No kitchen is complete without the spices, just like no food is complete without some popular spices being added to it. There are some popular spices which almost everyone should have in their kitchen. No matter whether you are just starting your kitchen journey or you are pro at cooking, but if your kitchen is missing some of the popular spices, then it means your kitchen is incomplete. We do not say that you should have all the spices in your kitchen from different parts of the world. But we are trying to say that you should not miss on the best spices which are a must. Especially, if you are an Indian cook, then you should have the jars full of spices stacked on your kitchen shelf.
Spices are those magical ingredients which we add to our food which completely change the taste, fragrance, and look of our food. Be it a sweet dish or any special curry, they all need spices in them. One hidden fact about these spices which many of you might not be aware of is that they are good for our health also. Some people feel that these spices are very small in size, so how they can provide benefit to our health, but they do. Now, let’s check some of the popular spices which you should have in your kitchen.
Cardamom – This is one of the most important spices. Cardamom is of 2 types, that are green cardamoms and black cardamoms. However, green cardamom is used in most of the things. Be it making tea, making any sweet dish or dessert, or cooking biryani, green cardamom is the most commonly used spice. While preparing spice mixes known as Garam Masala, green cardamom is blended with other spices. It tastes sweet and one can add it along with its green covering. Or can open the green covering and crush the black seeds and can then add it to different dishes. Whereas black cardamom is very spicy, unlike the green cardamoms. They are even big in comparison to the green cardamoms. Generally, the seeds of the black cardamom are added to the dish. They are said to be one of the powerful spices which can be added in different dishes to make them spicy.
Black Peppercorn – They are said to be one of the versatile spices among the other spices. Adding them to any dish, completely change the flavor of the dish especially, when you add the fresh black peppercorn. You can crush it or grind it to use the powdered black peppercorn in several dishes. The powdered black peppercorn can also be added to tea or kadha, for getting relief from cold and flu. To make any dish spicy without adding red chili powder to it, just add black peppercorn. You can find black peppercorns in the Malabar region and the Western Ghats in India. Growing this spice is not at all easy, and that is why they are a bit costlier also.
Clove – This spice is a dried flower whose oil is extracted and is then dried to form this spice. While adding a clove to any dish, one should check the quantity required. Cloves are also powerful and strong spice like the black cardamom and can overpower your dish by making it extra spicy. Because of the essential oil present in the clove, they add a different or you can say medicinal flavor to any dish. They are usually of dark brown or blackish-brown color. Just like the cardamom, they can also be blended with other spices to form the spice mix. It is completely your choice, whether you want to add the whole clove in your dish or you want to add the powdered clove in your dish.
Cumin Seeds – Whether you are preparing any vegetable curry or you are frying any dal, cumin seeds are there to add flavor in all. They are brown and have a smoky characteristic when added to dishes. They have a completely distinct fragrance which when added to your dish, make it smell good. People do blend them with a variety of spices. Some people also prefer to roast them and grind them to use the powdered cumin seeds. Whenever they are added to any dish, it is very important to roast them either dry or in oil. People also recommend drinking cumin seeds water for weight loss.
Turmeric – No one can forget to keep this important spice in their kitchen. It adds all the three things to your dishes, that are color, flavor, and fragrance. The bold yellow color turmeric is not just good for your kitchen. But it is also helpful for your health and your skin. It has healing powers and is warm also, that is why it is recommended to drink turmeric mixed milk during the injuries. You can either use the fresh turmeric or can use the dried turmeric or the powdered turmeric. It is used in cooking most of the vegetables and dals. It is believed that adding fresh turmeric adds a stronger flavor to your dish than the dry turmeric.
Other than these popular spices, there are a few more popular spices which should be there in our kitchen like Coriander, Ginger, Bay Leaves, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Fenugreek, and a few more. All these spices which we have mentioned above are one of those spices, without whom your food is incomplete. So, if you are missing on any of these spices, just get it today itself.
