Health

This sour powder is made from unripe mangoes and has a lemony taste with a slightly sweet edge. The primary use for it is in chutneys, a few vegetarian curry dishes and Indian snacks including samosas, chickpea curry and other Indian street food type specialities. It can also be found in Bombay mix and some lentil snacks.

Dried mango powder is great to produce a sweet and sour taste. Its properties include being high in iron, vitamins A and E and it is said it also helps the hormonal system to function properly.

Anardana is made from hand-picked pomegranate seeds which are dried and then finely ground in some recipes. The dried pomegranate seeds bring a distinctive pomegranate sweet-sourness to the Indian way of cooking and can be described as being fruity yet sour in flavour. They are used in north Indian savoury dishes using vegetables and legumes and are great to use for Indian street food style dishes and snacks such as veg pakoras and chaats. It also adds a rustic sour taste to chickpea dishes. The seeds contain dietary fibre, vitamin C and calcium. They have been proven to help with diabetes and blood pressure.

Asafoetida, which is also called hing, comes from the resin of a giant fennel plant. It is a distinctive pungent spice commonly found in powdered form. When cooked it has a truffle-like flavour and roasted garlic aroma. It is usually used in Indian vegetarian lentil and bean type dishes at the start of the cooking process when it is fried in hot oil before other spices and ingredients are added. Asafoetida is said to help ease asthma and is also used for digestion problems including intestinal gas, upset stomach and irritable bowel syndrome.

Bayleaf is an aromatic leaf with its fragrance being more noticeable in cooked food than its taste. The flavour of bayleaf is slightly bitter and when dried is quite herbal. Dried bayleaf is used in Indian cooking to add a sweet taste somewhat similar to cinnamon, although a little milder. It is often used in rice dishes such as biryanis or pilau and then removed upon serving. Bayleaves have many properties which make them useful for treating high blood sugar, migraines, bacterial infections and gastric ulcers.

This is a great spice to flavour Indian rice dishes and curry dishes that use red meat. The spice has a smoky taste and aroma as it’s dried over a smoke fire before being packed. You do not eat this spice whole, it is usually added to dishes to release flavour and then taken out before being served. The spicy cardamom pods contain many essential oils which are released during cooking and the spice is known to be a good source of calcium, potassium and magnesium as well as iron.

Carom seeds, which are called ajawain in Hindi/Punjabi, are pale in colour and look like a smaller version of cumin seeds. They are extremely fragrant and taste similar to thyme with a stronger more distinct flavour. Carom is often used whole in Indian cooking particularly to flavour Indian pastry dishes and onion bhajis. Curry dishes can sometimes use carom that is crushed using a pestle and mortar or some may even use it in its seed form. Carom is also used in Indian pickle-making and is a main ingredient for pickled Indian dishes, for example Achari Chicken Tikka. Carom is known to aid digestion and soothe stomach pains as well as relieve symptoms of a blocked nose or a sore throat.

Chaat masala is the perfect seasoning spice to add a zingy, tangy and salty touch to an Indian starter, snack or salad. The famous Indian street food ‘chaat’ which is a generic name for spicy, sweet and crispy snack often contains chaat masala which is made up of spices including, asafoetida, mango powder and black salt. Fresh fruit is often sprinkled with chaat masala and lime juice too and enjoyed as a snack. When Indian fried snacks and tandoori starters are under seasoned and have already been cooked, it’s a great idea to sprinkle a little chaat masala on top for extra seasoning and flavour. The spice is said to be good for stomach disorders and known to be a good digestive.

In total there are four varieties of cinnamon used for commercial purposes. All varieties are somewhat similar with slight variations in colour, taste and shape. Cinnamon or dalchini as we call it in Hindi is the dried bark of various laurel trees in the cinnamon family. It has a sweet taste with a warm woody aroma. When whole cinnamon is ground the flavour becomes stronger and thus it should be used sparingly. It works amazingly with fruits, especially apples and oranges. When using the spice for savoury dishes it pairs perfectly with red meat curry dishes and biryanis and pilau specialities. Cinnamon is known to be a cough reliver and has been proven to reduce blood cholesterol.

