7 Essential Spices in Indian Kitchens and Their Benefits

India has given the word so many things to cheer. Indian dominance in the spice market is something that cannot be overlooked. Blessed with dynamic climate, India is able to produce a wide variety of spices which are the soul of numerous national and international cuisines.

This write-up talks about the 5 essential spices that Indian kitchens most probably have.

Cumin

Being a key ingredient of Indian dishes, cumin or jeera is one of the essential spices that almost every Indian kitchen has. The spice is known for its rich medicinal properties. It is a rich source of iron that fights inflammation and promotes digestion and weight loss.

Asafoetida

Asafoetida or heeng is an essential ingredient of Indian cuisine, especially dals and curries. Asafoetida offers several health benefits that include relief from bloating, menstrual pain, headaches, high blood pressure levels, and so on.

Chili Powder

Chili or lal mirch powder is yet another crucial spice which is one of the prime ingredients of most culinary dishes in India. The spice has several health benefits that include maintaining healthy blood pressure, supporting the digestive system, assisting red blood cell formation, keeping eyes healthy, and more.

Bay leaf

The list of essential spices cannot be completed with bay leaves. It is extensively used to add flavour in various culinary dishes. Bay leaves are widely used in tea as well. Rich in iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin C, bay leaves promote general health.

Cardamom

One of the costliest spices of the list and for many reasons. Being a highly used spice in Indian kitchens, it is used to flavour various dishes and also has several health benefits. Some of the benefits of cardamom or elaichi include reducing blood pressure, improving digestive problems, and treating bad to name a few.

Turmeric Powder

The golden spice or turmeric or haldi is without a doubt a prime spice in Indian kitchens. It offers several benefits increasing the antioxidant capacity of the body, improving brain function, lowering the risk of heart disease, preventing cancer, and so on.

Coriander Powder

Coriander or dhaniya powder is an essential spice that is extensively used in Indian dishes. Some of the benefits coriander spice include improving digestion, aiding weight loss, and lowering cholesterol among several others.

All aforementioned spices are used in almost every Indian dish, be it veg or non-veg. Other than these spices, Indian kitchens have several special spices that are actually a combination of several other spices and are meant for special dishes. For instance, one can find Tata Sampann Chicken Masala in most Indian kitchens for many chicken recipes.