Indian Spices

Ginger

2011-08-06T22:35:00.000-07:00

Ginger - Inji (Tamil), Adrak (Hindi) is another ingredient we use in our cuisine.It also acts as medicine in many ways. Fresh ginger is used for cooking along with lentils/dhalls and for creating spiciness in some side dishes. Vegetables like potato, Plantain etc usually creates gas when we consume it very often. In order to reduce it, ginger is used along with potato, plantain. Dry ginger which is called as Chukku (Tamil) is also used to make lots of dishes like desserts, cookies etc. Also ginger is used to make masala tea.

During our stay in India last year, I came to know that there are two types of ginger people use in India. One is Chai wali Adrak (Ginger used for making tea) and Sabji wali adrak (ginger used to make side dishes).

Coconut

2011-08-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

Coconut/Thengai (in Tamil)/ Nariyal (hindi) is a member of Palm family. It is another important ingredient we use in our daily cooking. In India, Kerala state is very famous for coconut trees and they use coconut in almost all of the recipes they cook. Coconut oil is also good for hair. It acts as a conditioner especially for dry thick & curly hair people. It reduces the formation of dandruff in our scalp. Also coconut water is known as Ilaneer (Tamil) / Nariyal ka pani (Hindi) act as a cooling agent to our body. During summer season, its always good to take tender coconut water everyday to avoid getting heat diseases. Shredded coconut is used in all sorts of recipes like dry curry, sambar, gravy and also for making desserts like payasam. People try to take milk from coconut and coconut milk is also commonly used for making desserts and for few gravies. Cocnut tree is also very useful in many ways. The dry husk of the coconut tree is used washing dishes Dry sticks from the coconut tree is used for making broom sticks. Coir is used for making bags, sacks etc

Cardamom

2008-10-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Cardamom is also called as Elaichi (in Hindi) Elakkai or Elam (in tamil) which is commonly used to add flavor to any kind of dish. It also helps giving relief whenever we have tooth ache or gums pain. I remember my grandma used to keep it along with cloves,near the teeth which hurts her. Most of the times she get relief from that. While making fried rice or some kind of variety rice, we use this cardamom to add more flavor to the rice. Also while making desserts or sweets or pudding, we use this cardamom which adds more flavor. Cardamom is also used to make masala tea. I use cardamom, dry ginger, tea powder, cloves etc for making masala tea. Also while making garam masala powder, I use cardamom.

Dry Ginger - Chukku

2008-10-13T04:56:00.000-07:00

Chukku is a very famous spice which is used most commonly in Kerala. Chukku vellam - Dry ginger water is a very famous in Kerala. While boiling water, we put chukku along with pepper and cumin seeds and drink this chukku vellam whenever we have sore throat. It gives relief immediately. Also chukku powder is available in stores now a days which we can use it in preparing coffee and tea. According to ayurveda, indigestion is the main cause for all the diseases. Chukku helps in digesting food easily. There is a custom in China, that people drink hot water or hot herbal tea after their meal which is basically for this reason and which also cuts extra fat from the food we took. I still remember, my grandma usually make a paste out of this dry ginger and apply it on her forehead whenever she get head ache. It really reduces the stress and tension which in turn reduces the head ache. This Chukku coffee or tea is also taken during nausea, which reduces the vomitting.

Omam

2008-10-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Nigella Sativa - scientific name for omam(in Tamil); Kalonji (in Hindi). In general Omam is good for digestion. In India, we usually keep store bought omam water handy, if small infants are around us. We give a teaspoon of this water everyday to infants and small kids which helps them in digestion. I make kozhambu with this kalonji everyother week. We can keep this kozhambu for a week to 10 days if it is properly refrigerated. It has lots and lots of medicinal value for bronchitis, asthma, cancer stomach worms, cold, eczema, boils etc.

