Herbs and spices are the souls of different cuisines across the world. When people think of Indian food it is the spices that give it a unique taste and flavor. The infinite variations available from different spices bring incredible variety to Indian cuisine. It is rightly considered the king of spices. Derived from the barks, fruits, flowers, stems, trunks, and leaves Indian spices and herbs are savored around the world for centuries for their culinary and medicinal value. Prominent Indian spices manufacturers also export spices to other countries.
Spices are used throughout India, but every region has characteristic spices and spice mixture that define its cuisines. In Southern parts of the country, the common spices used are mustard seed, curry leaves, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, and other spices. Some of these are also common in other cuisines and most are used to some extent in different parts of India.
Mustard seeds
Mustard seeds are used throughout the country; these tiny round black seeds are obtained from mustard plants. In some parts of the country, people prefer to ground mustard and use it in the form of paste. In many Indian dishes, mustard seeds are always thrown into very hot oil at the start of the cooking for the pop and sputter, giving the oil a distinctive flavor. Spices like fenugreek and cumin are also used similarly either in combination with mustard seeds or on their own.
Cumin seeds
Cumin seeds are familiar to everyone as they are used around the world. For example, in Mexican dishes, cumin seed is a common ingredient. In India, it forms the basis of North Indian curries with which one may be familiar. Cumin has a pungent aroma that comes from the pea-like plant and is often the dominant note in commercially available curry powders.
Coriander seeds
Coriander seeds are commonly used in the form of coarse powder. It is mostly used for thickening and flavoring different varieties of dishes. The seeds are of the same plant from where cilantro leaves are obtained.
Turmeric powder
Turmeric is a distinctive yellow powder that adds the characteristic color of various Indian dishes. It is a powdered rhizome of a plant in the Ginger family and has multiple health benefits. In fact, in Indian culture, it is also used as a skin conditioner. Turmeric is a common ingredient when cooking lentils and other types of dishes.
Legacy of the Indian spice industry
There are over 60 species of spices that are grown throughout the country. India happens to be the only nation in the world that grows all kinds of spices. The country makes a substantial contribution to the spice market across the globe. Indian spices manufacturers have given a significant input to the GDP of the country. The spice industry is the only place that has not left its traditional approach of producing quality products. It also gives financial stability and security to small and medium-scale farmers.
To further boost Indian spices manufacturers the government has set up different academic institutes for educating the farmers and manufacturers. India is the country from where the most amounts of spices are exported to the outside. Besides the processed spices by vlc spices manufacturers also have a significant portion in the export to other countries.
Conclusion
The aromatic flavors and colorful varieties of spices contribute to the intense taste of Indian spices. For ages, the country has been prominently known for its quality offerings in different forms. The distinct flavor and high quality is the signature of Indian spices. These spices are very important and have become an integral element of the cooking tradition. Even today it plays a crucial role in making Indian dishes distinct and separate from other international cuisines.
