The 4 essential spices that rule any Indian kitchen

North, South, East or West. No matter which part of India one traverses, no matter the culture, tradition, recipes – one will always find the 4 most essential spices that’s imperative to cooking. 

It could be as simple as dal or as exquisite as Hyderabadi biryani. chilli, cumin, coriander and turmeric are integral to making any dish. 

So, let’s delve a little deeper and know a little more about them. 

Chilli (Capsicum Annuum) 

Thanks to the Portuguese who brought chilli peppers to Goa from the Americans in the early 16th century, chili (mirch in Hindi) is now is such an integral part of Indian cooking.  Like mentioned before, it’s present in every region and dish. 

If you’re in the market next time to refill your spice cabinet with the best chilli powder, look for the following characteristics – spice level, aroma and flavour. 

Cultivation & varieties 

Today, India is biggest producer, consumer and exporter of dried chilli in the world. There are different varieties that are grown across the nation. Here are some of them and their origin: 

• Kashmiri chilli – Kashmir 
• Bhut jolokia/ Ghost pepper – Assam 
• Guntur – Andhra Pradesh 

Cumin (Cuminum Cyminum) 

Belonging to the Umbelliferae family, cumin (jeera or zeera in Hindi) is a plant whose seeds have been used for over 4000 years. Evidences prove that cumin was also used in ancient Syria and Egypt. 

It has a strong earthy aroma and has a savoury yet slightly bitter taste - a few things that renowned chefs and culinary aficionados look for when they buy jeera powder. It is also known to be one of the basic spices in Middle Eastern and Mexican cuisines. 

Cultivation & varieties 

Cumin plants are grown in semi-dry lands of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Since it’s native to the arid regions of the Mediterranean basin, they grow well on sandy soils. 

Kala zeera or black cumin is a variety that grows in Kashmir’s wild areas. It has a floral flavour and gentle aroma. Another variety of black cumin that hails from Gurez valley, and grows at an altitude of more than 2500m, is known to be a very sought-after spice by some of the best chefs of India. 

Coriander (Coriandrum Sativum) 

Coriander (dhania in Hindi) is one of the oldest used spices. The seeds of this plant were found in Egypt, in the tomb of Tutankhamen. One of its early mentions in Indian history dates back to the 4th century BC in the Ashtadhyayi, the first Sanskrit grammar treatise, written by Pāṇini, an ancient Indian Sanskrit philologist and grammarian. 

The best coriander powder as offered by KBM Gaay Chaap has a warm, lemon-like aroma that has a mild taste. It is also a primary spice that goes well with many spice blends like rajma masala, garam masala and more. 

Cultivation & varieties 

The majority of Indian coriander is produced in Rajasthan under dry weather conditions. There are many coriander plant cultivators in the world. However, they’re broadly categorized in three varieties: Moroccan, Indian and European. 

Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) 

Turmeric (haldi in Hindi) is native to South India, where the tropical wet and hot climate is ideal for its growth. 

Though many of us buy turmeric powder to enhance the colour and flavour of majority of our cuisines, it also possesses great medicinal and antiseptic properties. That’s why there are many mentions of it in Ayurveda. The active component that gives turmeric its properties is curcumin and it also gives its color, so the darker the yellow, the higher the curcumin level. 

The earthy, pungent, slightly bitter taste of turmeric defines Indian cooking in a way that no other spice does, and only in India turmeric has a vital role 

Cultivation & varieties 

India is mostly familiar with two varieties of turmeric and they take the names of the regions where they’re cultivated – Alleppey, Kerala and Madras, Tamil Nadu. While Alleppey has a higher count of curcumin (up to 6.5%), a bolder yellow colour and stronger taste, the latter is lighter, sweeter and has only 3% curcumin. 

Here you go, now you know the four gems of your spice cabinet a little better. Thanks to KBM Gaay Chaap, considered the best spice exporter in India, we get to prepare aromatic and flavourful dishes with such fine quality spices that stay true to their origins.