Whole Spices Used in Indian Cooking -1. Black Peppercorns (Sabut Kali Mirch) - Black peppercorns are great as they help the turmeric & other herbs, nutrients digest better since black pepper helps them transport to the body more effectively.
Black Pepper in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; helps Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Pungent, Helps Digestion, Improves Circulation - Excellent for Heart Conditions 2. Cinnamon Sticks (Sabut Dal-Chini) - Added in rice recipes, warm sweet drinks, as well as curries. Just like any other whole spices, they are added at the beginning to infuse the oil and later taken out. The most beneficial is Ceylon cinnamon and that is the one best for blood sugar. Cinnamon in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access, helps Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Pungent, Sweet, Warming, Stimulating 3. Cloves (Laung or Long) - Added in rice recipes like biryani and pulao. They are also added in vegetable curries. Cloves are powerful anti-parasitic spice, and during winter, they also help give warmth to the body. They are analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and add an immense depth of flavor to the recipes. Cloves in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; helps Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Pungent, Stimulates Digestive Fire, Analgesic, Astringent 4. Dry Red Chilies (Sabut lal mirch)- These are perfect for spice lovers! Dry red chilies are a powerful anti-cancer spice - add them to your recipes even if you only add one! They are added at the beginning of the cooking process to infuse the oil with their flavor and can be taken out later. Easy to find - the smaller the dry red chili, the spicier it is going to be. Dry Red Chilies in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; helps Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Digestive, Circulation, Increases Metabolism, Helps Blood Clots 5. Green (Hari Elaichi) & Black Cardamom (Kali Elaichi) - These are added in the beginning to infuse the oil with flavor and get their health benefits. You can leave them in the dish and just take it out later to let the flavor mix in even more. Cardamom is considered the "Queen of Spices" in Ayurveda. Cardamom in Ayurveda - Cooling (though many site it as 'warming') Doshas - Tridoshic (balances all doshas). Qualities - An Excellent Digestive, Aromatic, Balancing, Diuretic 6. Mace (Javitri) - Same as nutmeg, it is added at the beginning. Nutmeg and mace are from the same plant. Once the nutmeg fruits matures and opens, red colored mace is what comes out and nutmeg (the nut). Mace can be used in rice pilafs, curries and creamy recipes to enhance the dish. Mace is also used in sweet recipes like Indian sweets, pudding, turmeric milk and teas. Mace adds a beautiful light orange hue to the recipes. Both mace and nutmeg are also an important part of garam masala spice blend. Mace in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; helps Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Pungent, Digestive, Sweet & Spicy, Astringent, Heart Healthy, Improves Skin 7. Nutmeg (Jaiphal) - Nutmeg is great with spinach recipes and in Indian cooking, it is added at the beginning of cooking process when oil is added and once it is warm, the whole spices like cardamom, nutmeg, etc. are added to flavor. You can also grind fresh nutmeg in recipes. Nutmeg in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access, helps Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Sweet, Aromatic, Digestive, Calming, Astringent 8. Star Anise (Chakr phool) - Star Anise is a important spice in the famous Indian garam masala blend. It is great for Indian rice recipes like biryani, pulao, and also is great in soups, stews, curries, and so on. It is both sweet and peppery, but still, it goes great in savory dishes. Star Anise in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; helps Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Digestive, Circulation, Diuretic, Carminative |
Seeds Used in Indian Cooking & Drinks & Deserts1. Basil Seeds (Sabja Seeds) - Used in drinks and desserts like the famous falooda recipe. Can be soaked and taken in drinks and sweet recipes. Very respected in Ayurveda for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Basil Seeds in Ayurveda - Cooling Doshas - Can aggravate Kappa when in access; pacifies Pitta and Vata. Qualities - Digestive, Diuretic, Helps Diabetics, Boosts Immunity, Helps Weight Loss 2. Black Cumin Seeds (Kalongi - Nigella Sativa) - THIS is the seed of blessing - 'the blessed seed.' For cancer patients, it is a 'must!' One of the most powerful anti-cancer seeds on this planet! Plz. read my full article Black Seeds for Cancer & Inflammation. Black Cumin Seeds in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; pacifies Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Enhances Apoptosis, Vasodilator, Digestive, Diuretic, Immunity Enhancer, Etc. 3. Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - Great digestives and flavor enhancer. Used in tempering as well as fried recipes like the famous Indian pakoras and samosas - this is because they help digestion when dealing with heavy, fried foods, and this is the reason why carom seeds are so revered in Ayurveda. They are also added to curries and lentils. Read Carom Seeds Tea Benefits. Carom Seeds in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; pacifies Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Excellent Digestive, Bitter, Pungent, Cleansing, Analgesic, Enhances Metabolism 4. Caraway Seeds (Shahi Jeera) - These are also called as black cumin (not to be confused with Nigella sativa - kalongi), and look a lot like cumin seeds, but are slightly more darker, more bitter and longer than cumin seeds. In Indian cuisine, they are specifically desired for rice recipes like biryani, pulao, etc. because of the flavor they impart to such dishes. You can also use them in curries, and also, in making your own tea masala mix. They are also used in Persian dishes. Just like cumin seeds, they are added in the beginning of the cooking process, however, their flavor and aroma is much lighter than cumin seeds. Caraway Seeds in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Pacifies Vata & Kappa; may aggravate Pitta if in excess Qualities - Digestive, Bitter, Antiarthritic, Detoxifying, Vasodilator, Galactagogue, Expectorant 5. Coriander Seeds (Dhaniya Seeds) - Another one that are great digestives! They belong to the parsley family. They are also used in falafel recipe and are great as tea for health benefits. They are also used in curries, stews, rice pulao, and to flavor lentils and beans. Mix them with fennel and you have a wonderful tea for yourself! Coriander Seeds in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Pacifies Pitta & Kappa Qualities - Digestive, Detoxifying, Diuretic, Expectorant, Carminative 6. Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - Cumin seeds are used in tempering - what is called as tadka in Indian cuisine. Cumin seeds are added first to warm oil when cooking a recipe. They are very versatile and are used in everything - from spice blends, to tea masala blends, to curries, pulao, vegetables, etc. But the use of cumin seeds goes much beyond Indian recipes - they are used in various cuisines and since they are a great digestive, it is best to get a large size of organic cumin seeds. Cumin Seeds in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; pacifies Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Excellent Digestive, Bitter - Purifies Blood, Stimulating, Enhances Metabolism & Circulation 7. Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Dana) - Used especially in chutneys and in fermenting batter overnight. Love them! They are bitter, so less is more in recipes. In India, fenugreek seeds are soaked overnight, and taken as tea in the morning - this helps for blood sugar, and healthy hair, as well as hormonal balance for both men and women. Fenugreek Seeds in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; pacifies Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Excellent Digestive, Very Bitter, Excellent for Diabetics, Galactagogue, Detoxifying, Emmenagogue 8. Fennel (Sauf) - Always served in Indian homes and restaurants after dinner and this is because fennel is a great digestive. It helps prevent gas, bloating and indigestion. Fennel is also used in curry recipes as well as in chutneys and to flavor teas. Fennel Seeds in Ayurveda - Cooling Doshas - Tridoshic (balances all doshas) Qualities - Excellent Digestive, Sweet, Galactagogue, Natural Breath Freshener 9. Mustard Seeds (Sarson ke beej) - Used in tadka as well as in chutneys, curries and rice recipes. I use them a lot for all kind of dishes from rice pilafs to lentils to curries and chutneys. Mustard Seeds in Ayurveda - Warming Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; pacifies Kappa and Vata. Qualities - Digestive, Cleansing, Helps Circulation, Bitter & Sharp, Aromatic, Pungent, Removes Stagnation 10. Panch Phoron (The 5-Seed Blend) - Panch (meaning 'five' in Hindi) phoron is a Bengali (from the state of Bengal in east India) 5-seed blend that includes fenugreek, black cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fennel, and cumin seeds, in equal quantities. 11. Poppy Seeds (khus-khus or khas-khas in Hindi or posto in Bengali) - These are also called as Indian Poppy Seeds or White Poppy Seeds in English. And the health benefits? They are considered as one of the most nutritional seeds in India, and are highly revered in Ayurveda. Poppy seeds are used in chutneys (posto chutney), in curries to thicken the gravy, and in vegetable recipes. Poppy Seeds in Ayurveda - Cooling Doshas - Pacifies Pitta & Vata; can aggravate Kappa Qualities - Great for Bone Health & Fertility, Hair, Skin, Helps Sleep & Relaxation. |