Photo Source:- Wikipedia.org

Sesame Oil

2008-10-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Sesame oil is something we use in most of our spicy dishes like vatha kozhambu, for seasoning dosa, idly. This oil is also known as Gingelly oil or queen of OIls. We use this oil to lubricate our skin before taking bath. We use it everyday before bathing. It plays a vital role in Indian cooking. In Tamilnadu, this oil is been used to give first bath to young infants. Grand mothers usually warm this oil with a pinch of Omam (kalonji), rice and black pepper and drain those ingredients from oil and use the oil for giving bath to young kids.

Fatty acid	Nomenclature	Minimum	Maximum
Palmitic	C16:0	7.0 %	12.0 %
Palmitoleic	C16:1	trace	0.5 %
Stearic	C18:0	3.5 %	6.0 %
Oleic	C18:1	35.0 %	50.0 %
Linoleic	C18:2	35.0 %	50.0 %
Linolenic	C18:3	trace	1.0 %
Eicosenoic	C20:1	trace	1.0 %

Source:- www.wikipedia.org

Sesame oil is also used by adults to take oil hair bath because it is a belief in India that sesame oil reduces heat in our body which in turn reduces hair loss. It is used as a preservative for making pickles. It is also considered as a divine oil which is used in Pujas or lighting silver and brass lamps.

Tamarind

2008-05-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

This is the main ingredient for the Indian dishes. Tamarind is used for making sambar, rasam, tamarind rice and most other recipes. Its very tart and acidic and is the main component of savory dishes. n temples, especially in Asian countries, the pulp is used to clean brass shrine furniture, removing dulling and the greenish patina that forms. Tamarind is available in specialty food stores worldwide in pod form or as a paste or concentrate.

Moong Dhall

2008-05-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

This is moong split without shells. This yellow dal doesn't need to be soaked and are easy to cook and digest. These beans can also be boiled and mashed in soups, stews, and sauces. In India the mung beans are also consumed as a snack. The dried mung beans are soaked in water, then partly dried to a dry matter content of approx. 42% before and then deep-fried in hot oil. The frying time varies between 60 and 90 seconds. The fat content of this snack is around 20%. This snack is traditionally prepared at home and is now also available from industrial producers.

Asafoetida Powder!!

2008-05-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

Asafoetida powder is a crucial ingredient in Indian vegetarian cooking. Also known in India as Hing in Hindi and Perungaayam in Tamil. Derived from a species of giant fennel, asafoetida has a unique smell and flavor. As a strong tasting herb, a small amount of asafoetida goes a long way. Therefore, large quantities are not needed for most recipes. Typically, the herb can be purchased for as little as 5 US Dollars (USD) for a small jar. Asafoetida cannot be eaten raw. Eating raw asafoetida root can cause severe diarreah and vomiting. This spice is used as a digestive aid, in food as a condiment and in pickles. Its odor is so strong that it must be stored in airtight containers

In our family, my patti used to make a spicy buttermilk everyday, in which she uses this asafoetida powder which helps for digestion.

Black Pepper

2008-04-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

Black pepper is native to south India (Milagu in Tamil) and is extensively cultivated there and elsewhere in tropical regions. Pepper is used in some of the dishes. Milagu kozhambu or Pepper kozhambu is made out of pepper which is considered to be a pathiya kozhambu - meaning this dish or paste is used after the child birth. It is still believed that pepper will reduce the inflammation in the utreus after child birth. Black pepper is used as medicine in ayurvedha, siddha. It is used for lung diseases, tooth ache, constipation, hernia, sun burns.

Black pepper has demonstrated impressive antioxidant and antibacterial effects--yet another way in which this wonderful seasoning promotes the health of the digestive tract. Black pepper is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of iron and vitamin K, and a good source of dietary fiber. (source www.whfoods.com)

Nutrient	Amount	DV (%)	Nutrient Density	World's Healthiest Foods Rating
Black pepper 2.00 tsp 4.28 grams 10.88 calories
manganese	0.24 mg	12.0	19.9	excellent
vitamin K	6.88 mcg	8.6	14.2	very good
iron	1.24 mg	6.9	11.4	very good
dietary fiber	1.12 g	4.5	7.4	good

