Top 10 Indian Spice Blends You Must Have in Kitchen
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You must have seen Indian spice blends like Garam Masala and Red Chili Powder in all Indian kitchens. Have you ever considered them? After all, they are not raw spices.
Why do people use them?
What are the top spice blends for the Indian kitchen?
In this blog, we will discuss these points. So let’s start!
Top Indian Spice Blends for Indian Kitchens:
1. Garam Masala:
Ingredients: Garam Masala typically includes the following spices.
- Cinnamon,
- Cardamom,
- Cloves,
- Black peppercorns,
- Cumin,
- Coriander seeds,
- Nutmeg, and
- Bay leaves.
Usage:
Garam Masala is used widely across Indian cuisine. It adds warmth and depth to all meals, making them more tasteful. It can be added during cooking or at the end for a burst of aroma. For the best results, use this spice for curries, lentils, vegetables, meat, and fish dishes.
2. Haldi:
Ingredients: Pure ground turmeric root powder.
Usage:
Haldi adds an earthy flavor to your curry. Also, it gives dishes like curries, rice dishes, marinades, and lentils a vibrant yellow color.
3. Red Chilli Powder:
Ingredients: Ground dried red chilies. However, different red chili powders may vary in heat level.
Usage:
- Adds heat and colors to dishes.
- Used in almost all Indian savory cooking.
- Specially used in dishes like Chhole, Paneer Chilli, etc.
4. Kashmiri Mirch Powder:
Ingredients: Typically includes the mild red Kashmiri chili. This is famous for its bright red color and mild heat.
Usage:
- Used to give a vibrant color to the dishes.
- Add mild heat to the dishes without overpowering spice.
5. Kitchen King Masala:
Ingredients: This spice includes a mix of nearly 20 spices.
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Red Chilli
- Turmeric (Haldi)
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Black Pepper
- Cinnamon
- Fennel
- Mustard Seeds
- Fenugreek
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Kasuri Methi
- Amchur
- Nutmeg
- Bay Leaves
- Star Anise
- Asafoetida, and
- Salt
Usage: An all-purpose blend used in vegetable curries, gravies, pulao, and biryanis to add strong spicy & aromatic flavors.
Kitchen King Masala is extremely versatile and used in various dishes such as:
- Curries
- Dal
- Rice Dishes
This adds aroma and depth to a dish as well as gives them a balanced spicy flavor. It's hotter and more complex than Garam Masala.
Note- You need to add this masala during cooking only.
6. Sabji Masala:
Ingredients:
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Turmeric
- Red Chilli, etc.
Usage: This masala adds flavor to the vegetable curries. It enhances the taste and aroma of a dish.
7. Meat Masala:
Ingredients: Please note that Meat Masala doesn’t include meat at all. Here are the following ingredients.
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Black Pepper
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Sometimes it includes Ginger and Nutmeg.
Usage:
This spice is designed to enhance meat dishes like Mutton and Beef curries. It adds a robust and warm flavor to the dish.
8. Chicken Masala:
Ingredients: This is very similar to Meat Masala but often includes some other ingredients too.
- Fennel
- Garlic Powder
- Kasuri Methi
These additional ingredients offer an enhanced chicken flavor.
Usage:
- Used to prepare chicken curries and tandoori chicken recipes.
- This spice blend imparts a rich, complex flavor to the dishes.
Conclusion:
Indian kitchens are full of spice blends. These spices are a blend of raw spices that are being used for making special dishes. But why do people use spice blends? Here are a few reasons.
- Spice blends save time.
- They have the right mixture of spices needed for the dish.
- Not everyone has access to all the right spices for all dishes.
These spice blends ease cooking for people and save them time and effort. Moreover, these spices have health benefits such as digestion, enhancing brain functions, etc.
In this blog, we have listed the top spice blends you must have in your kitchen. They will add aroma, taste, and color to all your dishes-Street food, royal curries, and non-veg dishes.