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Ingredients for Indian Cookery

Appears in
top 1000Mrs. Balbir Singh's Indian Cookery
Mrs. Balbir Singh's Indian Cookery

By Mrs Balbir Singh

Published 1961

  • About
Ingredients for Indian cookery Hindustani equivalents for English names General Information
Almond Badam Kernel of the stone-fruit of the almond tree.
Alum Phatkari Used in preparing white pumpkin sweet and preserving green ma ngoes.
Arrowroot Arrowroot A starchy powder of vegetable nature used in preparing sauces for dishes of Chinese origin, e.g. sweet and sour pork.
Asafoetida Hing A gum derived from a Persian plant. Some varieties have a very nauseous smell. The variety most suitable as a condiment is sold in India under the trade name “Hira hing”. Used in preparing pickles, minced meat balls (koftas) in the Kashmiri way and the Sindhi besan curry.
Bay leaf Tejpattar is the nearest substitute Very aromatic when crushed. Dried whole; used as flavouring in curries and pullaos.
Bitter-gourd Karela A vegetable. Shallow fried after stuffing.
Brinjal or aubergine Baingan Purple fruit of the egg-plant. Cooked in combination with other vegetables. Stuffed and baked.
Cabbage Bund gobi Used as a vegetable. The leaves are lightly folded and form a large round head. They are made into rolls and cooked in a variety of ways.
Carrot Gajjar A vegetable cooked into a halwa or pudding or a burfi (dried fresh whole milk carrot toffee.
Cashew nut Kaju Kidney shaped nut. Used in a pullao.
Cauliflower Gobi Is a vegetable with a white fleshy flower head. Cooked whole or by baking in an oven or the sprigs are made into a dry curry.
Cayenne pepper The nearest substitute available in India is “degi mirch” Cayenne pepper is red pepper made from capsicums grown mainly in Africa. Less pungent than red chillies. The “degi mirch” is a red pepper of Kashmir origin. Seeds are discarded and the pods are ground and sieved.
Charcoal Lakri ka koela Fuel obtained by burning wood. Charcoal fire is used in preparing seekh kabab (minced meat roasted on skewer).
Chilli, red Lal mirch Dried fruit of capsicum. The small-sized varieties are usually very hot. Red pepper is prepared by powdering the dried berries. The seeds are discarded if the pepper required should not be very hot. As it is too hot for most people the writer has used it in pickles only.
Chilli, green Sabz mirch Used as a flavouring or an appetiser.
Citric acid Nimboo ka sat Used for curdling milk in the preparation of panir (Indian cream cheese). Also used as a souring agent in preparing sharbats, squashes, jams and jellies.
Coconut Naryal A large hard-shelled nut with a thick hard white hollow kernel. Used fresh in the preparation of burfi (dried fresh whole milk and coconut toffee) and as desiccated powder in meat curries.
Colouring-Vitoso and Vino — Both these colours are very similar to that of Vimto. Used in preparing a sharbat.
Coriander leaves fresh Dhania sabz An herb with leaves which are aromatic when crushed. Used as a flavouring or a garnish. Parsley may be used as a substitute. Although it is not habitually grown in England, if the seeds are sown there during summer season they sprout within a few days.
Cornflour The nearest Indian substitute is nishasta Cornflour is a finely-ground powder, milled from maize, rice etc. Used in the preparation of cornflour pudding (phirni) and as a substitute for arrowroot in the sauces required for dishes of Chinese origin. Nishasta is a starch extracted from wheat by some complicated indigeneous method. Can be used in place of cornflour in the preparation of phaluda.
Cream Cream This is a fatty substance which separates from raw or pasteurised milk on churning. It is not similar to what is called “malai” in Hindustani.
Cream, double — This is cream concentrated into double strength. Recommended as a suitable substitute for malai.
Cream, sour — The use of sour cream in place of sour “malai” is not recommended because it has a peculiar smell of its own. Sour malai is prepared by adding a little yoghurt (curd) as a starter to the malai or cream and allowing it to set as described under the preparation of yoghurt.
Cuttle bone Samundar jhag Used in preparing rasgullas. Can occasionally be obtained in England; baking powder can be used as a substitute.
Date, dried Chawara Used in the preparation of chutneys.
