By Priya Menon
Kuali.com
I LOVE cooking with spices. It was part of my life growing up. The bottles of spices sitting on the kitchen shelf are part of my early childhood memories.

When I became serious about cooking, I instantly knew that I would love to work with spices. I feel like an alchemist when I am mixing blends. I am also happiest when discussing about spices.

No regrets at all with my decision. I am always discovering new ways and health benefits of using spice. If spices weren’t around, food would be bland, devoid of aroma and flavour.

What are spices?
Spices are nature’s bouquet garni and antioxidant. They are the soul of Indian dishes. They are not only used to enhance the flavours of a dish, but are known for their curative benefits.


Spices have been used for thousands of years in India, the place where it originates. History states that it was the early Arab merchants who introduced spices to the rest of the world. Wars were fought over the control of the spice trade and route as it was a rare commodity, worth its weight in gold.

Spices were also used along with roots and herbs by early traditional medicine practitioners. These practices are still used in homeopathic and ayurvedic treatments today.

Using spices
How do you use them? How would you know what to blend for a mix? Where do you get them? These are the usual questions that would be running through the mind of a spice enthusiast.

The use of spices in Indian meals, sweets, snacks and desserts is truly amazing. Spices can be used whole, powdered, plain, roasted, dry or in paste form at the beginning or end of a cooking process. It can be used alone or in combinations. There are also spice drops. Yes, concentrated spice oils.

I enjoy using whole spices in some of my dishes. I use them whole because I enjoy the sight of sautéed spices lying recklessly all over the vegetable it is partnered with. And when you bite into it, there is an instant crunchiness of the fennel seed or coriander seed. Then there is a sudden burst of aroma in your mouth that wafts all the way to the back of your mouth and up the nose. It lingers there until the next crunch.

Recently, I discovered that patients who are on dialysis are advised to use whole spices in their cooking instead of spice powders. A member of my family is on dialysis and I do follow the restrictions. However, it is not always easy.

Blending spices
Spice blending is the art of concocting your own blend for a particular dish. This saves time, money and also allows you to create your very own blends. Are they difficult to blend, you may ask. Not if you know your spices well. This will come easy over time.

Spices have to be blended harmoniously and subtly, taking care not to overpower the main ingredients of a dish, be it vegetables, meat, seafood or desserts.

When working with spices, it’s always important to taste each one of them to familiarise yourself with the taste and aroma.

The art of using Indian spices vary from dishes to dishes. For example, what fascinated me was how the blending of about 10 to 15 different spices in a dish, brought out the heavenly aromas and flavours in a Hyderabadi Briyani dish. Or the use of only two spices in the making of the famous Keralite Aviyal dish.

There are also blends that are ready-made in the market. However, when you put together your mix from scratch, believe me; you will never go back to packed spice powders.

Here are the most popular blends that you will need in your spice pantry: Garam Masala, Briyani Masala, Korma Masala, Chicken Curry Masala, Fish Curry Masala, Resam Masala, Sambar Masala, and Vegetable Curry Masala.

These are just a few basic and frequently used blends. It’s always advisable to make your blends last for two weeks. Any longer than that, the mix would have lost its soul.

Types of spices
Spices can be classified into two groups, essential/basic spices and aromatic spices. The essential spices are also known as soft spices, while the aromatics are considered as warm spices.

Essential spices are spices that are used daily in almost all dishes. They are very essential and have to be fresh to impart their aroma and taste to take your dish to the dimension you want.

They are cumin, fennel, mustard seeds, fenugreek, turmeric, black and white pepper, coriander seeds, asafetida, Indian bay leaf, and dried chillis.

Essential spices are used in daily cooking for tempering vegetables, curries and chutneys. They are a must in every Indian kitchen.

Aromatic spices are cinnamon, star anise, clove, cardamoms. These are essential in the making of the garam masala blend. They impart aromas that would literally take over a dish. When using them, a little sometimes goes a long way. These spices can be used whole in many recipes, thus releasing their flavours to a dish over time or in powder form when used in baking.

Spices for beginners
It’s really important that you have a spice grocer who deals in fresh spices. There is a lot of difference between fresh and stale spices. I personally stay away from vendors who do not store their spices in airtight containers.

A beginner to Indian cooking should invest in about 50 to 100g of cumin, fennel, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek, dried chillis, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, star anise, peppers, and cardamom.

Store them in airtight containers to prevent them from turning stale and discolouring.

When new to using spices, always begin with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon to any dish that would serve three or four persons. This measurement can be used for basic spices such as fennel, cumin, fenugreek, asafetida, peppers, turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and mustard seeds.

When attempting aromatic spices, try using them whole for starters, before blending them into powders for your spice blends.

An important tip to remember: When using spices in any form, always work with very low fire as spices tend to burn easily.