Spices

Ginger is a ubiquitous ingredient in Indian cooking. Having this paste on hand is a great convenience and a good way to store ginger for the long term. You can make this paste and freeze it in advance, and simply drop pieces into your recipe as needed. This ginger paste is a good substitute for […]

Ginger-chili paste is another basic skill for becoming an expert in Indian cooking. It is used all across India, especially in South Indian cooking, but all over the subcontinent. Not everyone uses it, but in my Gujarati household, since ginger and chili is such a frequent flavor combination, it was something we always had on […]

Green Chili Paste is a puree of green chilis used as an ingredient in many dishes, from papdi no lot to dhokla and handvo. It is a convenience, saving you from having to chop or blend chilies every time you want to cook some Indian food. I use it frequently to add to foods like […]

Adding a pinch of saffron can elevate almost any dish. For many dishes, it imparts that signature saffron color that creates a feeling of warmth and richness. The taste of saffron is complex, with floral, sweet, and earthy notes.  It has been used in Indian cooking for hundreds of years and is an integral part […]

Making ginger-garlic paste is foundational in Indian cooking. The combination of fresh ginger and garlic is used so often that this paste can be a time and cost saver, simply by making a large batch and keeping it in the freezer to use as needed. Ginger garlic paste is called “adu lasan” in Gujarati and […]

Dhana jeera, called “dhana jiru” in my house, is a fragrant and toasty spice mix of cumin-coriander powder used in Gujarati cuisine. Cumin gives it an earthy, toasty flavor, and coriander balances that with a citrusy, floral fragrance. Gujaratis often make dhana jiru in large batches for use in our cooking over several months. This […]

What is Turmeric Turmeric is a seasoning spice that comes from a rhizome (think ginger). Turmeric has a subtle flavor that many foods don’t taste right without. With its strong yellow coloring, turmeric also gives many Indian foods “the right look” — many Indian foods are colored with turmeric and simply don’t look right without […]

Chai is one of those drinks that evokes strong memories of childhood for me. There is nothing quite like a cup of chai to help lift my spirits. The secret to a great cup of chai is the masala, the spice mixture. Chai masala is an essential Indian spice blend. You can buy chai masala […]

When I was a kid I was always confused by the word “curry” because my non-Indian friends used it in a way that didn’t make any sense to me. They called everything from a dry potato saute with spices, to soupy lentils, to chicken in a cream sauce “curry.” Indians usually only use the word […]

I love cumin! It is my favorite savory spice and probably the most used spice in Indian cuisine. I love it in tomato soup, on roasted vegetables and of course in my curries. Last week, the Splendid Table podcast featured Sally Schneider who made an herb salt with garlic and rosemary. Schneider talked about how salt is a […]