Uff uff mirchi,
hai hai mirchi!
Tongue searing, tastebud jostling, flaming red chillies. Yes, they’re definitely the MVPs of the spice family. However, Indian cuisine isn’t a one-spice-show. A winning curry needs to showcase the right balance of multiple spices. But, unlike our Mummas, we aren’t mistresses of spices yet. So, a dash of the wrong spice can definitely spell disaster! And, mastering these moody unpredictable spices is oh so intimidating.
Fret not, we’ve made it possible! With CURRYit’s range of curry pastes, you will never say “oops” in the kitchen again. Our recipes are curated by the very best team of moms, grandmoms and chefs, and we specially handcraft every batch so that we can draw out the flavour from each ingredient. Curious about our ingredients?
Here are our top ten absolute favourite spices, which make our curry pastes so delicious:
Cumin: The Tadka Staple
A popular member of the parsley family, cumin or jeera is the most universally used spice in Indian curries. It’s also the easiest to mess up! Turn your back on it for more than 15 seconds and whoops.. it loses that characteristic brown tinge and burns bitter black. But, its smoky and nutty flavour is definitely worth the watch-time on the stove. It’s usually the first spice to hit the pan. Roasted whole at the beginning of your curry prep, cumin is a tadka staple. It flavours our Purani dili ke Chole, Chettinad Masala, Punjabi Kadai Masala and Ghar Wale Rajma Masala.
Cardamom: The Crowd Favourite
This spice makes a cameo in almost every genre of food. From flavouring lassi and chai, to uplifting the taste of Hyderabadi biryani masala or adding that special zing to kheer, cardamom or elaichi is definitely a crowd favourite. It has two variants, green and black. The green carries a light and sweet flavour, underscored by a mild eucalyptus note. You can choose to blend it whole, or pop the pod and lightly crush it to draw out the aroma and flavour from its seeds. Unlike the green variant which is novice friendly, black cardamom is a hefty spice. Smoky and bitter to bite into, it is usually pulled out of the dish before serving. We use it sparingly in our Kashmiri Rogan Josh and Chettinad Masala, and include it in our magic pouch for additional flavour for our Purani Dili ke Chole.
Clove: The Bringer of Heat
Did you know that some spices are actually flowers? Clove or laung is one of them. Packed with essential oils, it has a borderline medicinal flavour with bitter-sweet notes. This is one of those “oops” spices. It needs to be used with caution, lest it overpowers the other spices. However, when it’s used correctly, it brings a certain warmth to the dish. You can enjoy its precise flavour in our Kosha Mangsho.
Cinnamon: The Spicy Sweetheart
Warm, woody and spicy. Remind you of Christmas morning? Well, contrary to popular perception, and its vernacular name, cinnamon or dalchini isn’t just a dessert spice. You can use it in curries too. The sweet and spicy notes it carries, add an earthy tinge to savoury dishes. Our Kashmiri Rogan Josh, Purani dili ke Chole and Chettinad Masala boast the use of cinnamon.
Coriander: Not just a garnish
Sweet and tangy, coriander or dhanya isn’t just a garnish. One of the oldest spices in the world, its seeds are often used as an alternative to salt. It has a citrusy aroma, with woody notes. Much like cumin, it’s dry roasted until it sputters in the pan at the beginning of curry prep. All our curries with the exception of Kashmiri Rogan Josh liberally use coriander in their preparation.
Fenugreek: The Bizzare Flavour Bomb
Fenugreek or kasuri methi is the secret spice which makes Butter Chicken Masala Paste so yummy! Yes, don’t worry our Butter Masala curry paste uses it too. It has a bittersweet nutty flavour which can be attributed to its curious maple-syrup undertone. When used in Indian curries, it tinges them with that typical “curry” aroma and deepens the flavours.
Garam masala: The hottest mix in town
Hot, hot, hot! It’s in the very name. Not spicy, but definitely popular, garam masala is a classic. Almost every Indian curry uses it. Roasted and then ground together, garam masala is a mix of potent spices like pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cumin, coriander, and bay leaf. Every family has their own version, which lends a depth to their favourite curries. Our special blend is used in Butter masala, Dal Makhani, Ghar Wale Rajma Masala and Punjabi Kadai Masala curry pastes.
Ginger: The Kadak (headache) Killer
It’s no surprise that India is the largest producer of ginger, given the copious amounts of adrak wali chai we consume. It is one of the easiest spices to cook with. Ground, peeled and grated or finely chopped. You can add it to your curries along with garlic, as an aromatic before putting in your veggies or meat. Its peppery-sweet flavour, and pungent-spicy aroma make it an accessible and powerful spice.
Turmeric: The golden girl
Hailing from the same family, turmeric or haldi is the golden girl of the ginger tribe. Its characteristic yellow tinge brightens any dish with just a pinch. It has a pungent earthy fragrance, and is packed with antioxidants. If used along with pepper, it also acts as an anti-inflammatory spice. We use turmeric as a natural colourant in Punjabi Kadai Masala, Ghar Wale Rajma Masala and Kosha Mangsho.
Kashmiri red chili:
Vibrant yet mild, lal mirch or Kashmiri red chillies are the most commonly used chillies in Indian cuisine. Just a hint brightens your dishes a deep red, and flavours them with a slight spicy note. If you’re one of those cooks who is afraid of accidentally searing tongues with your spices, this is a novice friendly chili.
But, if mingling with spices scares you… we’ve got your back sis! You don’t have to worry about the right measurements, or spend time away from your laptops to carefully watch the spices roast. Just cart your favourite curry paste, open-stir- serve. That’s it! You can enjoy the perfect balance of these tricky spices without all that worry about burning them.