4 Main Spices Used in Indian Food
Indian food uses many flavourful and colourful spices. They can be used in either sweet or savoury dishes, and they include a variety of spices that can be found in different forms: whole, ground, roasted, fried, or as garnish. They bind the different ingredients together in a delightful, delicious form, and can be sometimes added last as flavour. Lighter spices are usually added last, and strong flavoured spices are added first.
Chili peppers are often used to add flavour and heat, but some spices are staples in Indian cuisine, and often used in other spice mixes like Garam Masala. They add the typical flavours associated with the delicious Indian dishes that have become famous for their beautiful colours and aromas.
From the parsley family, this spice is commonly used in Indian food. They come from a dried, white fruit that grows on a plant found in many parts of the world. Cumin seeds are oval with ridges and they have a greenish-beige colour. It’s used in curry powders, breads, and as a condiment. Cumin seeds are often roasted to provide them with a strong flavour.
A member of the ginger family, Tumeric is a bright orange spice that adds both colour and flavour to dishes. It’s harvested from the root of the plant curcuma longa, and it brings many health benefits: it’s been proven to help with arthritis, loss of appetite, heartburn, and stomach pain.
Black and green cardamom spices are known for having a strong aroma. Black cardamom has a smoky and strong aroma, and it’s the dried ripe fruit from the capsules of the cardamom plant. This spice is used in Curries, Dals, Biryanis, and in Garam Masala. Green cardamom is a small seed pod containing seeds in its shell and it releases a delightful aroma.
Coriander is a spice derived from the dried fruit of cilantro. It is used both ground and whole, and it adds a fresh flavour to food. It’s used in Curries, Sambar, and Rasam, and its seeds are commonly used as a condiment in dishes. Fresh coriander leaves are typically used to garnish finished dishes, and they also aid digestion.
Our wide variety of dishes in our menu make use of these wonderful spices, which combined with other delightful condiments create stunning dishes. Getting a reservation will ensure you have a table for a wonderful meal with your loved ones. You can contact us on 0131 332 3362 to speak to our friendly team, who will happily answer any query you might have.