Fenugreek leaves Methi A herb with aromatic leaves. The highly aromatic variety is dried and is available in packets. Used as a flavouring in tandoori chicken or fish. The fresh green leaves are cooked as bhujia.
Fenugreek seeds Methai Used in preparing pickles.
Flour Maida Used in making breads, sweetmeat, etc.
Garam Masala A mixture of spices.
Garlic Lasan A root of a plant belonging to the bulbous lily family. Cloves are separated, peeled and ground with a mortar and pestle.
Ghee Ghee Fat for frying. Fully described on p. 22.
Ginger Adrak The root of an aromatic tropical plant used as seasoning. It should be peeled and ground before use. If fresh ginger is not available, soak the dried ginger in water overnight.
Gram Channa Gram is a popular English expression used in India for a cereal eaten in a variety of forms by the people of Northern India. Also see besan.
Kewra essence Kewra, ruh A flavouring obtained from the flower of a plant called kewra. Marketed in England by Boots. This kewra essence is comparatively weaker than its Indian counterpart the ruh kewra. Itar kewra is a concentrated form of the same flavouring. The ruh kewra or the essence is used as flavouring in sweets which are kept soaked in syrup, e.g., petha (white pumpkin sweet), ras malai (Indian cream cheese cooked in double cream) whereas the itar kewra is used as a flavouring in dry sweets like burfi (dried fresh whole milk toffee) and gajjar halwa (grated carrot pudding).
Lime Chuna Used in the preparation of green mango preserve. This is ordinary slaked lime, not the fruit.
Lime Nimboo A citrus fruit. Where lime juice is mentioned in these recipes, the juice of fresh limes is always meant. In England, limes are most plentiful from spring to autumn, but some leading stores stock them all the year round. Lemon juice may sometimes be substituted, but it is not really the same thing and readers who take the trouble to find limes will get better results.
Milk Dudh In India buffalo’s milk is used in preparing yoghurt (curd), dried fresh whole milk (khoa) and Indian cream cheese (chenna or panir). Dried fresh whole milk or chenna prepared from 480 mils of buffalo’s milk is equivalent to what is obtained from one pint Jersey milk marketed in England. The use of cow’s milk is essential in the preparation of rasgullas (Indian cream cheese balls suspended in syrup) and gulab jaman (Indian cream cheese and dried fresh whole milk or khoa balls soaked in syrup). Jersey milk is very suitable for the preparation of both these sweets.
Mint Podina An aromatic herb belonging to the family Labiatae. Fresh or dried leaves are used in the preparation of chutneys. Dried leaves are much less fragrant than the fresh ones.
Molasses Gur Unrefined cane sugar. Used in preparing some chutneys.
Mushroom black white Guchian Dhingri The black mushrooms marketed in India are obtained from Kashmir and Afghanistan. Earthy matter sticking to their surface should be removed by cleaning them thoroughly under running water. They are cooked as a curry.
Nigella Kalonji Black seeds similar to onion seeds. Used as a spice in pickles.
Oils:
Mustard Sarson ka tel or kapwa tel Used as a preservative in pickles; for frying of pakoras (savoury fritters) or fish. It is an important ingredient for making curries by the methods used by Kashmiri chefs.
Olive Zetoon ka tel The oil extracted from flesh of ripe olives. Not used for cooking in India. It is very suitable for preparing Karachi ka halwa (cornflour sweetmeat) as unlike ghee or butter it does not solidify during cold weather (50° to 70° F in Northern India).
Peanut Moongphali ka tel The oil extracted from peanuts. It is used in Chinese cookery as it does not impart any flavour of its own to the other ingredients.
Salad Salad oil Salad oil can be used as a substitute for peanut oil in cooking dishes of Chinese origin.
Sesame Til oil Used in pork Vindaloo curry.
Onion Peeaz Used as a flavouring and thickening agent for the preparation of gravy in curries.
Papaya Papita It is an oblong pulpy fruit. Carries an enzyme called papain which digests the proteins partially. Ground raw fruit is rubbed all over a chicken before it is cooked as this makes the chicken tender.
Parsley — A herb with aromatic leaves. Used for flavouring and garnishing dishes. A suitable substitute for fresh coriander leaves.
Peas Matar ka dana Often used in pullaos (Section III) and a sweet and sour dish.
Pistachio nut Pista A nut with a whitish shell and a green-coloured kernel. Used in the preparation of burfi pista (dried fresh whole milk pistachio toffee) and decoration of sweets.
