A beginner's guide to Indian herbs and spices

Do you know your Rogan Josh from your korma? What’s the difference a pasanda and a jalfrezi? Everyone knows that a wide range of Indian herbs and spices are essential to Indian cuisine, but knowing the specifics of which ones make which dishes takes a little bit of learning. Here is our beginner’s guide to using Indian herbs and spices to maximum effect.

The basics

Before you learn which Indian herbs and spices to use, it’s essential that you grasp how to use them. The tastiest dishes don’t need loads of spices – sometimes simplicity is best – and ‘less is more’ is a good rule of thumb, as putting too much in can easily ruin a meal. Indian cooking doesn’t always require a lot of heat; it very much depends on what you like, and what the people you’re cooking for enjoy. You can achieve fragrant and flavourful tones that are mild in flavour and not overpowered by too much chilli.

Choose the best quality ingredients

Using good quality ingredients will always enhance the taste of your food so don’t immediately go for the cheapest option. Whilst supermarket spices are convenient, it’s worth bearing in mind how long they might have been sitting on the shelf, as stale spices do not taste good. You should also consider how your spices have been manufactured, as ground spices are often cut with other substances, such as salt, rice or flour, which can drastically affect their flavour. If you can grind your own spices it’s a great idea to purchase them whole as this will retain the maximum flavour.

The essentials

If you’re just embarking on your journey in Indian cooking, you don’t need to immediately spend a fortune on hundreds of different spices; here are a few basics that will get you started.

• Cumin. One of the best known Indian spices, cumin has a sweet and slightly bitter taste, and is full of earthy flavour that adds lots of depth to your cooking. Cumin seeds have a softer flavour than the powder, which adds a touch more intensity to each dish.

• Coriander. Coriander is a floral spice, with sweet and light tones that turn nuttier when the seeds are ground. It is one of the most frequently used of the Indian herbs and spices and a bestseller in the UK, due to its versatility. Try making salmon with a lime, coriander and chilli crust – we guarantee it will be a crowd pleaser.

• Turmeric. Turmeric is an essential building block in many Indian dishes and is one of the main ingredients in any ‘pre-mixed’ curry mix. It pairs very well with many other spices and will give your food a vibrant yellow colour. Try it on chicken or use it to create a beautiful, spicy dhal.

• Green cardamom seeds. Cardamom is a very fragrant, aromatic and strong spice, which gives any dish a zesty lift. It goes brilliantly with meat and poultry dishes, but be careful with it, as a little goes a long way.

• Kashmiri chilli powder. This gorgeous red powder has a mild heat that adds a gentle amount of heat to your cooking. It has a wonderfully distinctive flavour and is an essential ingredient in dishes such as tandoori chicken and Rogan Josh curry.

We are proud to sell Indian herbs and spices of the highest quality: why not buy the ingredients linked below and put your new spice knowledge to the test by trying our easy pomegranate shrikhand?

Easy Pomegranate Shrikhand

These ruby red jewels are packed with vitamin C and are thought to contain antibacterial properties. Rich in antioxidants, the juice of this middle eastern fruit has been proven in some studies to combat heart disease and blood pressure. Pomegranate has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, to remedy diarrhoea and dysentery.

Ingredients - click the ingredient to find it in our shop

100g of pomegranate seeds (about one medium-sized pomegranate)

500g of fat-free Greek Yogurt

Caster sugar (to taste)

1/4 tsp of cardamom powder

Small pinch of saffron

2 tsp of rose water

12-15 roughly chopped pistachios

Method

1) In a mixing bowl, smooth together the quark cheese and caster sugar. Include enough sugar to your taste for a dessert.

2) Combine the quark cheese and sugar mixture with the cardamom powder, rose water and chopped pistachios.

3) Squash the strands of saffron into the side of the bowl, then beat them in. The light orange colour will infuse into the shrikhand.

4) Mix in half of the pomegranate seeds, leaving the other half for decoration and then serve.