Spice guide
Learn about Indian spices, then buy 100g or 25kg. Culinary facts and traditional use are separated from scientific evidence.
Each guide covers English and Hindi names, botanical name when it is useful, growing regions, how the spice is used in Indian cooking, and what to check on a pack (whole vs ground, heat vs colour for chilli, freshness for seeds).
We do not treat turmeric as medicine, cumin as a cure, or saffron as a supplement. Traditional kitchen use is described as cooking. If a health claim needs a clinical source we do not have, it stays off the page.
Start with cumin, turmeric, coriander, chilli, mustard, fenugreek, cardamom, clove, cinnamon/cassia and black pepper — then open comparisons when two spices are confused in UK shops (cumin vs caraway, cassia vs cinnamon).
Cumin
Cuminum cyminum
Black cumin
Bunium persicum
Turmeric
Curcuma longa
Black pepper
Piper nigrum
Green cardamom
Elettaria cardamomum
Black cardamom
Amomum subulatum
Coriander
Coriandrum sativum
Kashmiri chilli
Capsicum annuum
Fenugreek
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Clove
Syzygium aromaticum
Cassia
Cinnamomum cassia
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)
Cinnamomum verum
Saffron
Crocus sativus
Fennel seed
Foeniculum vulgare
Mustard seed
Brassica juncea / Brassica nigra / Sinapis alba
Nigella
Nigella sativa
Ajwain
Trachyspermum ammi
Star anise
Illicium verum
Indian bay leaf
Cinnamomum tamala
Mace
Myristica fragrans (aril)
Nutmeg
Myristica fragrans
Dried ginger
Zingiber officinale
Dried galangal
Alpinia galanga
Asafoetida
Ferula assa-foetida
Amchur
Mangifera indica (dried unripe mango)
Tamarind
Tamarindus indica
Long pepper
Piper longum
Cubeb
Piper cubeba
White poppy seed
Papaver somniferum (culinary seed)
Sesame seed
Sesamum indicum
Anise seed
Pimpinella anisum
Caraway
Carum carvi
Dill seed
Anethum graveolens
Celery seed
Apium graveolens
Dried curry leaf
Murraya koenigii
Dried mint
Mentha spp.
Dried garlic
Allium sativum
Kokum
Garcinia indica
White pepper
Piper nigrum (decorticated)
Dried red chilli (generic Indian)
Capsicum annuum / Capsicum frutescens
Byadgi chilli
Capsicum annuum
Guntur Sannam chilli
Capsicum annuum
Guntur Teja chilli
Capsicum annuum
S4 chilli
Capsicum annuum
S10 chilli
Capsicum annuum
Resham Patti chilli
Capsicum annuum
Mathania chilli
Capsicum annuum
Jwala chilli
Capsicum annuum
Sankeshwari chilli
Capsicum annuum
Mundu chilli
Capsicum annuum
Ramnad Mundu chilli
Capsicum annuum
Kanthari chilli
Capsicum annuum
Bhut Jolokia
Capsicum annuum
Boria chilli
Capsicum annuum
Dhani chilli
Capsicum annuum
Salem chilli
Capsicum annuum
Wonder Hot chilli
Capsicum annuum
Longi chilli
Capsicum annuum
Tomato chilli
Capsicum annuum
Round chilli
Capsicum annuum
Garam Masala
Chaat Masala
Biryani Masala
Tandoori Masala
Chicken Masala
Meat Masala
Fish Masala
Curry Masala
Kitchen King
Chole Masala
Rajma Masala
Pav Bhaji Masala
Sambar Masala
Rasam Powder
Madras Curry Powder
Vindaloo Masala
Korma Masala
Butter Chicken Masala
Tikka Masala
Chettinad Masala
Goda Masala
Kolhapuri Masala
Malvani Masala
Panch Phoron
Pickle Masala
Tea Masala
Dried fenugreek leaves
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Dried coriander leaves
Coriandrum sativum
