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 Spices are an integral part of Indian cooking and its flavour as Tandoori finds out.
Indian food and spices work like the perfect marriage. For centuries spices have been used in Indian cooking in one form or another, giving it flavour, complexity, distinction and its own unique character.
Spices not only compliment the main ingredient, they enhance its taste, make it more exciting and lend it richness. In fact, while spices are utilised the world over in all kinds of cuisines to varying degrees, it’s near impossible to imagine Indian food without them. They help define cooking from the subcontinent, whether from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh. Spices have no borders, so wherever they originate from and wherever they are being used, the palate-tingling taste they give to food is nothing short of adventurous.
They derive from root, bark, fruit, flower and seed, yet whatever their form, whether fresh, whole or in ground, powdered form, spices can give fragrance and an aroma to a dish which heightens its anticipation.
Warm and earthy spices include turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg and saffron. Sweet spices include cinnamon and vanilla, nutty ones sesame and nigella, and fruity and acidic ones amchoor and tamarind. Bitter spices include fenugreek and lovage, whilst pungent ones feature clove, asafoetida, ginger and chilli.
How one prepares spices can vary anywhere from grinding, crushing, slicing, dry roasting and frying. How one uses can often be the deciding factor on the ultimate flavour of a dish. So whether spices are added at the beginning of the cooking process, at the end, mixed with other spices, sprinkled over or even used for tempering, can all have a bearing.
Their health benefits are many with several boasting mineral salts and vitamins. Spices have even had an enormous impact on the economies of countries and continents from across the world via the spice trade.
“You can not differentiate Indian food from spices,” notes Oberoi trained Navin Bhatia, executive chef of the soon to re-open Dockmasters House in London’s Docklands. “One could go so far as saying that they are the spice of life in Indian cooking.
The concept of using spices in the Indian kitchen is of course a very ancient one, but it’s one which has also gradually changed over the years as different spices have travelled to India from different countries. Chilli for instance, was never part of the Indian tradition and the only spice that existed to give hotness was pepper (kali mirch). The chilli as we know today is from South America though now it’s firmly part and parcel of Indian food culture. Even the salt used to be in the form of rock salt.”
Mohit Khariwal, manager of the famed Imli restaurant in London’s West End, where all its spice mixes such as garam masala, and the mixes for papri chaat and dhai vada are made in-house, concurs and adds that the variety of spices which Indian cuisine uses is amazing.
“It takes great skill and experience to be able to instinctively judge how much spice to add to a dish and how much and in what way it will flavour it. It’s practically a science though one gets used to it eventually,” he adds.
Bhatia is at pains to point out that over the centuries, as cooking has evolved through the cooks and personal chefs of the upper echelons and rich families of regional India such as Hyderabad and Rajasthan. Their kitchens not only utilised existing spices, but put together spice mixes and diversified, which in turn meant that new flavours and aromas were introduced that permeated through the Indian subcontinental food culture.
“Interestingly though,” adds, Bhatia, “what these chefs also kept in mind were the medicinal properties of the spices, which to this day are prescribed in Ayurveda and other therapies and health treatments. They would know for example, that saffron not only imparts colour and flavour, but that it also improves the circulation of blood. They know that spices can also give off a hot and cold reaction.
Nutmeg for instance is warm and goes well with lamb. Mace is cooler and works better with chicken as does cardamom. But then black cardamom is warmer and works better with lamb. Asafoetida has a cooling effect and is better suited to dal and vegetable dishes. So all in all, there was in-depth thinking behind the use of spices.”
There are a handful of spices which due to the flavour they impart have become the cornerstone of Indian cooking. These include coriander, garlic, ginger and chilli. To some extent cumin and turmeric can also be included though they have to be used in the right quantity otherwise the flavour of the dish will be marred. There can also be an addictive quality to spices, with chillies in particular having such an effect.
“Anyone who has got used to eating spicy food,” says Khariwal, “will find food without spice somewhat bland. Having said that, any spice, which is used too liberally, can easily ruin the flavour of a dish. Spicing, specially in restaurant cooking, needs to be subtle and exact, unless of course if a customer requests that their dish be made spicy.
What is particularly pleasurable is that while our English clientele have become very much used to our menu’s spice levels, it’s the tourists who come from countries in northern Europe and Scandinavia, who are absolutely taken aback by the spicing they are tasting. They thoroughly enjoy it and are always very inquisitive in terms of what spices we are using in the dishes they have ordered.”
Krishnipal Negi, head chef of Swagat restaurant in Richmond states that while Indian cooking has had set ways and traditions of using certain spices, no chef should be bound by them.
