How many Indian spices do you need? The answer depends on how you cook, what recipes you follow, and who you listen to. Traditional Indian spice boxes (masala dabba) usually have room for seven spices, but of course, some families keep more than one box. A quick google search for Indian spices turns up between six and 23 must-have spice recommendations!
To start your adventure, we recommend perusing a few recipes and making a list of the common spices to help you decide what to keep on hand. You probably already have some of them in your spice cabinet. You can add from there as needed for a specific recipe or in some cases substitute with a different ingredient. Note that many recipes call for good quality whole seeds, dry toasted in a skillet, and ground yourself, which will provide the most intense flavors and aromatics. Just a few spices can create a whole variety of flavors or masalas (mixtures).
The spices below are those we use to make our own signature curry blends, as well as some hard-to-find ingredients. Our curries and masalas are pre-mixed blends. Enjoy!
Showing 1–12 of 16 results
Bird’s Eye Chile Pepper
$7.00 – $9.45Small red Chile that packs a punch! Ranges from 100,000 to 225,000 on the Scoville scale. Use in soups, salads, stir fries, and curries.
Cardamom Pod, Green
$24.00Though India produces more Cardamom than Guatemala, it consumes most that it produces, making Guatemala the world’s largest supplier. The Cardamom Pod is typically transported in small batches from the mountainous regions in which it grows.
While cardamom seeds hold the flavor, once the pod is opened, that flavor begins to dissipate. For full cardamom flavor, use the whole pod (or a slightly crushed pod), in dishes like soups or stews.
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Cardamom Seed
$24.00Part of the ginger family, Cardamom means grains of paradise. Historically, Cardamom has been used to flavor foods, as an ingredient in perfumes, and even for medicinal purposes.
Known for its sweet and spicy taste, Cardamom seed is used equally in sweet dishes such as breads and cakes and in savory dishes such as meats and curries. Use in baked goods, sprinkle on oatmeal, ice cream, or iced melon, and add to curry. Cardamom has a sharp aroma and distinctive flavor that can be compared to anise or eucalyptus. For a Middle Eastern treat, sprinkle in your coffee.
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Cloves
$10.00 – $10.50Despite attempts at clove monopolies, by the 18th century cloves were grown in many places including Brazil, Tanzania, and Madagascar. The whole Clove looks much like a nail, hence its French namesake, “clou” (nail).
Use in pastries, puddings, cooked fruits, and cakes, or sprinkle on oatmeal for a treat. Also yummy in stews and vegetables. Pairs well with nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger.
Cumin
$9.00Native to the Mediterranean and South Asia, Cumin is also a signature flavor for Central American and European cuisines. As a symbol of love and fidelity during the Middle Ages, wedding guests carried Cumin in their pockets, and wives of soldiers added it to baked bread for their husbands. Our Cumin is hand harvested, and has a high percentage of essential oils, delivering more powerful aromatics, and a slightly astringent, citrusy quality.
Curry Leaf
$7.50 – $20.25The curry tree (Murraya koenigii) is native to India and Sri Lanka. The leaf of this tree, commonly known as Curry Leaf, also translated as “sweet neem leaf,” is a key ingredient to curry dishes.
Add to curries or to flavor Southeast Asian rice, vegetable, and meat dishes. [Curry Leaf]
de Arbol Chile Pepper
$8.50 – $22.95Popular in wreaths and other decorations because they retain a bright red color after drying, the Chile De Arbol (“tree-like” in Spanish) is named for its long, woody stem. Be sure to wash your hands after handling, since this Chile carries a strong punch.
Use in Salsa and other Southwest and Central American dishes. De Arbol Chiles are a good substitute for Cayenne, bringing a slightly smoky, crisp Chile flavor.
Fenugreek
$7.50 – $20.25Fenugreek was one of the ingredients used in early Egypt incense that emitted the holy smoke for embalming and purification ceremonies. It is now most commonly used in Thai and Indian cuisines.
Add to curries and chutneys. Use sparingly as over using can cause bitterness in food.
La Kama
$10.25 – $27.70La Kama meaning “the bed” in Darija is the most common spice blend used in Moroccan cooking. Credited by some as originating in Tangiers, its aromatic sweet and warming flavor can be found in a multitude of dishes throughout the Barbary Coast and Middle East.
Use as a dry rub; in marinades, curries, and soups; or with lentils, couscous, rice or other grains.
Hand blended in small batches with: turmeric, ginger, white pepper, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice.
Madras Curry
$10.25Originally from Chennai, India this spicy sweet curry was intended for vegetarian dishes, but also complements proteins. “Madras” is the 17th century name of Chennai, adopted by British cooks to name this popular curry powder. Cook with vegetables, coconut milk or yogurt to make a traditional curry sauce.
Hand blended in small batches with: coriander, pepper, cumin, mustard, turmeric, cardamom, Chiles, curry leaves, and cloves.
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Mustard, Black
$8.00 – $19.60Black Mustard, though very similar to Brown Mustard, comes from a different plant — the Brassica Nigra. The seeds are very flavorful, but have almost no aroma. Black Mustard is thought to be the seed of which Jesus spoke.
Mustard, Brown
$8.00With its strong flavor, this dark yellow colored, Brown Mustard is used to make the popular Dijon Mustard. Use for pickling and add to sauces and salsa.
Smaller with more heat than Yellow Mustard Seeds, Brown Mustard Seeds are found in Asian and African dishes. Add a deep nutty flavor to vegetarian dishes, by first frying whole Brown Mustard Seeds in oil until a popping sound is heard.
