Archive | Kfi Sauces

BAY LEAF - TEJPAT

It’s also known as Indian Bay Leaf. These leaves add a cinnamon-like taste to dishes. They were used in the Imperial courts in Delhi and Agra. The ancient Romans used them to make perfume.

BLACK SALT - KALA NAMAK

Salty, violet-coloured and with a hint of sulphur – Black Salt is often added to chutneys and other snacks for its distinctive taste. It also has a unique sulphur smell. In Ayurvedic medicine it’s used as a cooling spice and a digestive aid.

CARDAMOM - ELE HARIA, ELAICHI

It’s also known as Indian Bay Leaf. These leaves add a cinnamon-like taste to dishes. They were used in the Imperial courts in Delhi and Agra. The ancient Romans used them to make perfume.

CAROM SEEDS - AJWAIN

They look like cumin seeds, only smaller and taste like a stronger version of thyme. Carom seeds are used to flavour vegetable dishes and pickles. Prized for their distinctive taste and preservative qualities,

CINNAMON - DALCHINI

Cinnamon was so highly prized at one point that it was thought a suitable gift for monarchs. It’s sweet and warm tasting and cinnamon bark can be eaten directly. Curries, masala chai, vegetable dishes and of course desserts are enhanced by cinnamon.

CLOVES - LAUNG

It’s also known as Indian Bay Leaf. These leaves add a cinnamon-like taste to dishes. They were used in the Imperial courts in Delhi and Agra. The ancient Romans used them to make perfume.

CORIANDER - DHANIA

The coriander seed is an important ingredient in curries. Dhana dal is a snack food made from roasted coriander seeds. Coriander has a distinctive taste, is high in calcium and in North America the leaves are called cilantro – the Spanish word for the plant.

CUMIN - JEERA

As a spice, cumin is second only to black pepper in popularity. It’s sometimes confused with caraway, but cumin has a lighter colour and a hotter, more aromatic flavour. Cumin is part of the parsley family and is well-known as an appetite stimulant.

FENNEL/ANISEED - SAUNF

Did you know that India is the largest producer of fennel? Roasted fennel seeds –not to be confused with anise – are used to freshen breath and as a digestive. Fennel is highly aromatic and flavourful and is sometimes used to flavour natural toothpaste.

FENUGREEK - METHI

Used in the commercial production of mango chutneys, fenugreek or methi has a burnt sugar taste. It’s also used extensively in curry dishes. India produces the most fenugreek in the world. India also has a very low rate of arthritis, which fenugreek is reputed to help.

NIGELLA - KALONJI

Nigella, or sometimes called ‘onion seed’ looks a bit like sesame seeds. Peppery and a bit nut-like, these tiny seeds are added to naan, curry, stews and dal. Nigella or kalonji has been used as an herbal remedy for over 2,500 years.

NUTMEG - JAIPHAL

Slightly sweet, it’s used most often in desserts, some savoury dishes and just a pinch or two in garam masala. Nutmeg and mace come from the same tree and at one time both were highly prized and costly. A nutmeg tree takes 20 years to become fully producing.

TAMARIND - IMLI

This fruit is often used in place of lime juice for the sour quality it can add to a dish. The taste is more of a sweet and sour combination and the tamarind is loaded with B vitamins and odd for a fruit – calcium. Tamarind or imli is used in the production of Worcestershire sauce.