Cloves or laung as we call them are dark brown in colour and shaped like a nail. In fact cloves got their name from the Latin word clavus which means nail. The spice is warm, pungent, aromatic and spicy in taste and goes extremely well with rice dishes as well as meat-based curries. Cloves are also part of the garam masala spice mixture. They pair well with cardamom, cinnamon and peppercorns. Cloves are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and commonly used as a mouth freshener. Chewing on a single clove has been proven to relieve toothache and according to Ayurveda cloves improve circulation, digestion and metabolism.

India is the world’s main producer of coriander which has been used for over 7000 years according to research. Coriander is a member of the parsley family. The seeds are round in shape and turn from bright green to beige when they ripen. The spice in seed and powdered form tastes warm and slightly citrus with an aromatic flavour, whereas fresh coriander is more zesty and lemony. The warm aroma of coriander seeds is released into hot oil upon frying and the taste after that can somewhat be compared to orange zest. Coriander in seed form is great to flavour Indian snacks such as onion bhajis whereas coriander powder is more suitable for curry dishes with moisture or when preparing a marinade. Coriander is said to be beneficial for aching joints, coping with a sore throat and certain allergies.

Cumin or jeera comes from the parsley family and is used for its distinctive aroma and warm flavour. It is nutty in taste with some bitterness but not hot. It can be ground to a powder which is more suitable when making a marinade. The seeds can be fried in oil to release flavour and can also be dry-fried before use (drop the whole seeds into a hot dry pan and cook until the roasted fragrance emerges). It is used to flavour rice dishes and curries and combines well with coriander both in powder, whole and fresh form. Dry roasted cumin is perfect for yoghurt accompaniments and chutneys, where as when making a curry dish whole cumin is great fried/sizzled in oil to release flavour. Cumin is known to stimulate the appetite and also help relive symptoms of a cold due to its antiseptic properties.

Fenugreek is used as a herb, spice and vegetable. Dried fenugreek leaves retain almost all the goodness of fresh fenugreek and is great to use in both marinations and in curry dishes. It flavours chicken curry dishes especially well and is usually crushed upon adding into a curry. Kasturi methi is the name used for dried fenugreek leaves (the leaves of the fenugreek plant) and it is a very common ingredient used in North Indian cooking. Fenugreek seeds are used more for pickling purposes and in achari Indian dishes.

Methi is said to be beneficial as it is said to cure arthritis naturally. It is also known to relieve constipation and reduce colic.

Fennel seeds are the dried seeds of the fennel plant and have a liquorice-like sweet taste. They are commonly used for the preparation of Indian sweet dishes and masala tea. Most Indian dishes use fennel in its seed form although for some dishes it can powdered. Fennel seeds come from pimpinella anisum, a plant in the parsley family. Fennel is also considered a digestive and mouth freshener, chewed by many as an after dinner ‘mint’. Fennel is said to help with bloating, stomach cramps and gas problems and also infused in hot water given to babies to relieve colic

This is known as the ‘king of all spices’ when it comes to North Indian cooking. The word garam means hot and the word masala means spices. It’s a blend of whole spices which have been dried and then ground to a powder and is added to Indian appetisers, main course curries as well as some accompaniments. The spice is one of the secrets to achieving success when preparing a Punjabi dish. When making a curry dish it is essential to add garam masala towards the end of the cooking process so that all the flavours are retained as opposed to being lost if added towards the start. Home-made garam masala varieties are always good, especially those that include at least twelve of the main garam masala ingredients. Brilliant’s unique fifteen spice garam masala dates back almost 70 years and is the recipe of Bishen Dass Anand (my grandfather) and up until today, we use the same blend which my father calls the recipe for our success. There are also various benefits of the spice, for example, it is said to slow down the ageing process, help with weight loss and is also made up of powerful antioxidants.

Green cardamom which is known to be the world’s second most expensive spice has a complex flavour that complements many sweet Punjabi dishes and particularly savoury ones too. The spice has a very floral aroma with a herbal like taste. Green cardamom can be used whole or ground. When used for curry or rice dishes it is usually kept whole and when used for Indian desserts it is used in powdered form. It is used in small quantities due to its strong and intense flavour. Research suggests green cardamom helps digestive disorders and aids in coping with diabetes and asthma.