World's Healthiest Foods Rating	Rule
excellent	DV>=75%	OR	Density>=7.6	AND	DV>=10%
very good	DV>=50%	OR	Density>=3.4	AND	DV>=5%
good	DV>=25%	OR	Density>=1.5	AND	DV>=2.5%

(Source: - www.whfoods.com)

Cumin Seeds

2008-04-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

This is another spice we use in our everyday cooking. Cumin is good for digestion. This is also known as Jeera in Hindi and Seeragam(seer+Agam) in Tamil. Agam means human body; Seer means making it healthy. Thats why we use this in most of our recipes. Cumin is hotter to the taste, lighter in colour. In olden days, in order to induce labour, people used to drink cumin tea or cumin hot water (From my grandma's experience). Also cumin hot water is used to reduce stomach ache during periods. First fry the 1 tbsp cumin to golden brown. Then grind it into a fine powder. Add it to 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Bring the boiling water to one cup. This one cup cumin is consumed with a teaspoon of honey during stomach ache (my personal experience).

Cumin seeds, whose scientific name is Cuminum cyminum, are a very good source of iron, a mineral that plays many vital roles in the body. Cumin seeds have traditionally been noted to be of benefit to the digestive system, and scientific research is beginning to bear out cumin's age-old reputation. Research has shown that cumin may stimulate the secretion of pancreatic enzymes, compounds necessary for proper digestion and nutrient assimilation. Cumin seeds may also have anti-carcinogenic properties. Cumin is available both in its whole seed form and ground into a powder. (source:www.whfoods.com)

Cumin seeds
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 370 kcal 1570 kJ

Carbohydrates	44.24 g
- Sugars 2.25 g
- Dietary fiber 10.5 g
Fat	22.27 g
- saturated 1.535 g
- monounsaturated 14.04 g
- polyunsaturated 3.279 g
Protein	17.81 g
Water	8.06 g
Vitamin A equiv. 64 μg	7%
Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.628 mg	48%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.327 mg	22%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 4.579 mg	31%
Vitamin B6 0.435 mg	33%
Folate (Vit. B9) 10 μg	3%
Vitamin B12 0 μg	0%
Vitamin C 7.7 mg	13%
Vitamin E 3.33 mg	22%
Vitamin K 5.4 μg	5%
Calcium 931 mg	93%
Iron 66.36 mg	531%
Magnesium 366 mg	99%
Phosphorus 499 mg	71%
Potassium 1788 mg	38%
Sodium 168 mg	11%
Zinc 4.8 mg	48%

Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient database

source:-www.Wikipedia.org

Toor Dhall

2008-04-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

We can call this lentil as best friend for south Indian women. This is also known as "Thuvaram paruppu" in TamilThey use this lentil everyday without fail. In order to start solids for small babies, we use this dhall first. From the beginning of 6th month or 8th Month (in some families), moms usually pressure cook this lentil adding a pinch of turmeric powder to it and mix and mash it with cooked rice. They call this paruppu saadam (lentil rice). They also add a pinch of salt and tea spoon of ghee (melted butter) to it. This is the first solid food, we give to our small children in India (or atleast in our family).

This lentil is mainly used to make sambar. The traditional way of serving South Indian food is first payasam (dessert), paruppu (toor dhall cooked), Pachadi, curry, kootu, pickle, vadai, chips and rice. In our everyday pooja to god, we offer cooked rice as naivedya. We put one teaspoon cooked toor dhall on top of it and then we offer it to god. This is our Hindu belief.

Whole toor lentils are yellow with tan jackets, but they're usually sold skinned and split. They have a mild, nutty flavor. They're sometimes sold with an oily coating, which you should rinse off. Lentils without oil coating is also available in stores. We have to check for both before buying this lentil. Look for them at Indian markets.

Channa Dhall - Gram dhal

2008-04-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

Most of the lentils are low fat and high in protein and fibre. This is another kind of lentil or dhal (in Hindi) or paruppu (in Tamil), we use in our everyday cooking. This is used to make coconut paste and this gives extra thickness to sambar. Nowadays people are becoming more health conscious. So instead of using more coconut which is high in fat, people in India replace this dhall in the place of coconut or reduce the quantity of coconut and increase the quantity of dhall.

