwpine)	(Hindi: / )
	Radhuni Seeds/Wild celery	It is dried fruit of Trachyspermum roxburgianum. Mostly used in Bengali Cuisine. (Hindi: )
	Red Chili Pepper	(Hindi: ) 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: )
	Sesame seed	Black Sesame seed (Hindi: ) White Sesame seed (Hindi: )
	Star Anise	Exotic, Chinese-influenced flavours Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	Sichuan Pepper	Also known as Teppal/ Tirphal. (Hindi: )
	Tamarind	Provides tartness in South Indian curries. (Hindi: )
	Thymol/carom seed	Used as Tempering Spice. (Hindi: )
	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: ). Dry Turmeric (Hindi: ). Ground Turmeric (Hindi: ).
	Gum Tragacanth	A thickener and coating for desserts
	White Peppercorns	Mostly used in white, cream based gravies/curries. (Hindi: )

See also

• Spice trade
• Masala dabba, traditional spice box
• Spice Mixes

External links

• "Glossary Pakistani & Indian Spices (Masala)". Direct Advert Media LLC. Retrieved 2 October 2013.

• Gantzer, Hugh; Gantzer, Colleen (2014). SpiceStory. Spices Board of India. ISBN 9789383098385.
• Raghavan, Susheela (2006). Handbook of Spices, Seasonings, and Flavorings (2nd ed.). Hoboken: CRC Press. ISBN 9781420004366.