GUIDESpices & Ingredients

Spices 101: A Beginner's Guide to Indian Spices

Every spice in my kitchen, grouped into 5 sets: a shopping list from the bare basics to advanced blends. Cook with fresh spices instead of curry powder.

SpicesBeginnerShopping list▶ Subscribe on YouTube

Set 1 · Chilli powder
Adds heat and colour. I make my own: dry-roast red chillies (or 5 minutes in the oven at 180°C) and grind them in a spice grinder.

Set 1 · Turmeric powder
Gives curries their natural yellow-brown colour. Raw turmeric looks like ginger but tastes nothing like it.

Set 1 · Coriander powder
Ground coriander seeds, for flavour. Dry-roast the seeds 5 minutes and grind; a coffee grinder is fine for this one.

Set 2 · Black mustard seeds
Mainly for tempering: popped in hot oil at the end for crunch. Use black, not yellow.

Set 2 · Cumin seeds
Warm and earthy; also used in tempering. Roast and grind for cumin powder.

Set 2 · Garam masala
A blend (fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg…) that gives curries their masala punch. Used in marinades, paneer curries and kormas.

With sets 1 and 2
you can already make a decent curry, and it will taste much better than curry powder.

Set 3 · Kashmiri chilli
Deep red colour, mild heat: looks spicy without being too hot.

Set 3 · Amchur
Dry mango powder: tangy and slightly fruity.

Set 3 · Kasuri methi
Dried fenugreek leaves, sprinkled over curries; slightly bitter.

Set 3 · Chaat masala
Tangy, salty blend. Try it on cut apples for a snack.

Set 3 · Black pepper & whole red chillies
Whole chillies let guests choose: milder eaters leave them out, others crush them in.

Set 4 · Fennel & ajwain
Digestive aids. Fennel is sweet and liquorice-like; ajwain is pungent, so use a little.

Set 4 · Fenugreek seeds
Bitter and nutritious; used in small amounts.

Set 4 · Tamarind & jaggery
Tamarind for sweet-sour tang; jaggery is unrefined cane sugar.

Set 4 · Asafoetida (hing)
A resin with a strong aroma. I keep powder, plus hard pieces for slow-cooked dishes.

Set 5 · Blended masalas
Rajma, chana, sambar, rasam and pav bhaji masalas, for specific dishes.

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Spices 101: A Beginner's Guide to Indian Spices

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