How to Buy & Store Spices

These tasks seem simple—for the most part. But, like draping and unraveling a saree, there’s much more to them than meets the eye. Many of the spices are easy to find in your everyday grocery store. Some, however, will necessitate a trip to an Indian or Pakistani store, which you will be able to find in any midsize city. If you are someone who enjoys shopping via the Internet, or if you don’t live near a city, there are hundreds of websites that will be happy to send you (even the next day) spices, legumes, and herbs. Here you will find a glossary of ingredients, including their more common Indian names, that will help you along as you walk down the aisles, or browse through the catalogs, of these stores.