With their sweet and nutty flavor, these are the most popular dal in India. They're made from splitting a small relative of the chickpea in half. They're a dull yellow and are renown for causing flatulence, which Indians try to counter by adding asafoetida to the dish. Before cooking, always rinse lentils and pick out stones and other debris. Unlike dried beans and peas, there's no need to soak them. Lentils cook more slowly if we add salt or acidic ingredients before cooking, so add these last. These lentils are also available in all Indian stores nicely packed, under the name Channa Dhall

Mustard Seeds

2008-04-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

Mustard seeds are the proverbially small seeds of the various mustard plants

In the Indian subcontinent they are often used whole, and are quickly fried in oil until they pop to impart a flavor to the oil.The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard (B.Nigra) brown Indian mustard (B.Juncea), and white or yellow mustard (B.hirta/Sinapisalba)

Its mainly used for seasoning in Indian cooking. Its gives wonderful aroma and flavour to the receipe. Mustard seeds is also available in all Indian stores nicely packed..

Urad Dhall

2008-04-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

Urad, also referred to as urad dal, urd bean, urd, urid, black matpe bean, black gram, black lentil, or white lentil (Vigna mungo) is a bean grown in southern Asia. It is largely used to make dal from the whole or split, dehusked seeds. The bean is boiled and eaten whole or after splitting into dal; prepared like this it has an unusual texture. Ground into flour or paste, it is also extensively used in culinary preparation like dosa, idly, vada and Papad. When used this way, the white lentils are usually used. The white lentils are called "ulundhu" (உளுந்து) in Tamil.

It is very nutritious and is recommended for diabetics, as are other pulses. It is very popular in Punjabi cuisine of India and Pakistan where it is known as "maanh".The product sold as "black lentil" is usually the whole urad bean or urad dal. The product sold as "white lentil" is the same lentil with the black skin removed. This lentil or dhall is also available in all Indian stores nicely packed. The packet here in the picture is whole white urad dhall and the other two pictures are whole black urad dhall and white split urad dhall. For seasoning, split urad dhall will be mostly used and for making Idly batter or Vada Batter or Bonda batter ,(the consistency of batter for both vada and bonda is somewhat same; Bonda batter will be little bit thicker than Vada batter) whole urad will be used. For making Adai batter, Black urad dhall will be used.

Coriander Seeds

2008-03-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

An Aromatic seed. The seeds are stimulant, digestive. The leaves are variously referred to as coriander leaves. The fresh leaves strengthen the stomach and promote its actions - relieves flatulence. The leaves, and especially the stems, have a very different taste from the seeds. The fresh leaves are used either in chopped form. Even, juice of the leaves is beneficial in treating indigestion. Coriander seeds are also used in traditional Indian medicine as a diuretic by boiling equal amounts of coriander seeds and cumin seeds, then cooling and consuming the resulting liquid.

In my family, my grandmother used to boil water adding a handful of coriander seeds, pepper and cumin seeds, with a piece of ginger, whenever we have sore throat. It relieves the burning sensation. Consuming this boiled water, frequently will definitely reduce the soreness in our throat (my personal experience).

Coriander leaves, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 20 kcal 100 kJ

Carbohydrates	4 g
- Dietary fiber 3 g
Fat	0.5 g
Protein	2 g
Vitamin A equiv. 337 μg	37%
Vitamin C 27 mg	45%

Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.

Coriander seeds is available in most of the Indian stores properly packed and sealed

Source:Wikipedia.org

Turmeric

2008-03-31T11:17:00.000-07:00

Turmeric Powder is mainly used as a coloring agent in Indian cooking. But it has many medicinal value and in India it is used as a anticeptic for cuts, burns etc.. Turmeric is currently used in the formulation of some sunscreens. Turmeric paste is used by some Indian women to keep them free of superfluous hair. Turmeric is widely used as a spice in Indian and other South Asian cooking mainly for its medicinal value and for its color.

Its available in most of the Indian Grocery stores - nicely packed and sealed.