Specialty of Spices from India
Spices are referred as the strongly flavored or the aromatic substance with vegetable origin, obtained from tropical plants. They are the dried seeds, fruits, roots, barks or vegetative substances used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as food additives for the purpose of flavoring. They provide taste to the food. They are also good for health as they supply calcium, iron, vitamin B, vitamin C, carotene and other antioxidants.
In medieval period, spices were in great demand and were as precious as gold. India being the land of spices plays a significant role in the global spice market. No country in the world produces the range of quality spices India offers with all of its states growing at least one spice in abundance.
Commonly Used Spices in Indian Cooking
• Aniseed
• Asafetida
• Basil
• Bay Leaves
• Bishop Weeds
• Cardamoms
• Cashew
• Cassia
• Cinnamon
• Celery
• Chilies
• Cloves
• Coffee
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Curry leaf
• Dill
• Fennel
• Fenugreek
• Galanga
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Kokum
• Mint leaves
• Mustard
• Nutmeg
• Parsley
• Pepper
• Poppy
• Saffron
• Tamarind
• Tea
• Turmeric
• Vanilla