List of Indian spices

Indian spices include a variety of spices grown across the Indian subcontinent (a
sub-region of South Asia). With different climates in different parts of the country,
India produces a variety of spices, many of which are native to the subcontinent,
while others were imported from similar climates and have since been cultivated
locally for centuries.

Spices are used in different forms: whole, chopped, ground, roasted, sauted, fried,
and as topping. They blend food to extract the nutrients and bind them in a palatable
form. Some spices are added at the end as a flavouring and are typically heated in a
pan with ghee or cooking oil before being added to a dish. Lighter spices are added Indian spices
last, and spices with strong flavour should be added first. "Curry" refers to any dish
in Indian cuisine that contains several spices blended together, whether dry or with a
gravy base. However, it also refers to Curry leaves, commonly used in South Indian cuisine.

[1]
Below is a list of spices and other flavouring substances commonly used in India.
 Standard
Image Indian English Hindi Notes
English

rt
Alkanet Root Ratin Jot
(rtn) jo

Fennel / /
Suwa / Shopa
seed[2] saunf/suvv/op

Intensely aromatic - related

Asafoetida Hing hig (hing)
to Truffle and Garlic

Red Chilli Lal Mirch ll mirch

Very earthy and darkly

Black kli
Kali Elaichi aromatic. A much used in
cardamom ilyach North Indian curries.

saphed
White Pepper Safed Mirchi
mirch

Largest producer is the

kl
Black Pepper Kali Mirchi southern Indian state of
mirch Kerala.

kl
Peppercorns Kali Mirch
mirch

Sweet, floral and smokey

cumin and anise-like flavour.
Smaller in size than regular
cumin. Often mistaken as
Caraway seed. Though
Black Cumin Shah Jeera h jr
English translation is black
cumin, the term black cumin
is also used as English
translation of Nigella sativa,
kalonji
Capers Kachra / /
 kachar/kabr/karer

imal
Capsicum Shimla Mirch
mirch

Celery /
/
Radhuni Ajmud
Seed ajmud/ajmod

chiroj a type of nut particularly

Charoli Chironji
(chironj) used in making desserts

Both Indian bay leaf and bay

leaf are similar and called as
Indian Bay
Tej Patta in Hindi. however,
Leaf, Bay Tej Patta tej patt
they are from two different
Leaf
species and have differences
in taste

Cinnamon ng
Nag Keshar
Buds kear

Grown commercially in
Kerala in southern India. Two
Cinnamon Dalchini dlachn
types, cassia (common) and
royal.

nib
Citric Acid Nimbu Phool
phl

Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,

/ lavag
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
Cloves Laung (lavang) / laug are largest producers in
(laung) India.

Coriander Dhania Powder / /

Powder Pisa Dhania
 dhaniy
puar / pis
dhaniy

Coriander Dhania / Hara

dhaniy
Seed Dhaniya

Kebab Cheeni / kabb Tastes of Clove + Persistent

Cubeb
Kabab Chini chn Mild Numbing + Bitterness

Cumin Seed
zr (jr)
ground into Jeera Goli
balls gol

Cumin Seed Jeera zr (jr) See Kali Jeera.

Curry Tree or
/ Cannot retain flavour when
Sweet Neem Karipatta
karpatt/kahpatt dried. Only use fresh.
Leaf

/
Fennel Seed Saunf / Sanchal sauph
(saunph)/sachal
(sanchal)

Fenugreek Kasoori Methi, kasr

Leaf Dried meth

Fenugreek meth
Methi Leaves
Leaf patt

Fenugreek meth
Methi Seeds
Seed dn

Seeds of Water melon, musk
Four Seeds Char Magaj tarabj kharabj melon, cucumber and
kaka pauhe ke pumpkin
bj
Garcinia Kudampuli Used in fish preparations of
gummi-gutta Kerala
 Blend of 8+ spices. Each
Garam garam
Garam Masala family has their own secret
Masala masl recipe.

Garcinia
Kokum kokam
indica

Garlic Lehsun lahasun

Ginger Adrak adarak

Dried Ginger Sonth soh (sonh) mostly powdered

Green chho Malabar variety is native to

Chhoti Elaichi
cardamom ilich Kerala.

Indian
/ Very earthy aromatic mostly
Bedellium Gugul, Guggul
gugal/guggal used in religious
Tree

Indian
Amla val
Gooseberry

/
Kala Namak / Rock salt, but with very
Black Salt kl namak /
Sanchal sulfury smell.
sachal (sanchal)

Kalpasi Pathar Ka Phool patthar Also known as black stone

 ke phl flower

Licorice
Jethimadh jehmadh
Powder

Long Pepper Pippali pippali

Mango
Kamiki kmik
Extract
Sour Dried
Aamchur/Amchoor /
Mango
Powder machr/amachur
Powder

Mint Pudina 'pudn

Mustard Seed Sarson saraso

Brown
Rai r
mustard Seed

kaloj
Nigella Seed Kalonji
(kalomj)

/ Whole nuts last forever.

Nutmeg Jaiphal
jaiphal/jyaphal Powder, only a month.

Mace is outer covering to

Mace Javitri jvitr
nutmeg nut. Similar aroma.

Holy Basil Tulsi tulas

 This is a Bengali spice mix
that combines fennel seeds,
Panch pach
Panch Phoron cumin seeds, fenugreek
Phoron phoran seeds, mustard seeds and
nigella seeds.

Pomegranate Dried not fresh. Is ground in

Anardana
Seed anrdn Middle East.

very popular in West Bengal

known Posto, with no of
Poppy Seed Khus Khus - khas-khas
Bengali cuisine, most
popular Allu Posto

Fresh Hemp
Bhaang Bhang
Cannabis

Actually, safflower
Saffron Pulp Kesar mari mari
kesar mir mir concentrate

/ World's most expensive

Saffron Kesar, mayur
kesar/jpharn spice. Flavouring for rice.

Salt Namak namak

Sesame
Til til
Seed

/
Exotic, Chinese-influenced
Star Anise Chakra Phool chakra phl/badal flavours
phul

Provides tartness in South

Tamarind Imli imal
Indian curries
 Carom/thymol Ajwain azvin
seed

Source of "yellow color" in

Turmeric Haldi hald
many curries.

Fresh basil Thai Basil tulas

Fresh har Fresh green leaves. AKA

Hara Dhaniya
Coriander dhaniy Cilantro.

Green Chili
Hari Mirch har mirch
Pepper

Gum kar A thickener and coating for

Katira Goond
Tragacanth god (gond) desserts

Inknut
Harad / Harr /
Terminalia harad
Haritaki
chebula

Dried Red
Lal Mirchi ll mirch
Chili Pepper

See also
Spice trade
Masala dabba, traditional spice box

References
1. About Indian spices, "[1] (http://www.indianspices.com/)", Indian spices
2. dictionary.reference.com: anise (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/anise)

External links
"Glossary Pakistani & Indian Spices (Masala)"
. Direct Advert Media LLC. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
 "Glossary of Food Ingredients". Cymran LLC. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
"Glossary of Spices & Condiments - Indian Names" . Syvum Technologies Inc. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
Gantzer, Hugh; Gantzer, Colleen (2014). SpiceStory. Spices Board of India.ISBN 9789383098385.
Raghavan, Susheela (2006).Handbook of Spices, Seasonings, and Flavorings(2nd ed.). Hoboken: CRC Press.
ISBN 9781420004366.

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