There is no doubt of the fact that spices are the entity that has always been the reason for the fame that the land has all over the world. The kind of flavors that the spices of India can lend to a food is absolutely incredible. It has always created stirs in the stomach and the salivary glands of the mouth of both men and women. The discovery of India by the sea route was mainly because of the spices and the riches of stones that the land has. In the ancient times the Indus Valley civilization also had trade links with most of the other civilizations and the trade of spices was one of the major acts. Here is a list of the top 10 spices without which Indian Cuisine would not have been of such excellent taste.
1. Ginger
Ginger is the stem of a plant which is one of the most used spices in the cooking of India. The spice is one of the few spices without which a dish is not complete. Mostly it is used in the form of a past and also it is used sometimes in shredded form depending on the requirement of the dish. Ginger is also famous for the Ayurvedic properties that it has!
2. Saffron
Saffron is one of the most important and costly spices of the Indian list. The spice is mostly used for the purpose of coloring and used in most of the sweet dishes of the north lending the taste that you have never eaten before. It is a basically made from the dry stigma of the flower Saffron Crocus.
3. Green Cardamom
The Cardamom is one of the best flavoring agents that the list of Indian spices includes. The green Cardamom is literally used in everything and it makes the flavor of the dish distinct and rich in aroma. The Green Cardamom is also famous for the ability it has to treat mouth infections. Green Cardamom is known as ‘Elaichi’ in India.
4. Black Cardamom
Black Cardamom is very much like the Green Cardamom except for the size that it has. Black Cardamom is also called ‘Bada Elaichi’ with the works that it does very much similar to Green Cardamom. Black Cardamom has even much stronger aroma that captivates the person. It is specifically used in Biriyani.
5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is one of the most commonly used spices in the cooking of India. The spice is derived from the bark of Cinnamon tree. The powder is specifically used in a variety of dishes especially Biriyani. Cinnamon is also known for the medicinal properties that it has.
6. Coriander Powder
The herb of Coriander is also known as Cilantro which has a complete captivation aroma that will make your nostrils stir. The spice is more commonly known as the Dhaniya Powder in India. It is one of the most important flavoring agents of the normal household dishes as well as some special recipes.
7. Turmeric
The yellow colored spice of the Indian spice list is one of the most important as you will not be able to cook in India without using Turmeric. The yellow colored powder is one of the most important spices considering the kind of medicinal and anti – septic qualities that it has. Turmeric also has an aesthetic sense around it.
8. Cumin
Cumin is one of the most important species of the Indian spices of the Indian Household. The flavoring agent has an aroma of his own that drives the dishes to just another level. According to the history, the use of Cumin has always been popular in every household since the Indus Valley Civilization.
9. Asafoetida
The spice did not generate originality in the Indian Sub – continent but it sure looks like that the spice is making this land as its own. The spice of Asafoetida is very commonly used in the south Indian dishes. The spice itself has a very pungent smell which gives it the name ‘the Devil’s Dung’.
10. Curry Leaf
The curry leaves are not specifically spices rather they are unfiltered and unprocessed spices that are used directly as leaves only. The cooking in Indian sub – continent is literally incomplete without this leaf. The green leafs leave an aroma so strong that it is captivating enough for the persons of the table.