Indian Pantry

Appears in

Plant-Based India: Nourishing Recipes Rooted in Tradition

Published 2022

About

It’s simply incredible that over centuries we’ve found culinary and medicinal uses for pretty much every component of thousands of plants. Here, I’ve listed the most important ingredients in my Indian pantry—everything you need for the recipes in this book. I’ve taken some liberties with these classifications for ease of understanding, so the botanical details of some foods may not be fully precise.

English Term	Gujarāti and/or Hindi Terms	Forms used in this Book	Flavor Profile	Details
Spices: Seeds, Roots, Bark, Flowers, Fruit
Alliums: onions and garlic	Kāndā/dungali, pyāz, lasan, lehsun	Fresh	Pungent when raw, sweet and aromatic when cooked	Use in their fresh forms in the recipes in this book to make much more delicious food.
Asafetida	Hing	Powder	Oniony, garlicky	Made from tree sap, this punchy spice is best stored in a tightly sealed container since its aroma can otherwise overtake your spice cabinet.
Black peppercorns	Mari, kāli mirch	Whole, freshly cracked	Spicy, warm	Appears less often in this book than you may expect, but when it’s in a recipe, it’s essential.
Cardamom	Elchi, elāichi	Whole green pods, whole black pods	Minty, floral, smoky (black)	Green cardamom has a flavor profile that is suitable in sweet and savory preparations. Black cardamom, because of the way it’s processed, adds a pungent smokiness and is best reserved for savory applications.
Carom	Ajmo, ajwain	Seeds	Cooling, grassy	A little goes a long way. It cools the tongue and has an oregano- or thyme-like aroma.
Cinnamon	Taj, dālchini	Sticks, ground	Sweet, woody	A fundamental spice in garam masālā but be wary not to overdo it, as too much can overpower other spices. Cinnamomum verum (true cinnamon) and cassia cinnamon are botanically different but may be used interchangeably in these recipes.
Cloves	Laving, laung	Whole	Earthy, warm	Important for adding depth of flavor but can be left out of recipes if needed.
Coriander	Dhānā, dhaniā	Seeds	Citrus, grassy	An absolutely essential spice in this book, as the base flavoring that enhances other spices.
Cumin	Jeeru, jeerā	Seeds	Earthy, woody	Pairs perfectly with coriander and is usually combined with it in many traditional Indian recipes.
Fennel	Variyāli, saunf	Seeds, bulb	Cooling, licorice	One of my favorites. You may find different varieties of fennel seeds—a shorter, stubbier one and a slenderer alternative—at your local Indian grocer. They may be used interchangeably.
Fenugreek seeds	Methi	Seeds	Bitter	Adds a subtle bitterness, almost nuttiness, that is difficult to replicate with other spices.
Ginger	Ādu, adrak	Fresh, dried, ground	Spicy, warm	I find organic ginger more aromatic. Measuring spoon amounts of chopped ginger are more accurate for recipes than inch/cm measurements, since varying amounts have an impact on the final dish.
Mace	Jāvitri	Whole	Floral, fruity	The outer part of nutmeg that is sold dried. Very subtle and lovely flavor when combined with other spices.
Mustard	Rāi	Whole seeds: brown or black	Bitter, earthy	Punchy. Black mustard seeds are used in most of the recipes. You’ll likely find smaller and larger ones at your Indian grocer. They’re similar in flavor, but I prefer the smaller ones.
Nutmeg	Jāyfal	Whole	Earthy, warm	Best purchased whole and used freshly grated.
Star anise	Bādiyā	Whole	Warm, smoky	Rarely used here but can play well with others.
Turmeric	Haldar, haldi	Fresh, dried, ground	Earthy	A fundamental spice in Indian cuisine, found in most of the recipes here.