“Modern Indian chefs and those of the younger generation,” he says, “should be allowed to bring their own spin and perspective on the type of spices they want to use so that flavours are modified. Even if that means using spices that are perhaps better known in the west than they are in the Indian subcontinent because they are also using ingredients from the UK which aren’t always considered traditionally Indian. Spices are a tool for a chef and how and which ones you use are only limited by one’s imagination.”
An A to Z of Spices:
Amchoor
Pale yellow in colour, the raw green mango powder is used in dishes to add a touch of tartness. It’s also good in marinades.
Asafoetida
Oh hing, this plant resin should only be used in small quantities due to its aromatic and robust flavour. Good for the digestive system, it is often used in dal dishes.
Bay Leaf
Or tej patta, this is good for use in biryanis and korma-style dishes, giving a fine aromatic taste. Leaves should be stored in an air-tight container.
Caraway
Similar to cumin in appearance though paler in colour, this is a seed which isn’t used so much in curries than it is in rice dishes.
Cardamom
Or elaichi, this comes in three varieties – the small white and green pods and the large black hued variety. Cardamom is renowned for its aromatic flavour with the former variety used in both savoury and sweet dishes, while the black cardamom, with its husky casing, is used in garam masala and pulao dishes.
Cayenne Pepper
Although not used widely in Indian cooking, this is fine ground pepper made from a fiery chilli that ought to be used sparingly.
Chilli
While fresh chilli can come in a variety of colours, ground red chilli is always red and made from the dried fruit of the capsicum plant. It’s a spice, which is used in practically all Indian dishes with the amount varying accordingly to the desired hotness.
Cinnamon
Or dalchini, this is a sweet and warm spice, which can be used in both ground form and in its tightly rolled quill form. It is a highly versatile and aromatic spice, being suited to savoury and sweet dishes.
Clove
Or laung, used both whole or in ground form, this is one of the best known spices with a strong pungent flavour, it can add a wonderful aroma to rice dishes.
Coriander
Or dhania, this is one of the basic spices of Indian cooking. It can be used whole in seed form or ground and offers a good strong though earthy taste.
Cumin
Or jeera or zeera, which like several other spices used in Indian cooking, can be used whole or in ground form. It has an aromatic taste, which works well in curries, dal and rice, as well as in marinades.
Fennel
Or saunf, with a taste similar to aniseed, the seed has a highly aromatic flavour. Amongst its various uses, it works well as a digestive after a meal.
Fenugreek
Or tej methi, this can be used in both seed form, with its mustard yellow colour and spinach-like leaves, which can be used dry or in fresh form. With a strong aroma, fenugreek can be used in vegetarian or meat curries.
Five Spice
Or panch phoran, this is a combination of five aromatic spices including nigella and fennel seed.
Garam Masala
A ground spice mix, which can be bought or made at home with toasted spices including cloves, black peppercorns, cumin, cinnamon and cardamom.
Garlic
Or lasan, said to help prevent heart disease, garlic is one of those essentials you can’t do without in Indian cooking. It can be used fresh or in ground form.
Ginger
Or adrak, yet another staple of Indian cooking, used fresh or in ground form.
Lovage
Or ajwain, is closely related to caraway and cumin. Intensely flavoured, the seed works well in pickles, dal, snacks and fish dishes.
Mace and Nutmeg
Or javitri and jaifal, it’s hard to separate the two, with both being used in lightly flavoured dishes and desserts.
Mustard Seed
Or rai, this has a deliciously nutty flavour that works particularly well in dal and rice dishes.
Onion Seed
Or kalonji or nigella, this tiny black seed can be an aromatic addition to vegetable curries, breads and pickles.
Peppercorn
Or kali mirch, which is the black peppercorn and one of the basic spices of garam masala.
Poppy Seed
Used to flavour curries, the seed is much more flavoursome when toasted.
Saffron
Or zafran or kesar, this fragrant and colourful spice is often referred to as the ‘king of spices’ because it happens to be the most expensive. Best used in small quantities, it’s mainly utilised in rice and desserts.
Sesame Seed
Or til, not commonly used in Indian coking, it can still be added to subtly flavoured curries and breads.
Star Anise
Or anasphal, while not a spice for everyday Indian cooking, it works well in rice and sweet dishes.
Turmeric
Or haldi, which is related to ginger. It gives a bright yellow colour so should be used in moderation, mainly in dal and vegetable dishes.
Tamarind
Whether used as a paste or pureed from a block, tamarind is widely used as a spice, which adds a sourness to a number of dishes, as well as in marinades, chutneys and pickles.
Vanilla
Not widely associated with Indian cooking, but modern Indian chefs do make good use of it, whether whole or split pods, in desserts.
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