Primer on Basic Indian Spices

Importance of Spices in Indian Cooking

Spices or Masalas are an integral part of Indian cooking. They are literally the heart and soul of Indian cuisine. Spices add incredible layers of flavor and aroma to your cooking and help bind ingredients together into a beautiful composition . Spices are used not just for the flavor but also for the health benefits they impart. They are known to help fight inflammation, aid digestion, improve immunity and so much more. If you want to start cooking delicious and authentic Indian food, you should definitely have some basic Indian spices in your kitchen.

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What is a spice box?

A spice box or a masala dabba is a great way to store and organize your favorite frequently used spices together so you can easily access them while cooking. We have recommendations for two kinds of spice boxes for you – a wooden one and a steel one. I love having these on my counter or in a drawer close to my cooking space.

Here is a link to a similar wooden spice box on Amazon and to a steel spice box pictured below.

What are the basic Indian spices?

Where can I buy Indian spices?

You can buy basic Indian spices on Amazon, at an Indian Grocery store or even a Walmart or Wholefoods. Here are links to some of these spices from Amazon that we have curated for those that are new to Indian cooking.

1) Turmeric

2) Coriander Powder

3) Kashmiri Red Chili Powder

4) Garam Masala

5) Cumin Powder

6) Cumin Seeds

7) Mustard Seeds

8) Cardamom

9) Cinnamon Sticks

10) Cloves

Coming up soon

We are planning to update this post with information about more advanced Indian spices that you can start using once you get comfortable with the basic ones. We also plan to share our favorite spice blends which are great for those that don’t want to use individual spices. If you have any questions about Indian spices, we are happy to answer them so ask away in the comments!