Must Have Spices For An Indian Kitchen

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An Indian kitchen typically reeks of spices. Indian food is considered to be 'spicy' or filled with spices, on a worldwide basis. If you are a new homemaker who is just setting up your kitchen, then you probably wouldn't have a clue as to what spices to store in your supplies. There are hundreds of different Indian spices that are used for cooking a proper Indian meal. However, there are some important spices that you simply cannot survive without.

Here is a list of the spices that every Indian kitchen must have and also instructions on how to store them.

Cumin: This spice is one of the most often used spices in Indian cuisine. You can use it in both powdered form or as seeds. Store both in air tight containers to preserve the flavour and fragrance.

Pepper: Peppercorns and powdered pepper are essential spices that are required in almost all kind of cuisine. If you are a smart homemaker then store the pepper corns in a crusher cum sprinkler. You can use freshly ground pepper when needed and use the pepper corns elsewhere.

Red Chillies: Most of the gravies in Indian cuisine are red and hardly any cooking happens without red chillies. This Indian spice comes in two forms, the dried red chillies that are used for seasoning and the red chilli powder that gives the Indian curries their characteristic red colour.

Coriander: Coriander is a spice that comes in 2 forms. You need to store the coriander leaves in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. The coriander seeds and powder have to be stored in air tight jars.

Mustard: Mustard is another spice that is used in various ways in the Indian cuisine. Mustard seeds are used for seasoning. Mustard powder and paste are used to make gravies thick. A smart homemaker would store mustard seeds instead of powder because they can be easily used to make a paste at any time.

Fenugreek (Methi): This is a spice that is not always used in great quantity but you still need it for seasoning or garnishing a multitude of dishes. Store dried fenugreek leaves away from heat as they lose their flavour easily.

Carom Seeds (Kalounji): This spice is required in small amounts but essential in every Indian kitchen. You need it mainly for seasoning to stock small amounts of this spice in your kitchen.

Garam Masala: No Indian dish is really complete with a dash of this magic spice. This spice is actually a combination of 5 other Indian spices namely, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and star anise. You can either keep a powdered mix of garam masala or store the 5 spices separately. The second option makes more sense because it allows you to use the ingredients of the garam masala separately as well.

Do you know any other spice that is a must have for an Indian kitchen?