Plum Alu bukhara Used in preparing the tomato and alu bukhara chutneys.
Pomegranate seeds Anar dana A flavouring agent. Used in the preparation of pakoras (savoury fritters) and khatta kabli channa (sour whole Bengal dried peas).
Poppy seeds Khaskhas This variety of poppy plant is not the same as yields opium. Used as a thickening agent in some curries.
Potassium metabisulphite — A chemical used as a preservative in squashes.
Pork Shikar —
Prawns Jhinga machchi Used in Chinese cookery.
Pulses: Dal The edible seeds of leguminous plants.
Lentils Masur ki dal Cooked into a puree.
Split peas Matar ki dal Cooked into a puree. A substitute for dal channa. Split peas flour is a substitute for besan (gram flour).
Split green beans Moong ki dal Soaked in water, skin removed. Can be cooked like rice or ground and made into pakauries.
Split black beans Urhad ki dal Cooked like split green beans. Also used in the preparation of dosa.
Whole black beans Urhad or maanh sabut Cooked into a puree. Whole black beans flour is used in the preparation of gol gappas (hollow, translucent wafers of flour).
Raisins Munacca Dried grapes. Used in preparing a chutney.
Rice Chawal Rice of good quality is marketed in England under the trade name “Patna rice” whereas in Northern India it is called basmati.
Rice flour Chawal ka atta It is milled rice. Used in preparing blancmange (phirni) and dosa, a South Indian cuisine.
Rose essence Ruh gulab Marketed in England by Boots. Used as a flavouring in the preparation of gulab jaman and the rose sharbat.
Saffron Kesar Consists of stigmas of the flowers of a plant that grows in Kashmir and Spain. It is aromatic and yields yellow colouring. Used in the preparation of rice pullao and curries.
Sandalwood powder Sandal ka burada Used in preparing sandal sharbat. Sandalwood trees are commonly found in Mysore, Southern India.
Sauces:
Soya-bean — A sauce prepared from fermented soya-beans. Used as a flavouring in dishes of Chinese origin.
Tomato Served with cutlets and pakoras (savoury fritters) samosas (patty-like preparation). Used as a flavouring agent in the preparation of kababs (croquettes) and cabbage rolls.
Sodium Benzoate and Sodium metabisulphite — Both these chemicals are used as preservatives in sharbats and squashes.
Split-pea flour — A substitute for gram flour (besan), when used as a binding agent or in the preparation of pakoras (savoury fritters).
Spices Aniseed Masala Sonf The seed of a plant called anise. Used as a flavouring and a spice in pickles. The Kashmiri chefs use this in preparing meat dishes.
Black pepper Kali mirch ground Pungent and aromatic condiment with hot taste. Made from peppercorns, which are dried berries of the pepper plant. Has hot and pungent flavour. Used as a flavouring agent in curries. It is one of the ingredients of garam masala.
Cardamoms Illaichi An aromatic fruit of a reed-like plant grown in Ceylon, India, Jamaica and a number of Zanzibarean islands. The pods of the large variety have brown skins and the smaller ones have green skins. Both the seeds and the skins have flavouring property. Brown ones are used in curries, vegetables and rice pullaos. Green cardamoms are used in sweets and in some curries. They are available from the Indian grocers in London.
Carom seeds Ajwain Resemble parsley seeds. Used in lemon pickles and in preparing batter for frying fish or pakoras (savoury fritters).
Caraway seeds — Seeds of a herb called caraway. Are similar to black cumin seeds in appearance but differ in flavour, cannot be used in place of cumin seeds.
Cinnamon Darchini Obtained from the inner bark of a tree cultivated chiefly in Ceylon and the East Indies. Used as a flavouring. It is one of the ingredients of garam masala.
Cloves Laung A dried flower bud of a tree that grows in Indonesia, Madagascar and Zanzibar. Available whole or ground. It is one of the ingredients of garam masala.
Spices Masala
Coriander seeds Dhania Aromatic seeds of a herb called coriander, cultivated mostly in Iraq and India.
Cumin seeds, black Zeera, kala Aromatic seeds of the cumin plant. Grown in many European countries, Mexico and Kashmir. Used whole as a flavouring agent in curries and rice pullaos. It is one of the ingredients of garam masala.
