Spices
Amchoor Powder, is it really Fairy Wings?
Every now and then, actually in almost all the recipes I like the look of, there is an ingredient listed that I have never heard of. From Fairy’s Wings to Dragon Tongue there always seems to be one of them and as my spice cupboard expands, I only ever seem to use them once.
Read MoreAjwain (Carom)
Ajwain, also known as carom, ajowan, omam, omum, ajvain or Bishop’s weed (depending on where in the world we’re talking) is a spice belonging to the Umbelliferae (or Apiaceae) family, some of whose other members are cumin, dill and caraway. The ajwain plant’s shrubs appear feather-like, and the plant itself grows very quickly, reaching up…
Read MoreStar Anise
Star anise (also known as badain anise), when whole, is an eight-pointed star shape around the size of a small broad bean and is mid to dark brown in colour in its dried form. It has an aniseed flavour that is sweet and mildly spicy with a liquorice type aroma. Whilst it is predominantly used…
Read MoreTamarind
Tamarind is a long, pea pod shaped fruit that contains a sour pulp and seeds and is a mid-brown colour. It has a strong, tart flavour and a little goes a long way. It is sold as a paste, in a pressed block (cake) or as whole pods and tastes similar to a date but…
Read MoreGreen Chillies
Green chillies are popular as a cooking ingredient and give a hot flavour to dishes. However, they also have several applications for health and well-being. The heat of your curry is generally determined by the amount and type of chilli peppers used in the recipe. There are many types of green chillies, all of which…
Read MorePoppy Seeds
There are two varieties of poppy seed which are either blue or white. In Europe we mainly use the blue (almost black) poppy seeds but in Indian cooking mainly white (more like beige) seeds are used. The use of white seeds avoids colouring the dish. Blue and white poppy seeds are, however, very similar in…
Read MoreCinnamon
Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of a tree and is widely used as a condiment and additive in a wide variety of cuisines. In its whole form it appears as sheets of bark which roll into cigar shaped quills when dried. It has a mid-brown colour. Ground cinnamon is a very fine powder and…
Read MoreCurry Leaves
Curry leaves (also known as sweet neem leaves) are added to dishes near the beginning of cooking, and are fried in ghee, which may turn then from their usual green colour to black, but this is normal. They release a nutty aroma when fried. Curry leaves do not taste like the curry we are used…
Read MoreAsafoetida (Hing)
Asafoetida (also known as hing) is a gum from the resin of a variety of giant fennel with a strong overly ripe garlic type smell. It gives a very smooth flavour in dishes. Asafoetida powder appears as a crumbly yellow powder, which has been diluted with flour or rice flour and turmeric, when purchased as…
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