Indian black salt or kala namak is an Indian volcanic rock salt. It is commonly used in India and Pakistan. It starts off as Himalayan pink salt and is then heated to high temperatures and mixed with Indian spices and herbs including the seeds of the harad fruit which contains sulphur. It contains trace impurities of sulfates, sulphides, iron and magnesium which all contribute to the salt’s colour, smell and taste. Kala namak is often used in many Indian street food recipes and it is also a key ingredient in the making of the pani puri dish which is served with the famous tamarind water. Research suggests kala namak helps to improve stomach irritation, constipation and the general appearance of skin

The Kashmiri chilli is smaller, rounder and less pungent but lends a very bright red colour to the food. They are bred for their high colour retention as they redden anything capable of absorbing colour. The Kashmiri red chilli powder is a blend of medium quality red pepper mostly used for tandoori dishes and the famous dish Rogan Josh. Red chilli powder is said to help maintain healthy skin, bones and teeth.

Nutmeg is the seed of an evergreen tree indigenous to Indonesia. Nutmeg is sold without its mace shell and has a nutty, warm and slightly sweet flavour. It is not extensively used in Indian cooking although is one of the secret ingredients of Brilliant’s garam masala blend, which dates back almost 70 years. Nutmeg pairs well with green cardamom especially when preparing Indian desserts or desserts that require the Indian touch. Nutmeg is said to improve concentration and soothe aching muscles and joints..

Onion seeds are small irregular shaped black seeds of the plant that grows in India called Kalonji. The spice can be used fresh or dry-roasted in curries and added to vegetables, relishes, pickles and chutneys, yoghurts as well as in the naan bread dough. The seeds have a bitter and peppery flavour and the taste is further enhanced once the seeds are roasted for 2 minutes or so. Onion seeds are said to be good for skin disorders, soothing an earache and calming an upset stomach.

Alkanet root, better known as rattan jot is traditionally used to add colour to Indian food, specifically Kashmiri lamb style dishes. It is the original natural colouring that gives the famous Kashmiri dish Rogan Josh its signature red colour. The root is said to help with skin allergies.

Red chilli is the spice in curry that usually has tongues tingling. It should be used in moderation to add a natural red glow to the dish together with a sharp spicy flavour without setting the mouth on fire. Red chilli powder works well in a marinade to give a natural red colour if you do not want to use food colouring. It is one of the key ingredients when making a traditional Punjabi masala sauce and is usually added with the turmeric once the tomato has been added. Red chilli is known to be a good source of vitamin C and has been proven to soothe a cold and clear congestion of a blocked nose. Research suggests it helps burn calories and aids in weight loss.

Saffron comes from the crocus flower and the saffron threads are thread-like stamens of those flowers. They are a dark orange colour and highly fragrant with a honey-like taste. Saffron is the most expensive spice of all because of the difficulty harvesting the saffron as each stamen is handpicked. In Indian cuisine, saffron is used in fish and rice dishes and some sweet dishes. Saffron needs to be soaked in hot water or milk for about 15 minutes before being used. Saffron is said to be a reliever for coughs, asthma and sleep problems

Star anise has a liquorice taste similar to regular anise, only stronger. It is the unusual fruit of a small oriental tree and used as a secret ingredient to some red meat curry dishes and some of my dessert creations. It pairs well with spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Star anise is prescribed as a digestive and also helps with an upset stomach.

Turmeric which we call haldi in Hindi comes from the root of the curcuma longa which is a leafy plant related to ginger. Turmeric has a bright yellow colour and is pungent, warm and earthy in taste and aroma. It is used in powdered form and gives a golden orange colour to curry dishes and snacks. Turmeric is generally used more for appearance purposes as opposed to taste. If too much turmeric is added to a dish, it will cause bitterness. Research shows that turmeric inhibits blood clotting and is also an Ayurveda treatment for digestive disorders and arthritis. It is known to be a natural antiseptic used for healing cuts and wounds