Cumin seeds, white Zeera sufaid The white variety of the cumin seeds is used in zeera pani (cumin seeds and tamarind juice water).
Mace Javatri Hard shell around the seed called nutmeg. Used as a spice and flavouring agent. Though the aroma of mace is similar to that of nutmeg, they are put to different uses. Mace is one of the ingredients of garam masala.
Mustard Rai Used in pickles.
Nutmeg Jaiphal Kernel of fruit of the myristic tree. Used as a flavouring.
Peppercorns Kali mirch Whole dried berries of black pepper.
Sultanas Kishmish Seedless raisins.
Tamarind Imli The brownish pulp of the pod of a tropical tree. Used as a flavouring agent in pickles, vindaloo curry and zeera pani.
Tartaric acid Imli ka sat Used in curdling milk for preparing Indian cream cheese. Can be used as a savouring agent in preparing sharbats etc.
Turmeric Huldi Aromatic powdered root stock of a plant grown in the West Indies and India. Used as a flavouring and for colouring curries and lentils. It has been however largely avoided in the recipes described in this book as it masks red colour in the gravy and produces stains on the napkins and table covers that cannot be easily removed.
Ve-Tsin — Chinese gourmet powder. Available readymade. Added to soup, rice and noodles prepared after the Chinese way. Improves and increases natural flavours.
Vinegar Sirka Used as a flavouring agent in marinades.
White pumpkin Petha Cooked as a sweetmeat.
Wholemeal flour Atta Chapaties or phulkas, which are a staple diet of people living in Punjab (Northern India), are made out of wholemeal. Other Indian breads like parautha and puri are also made out of this.
Yam Arbi Cooked into a dry curry.
Yoghurt (curd) Dahi The English expression used in India for a preparation very similar to yoghurt is curd. It is milk set firmly by the addition of a starter containing a group of micro-organisms called Lactobacilli. Yoghurt plain, i.e. yoghurt without flavouring, can be used as a substitute for the curd. It is used as a thickening agent in curries. Also served with rice.
Other ingredients
— Amchur Dried green mango slice or powder. Used as a flavouring agent.
— Anardana Pomegranate seeds. Used as a flavouring agent in the preparation of pakoras (savoury fritters), and khatta kabli channa (sour whole Bengal dried peas).
— Besan Gram flour. Split-pea flour is a suitable substitute. Used as a binding agent and for preparing batter.
Curry leaves — These are leaves of a plant called mithi neem in Northern India and kariwepillai in Southern India. Used by the South Indians (as a flavouring in cooking pulses, and chutneys).
Garam Masala A mixture of spices. Also see p. 23.
— Gur Unrefined cane sugar. The nearest substitute available in England is molasses.
— Kachri A flavouring agent. Makes uncooked meat tender. Used in preparing seekh kabab (minced meat roasted on skewers) and tandoori fish (baked fish).
— Karonda A variety of gooseberry (Carrisa carandas). Grows wild in some parts of India. Pickled whole.
— Khamir A leavened dough used by the Indian confectioners in various preparations. Used by the writer in the preparation of khamiri puri (leavened deep fried bread).
— Kukum Used as a seasoning agent in Sindhi besan curry.
— Magaz-4 Kernels of seeds of water melon, sweet melon, cucumber and pumpkin. Used in the preparation of burfi magaz (dried fresh whole milk, almond, pistachio and kernels of melon seeds toffee). A drink made by grinding them along with almonds is supposed to counteract heat effects and strengthen the mental faculties.
— Malai This is milk top produced by heating fresh whole milk on slow fire for 1½ hours and then allowing it to cool till a thick layer of the malai sets on the top. Double cream marketed in England is comparatively thinner than malai but this is the nearest substitute available over there. Used in preparing ras malai (Indian cream cheese balls cooked in double cream).
— Malai, sour Malai or cream set by the addition of a little yoghurt as starter.
— Panir The nearest English translation for this Indian preparation from milk is “Indian cream cheese”. It is prepared by curdling milk with tartaric acid. Also see
Sewian This is a type of vermicelli. Home-made sewian or those prepared by mechanically operated gadgets are marketed in India. The vermicelli made in England is comparatively fine and more uniform than the Indian-made product. Cooked into a pudding.
Silver leaf — Prepared by beating pure silver into a very thin leaf. It is edible and is used for decoration.
— Sonth Dried ginger.

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