herbs & spices

Do you know which exotic ingredients are used to flavour your favourite dishes?

Here we will take a look at some of the herbs and spices used by the chefs at Flame.

aniseed

Highly aromatic and has a sweetish scent and flavour. It is a medicinal plant that is used for curing colds, cough, sleeplessness, piles and stomach ache.

basil

Revered as a sacred herb in india. There are 40 varieties, but the most common is bush basil.

bay leaf

Mainly used in pulaos and a few curries.

cardamoms

Dried aromatic pods of plants containing small seeds, which have a pleasant aroma. Regarded as a cardiotonic and expectorant, the seeds can also be chewed as a breath freshener.

cinnamon

Dried bark of the cinnamon tree. It is moderately pungent and sweet in taste. It is a tonic as well as an antiseptic. It also helps to lower high blood pressure.

cloves

Powerful antiseptic and is used as an aromatic culinary spice. Indians valued cloves highly as a breath-freshener as well as a painkiller for toothache, long before clove oil became a popular remedy in the Western World.

cumin

Seed of an annual herb and is a member of the parsley family. It is used whole or in powder form

fennel

Aromatic seed that is mainly used in Kashmir! dishes

fenugreek

Seeds with a pleasantly bitter taste. Used copiously in pickle masalas. The green leaves are rich in iron, calcium and sulphur, and are extensively used in Indian cooking.

garam masala

A blend of spices, powdered and used for 'piping up' the curries. Added either after the curries are done or during the cooking process.

garlic

Valued for its flavour and ability to combine with other ingredients, this is regarded as a very good immune booster, and a powerful antibiotic as well as an aid to digestion.

ginger

Originated in India. A sovereign root to ward off colds and flu, and is effective against pain. Good for blood circulation and helps relieve any joint aches; also relieves sore throats and head colds, not to mention its aphrodisiac properties.

mace

Aril or inner coating of the nutmeg. It is scarlet in colour and its flavour resembles that of nutmeg. Its flakes are crushed and added to the masala powder.

nutmeg

Dried seed of an aromatic tree, mainly found in Kerela. It has a very strong flavour and is added with caution to curry powders.

saffron

Expensive and exotic pistil of a flower (grown in the Kashmir valley). This spice has a great reputation as a stimulant: it is very rejuvenating and is considered to be an aphrodisiac.

tamarind

A very good palate-enhancer, and excellent for digestion.

tumeric

Root of a plant, which is boiled, dried and powdered. It adds colour and flavour to the curries. This spice reduces fat, purifies and helps circulate blood, enhances body colour and is an effective antiseptic.

yoghurt

During the past few decades, the West has woken up to the excellent health qualities of yoghurt, but in India, yoghurt has been used for thousands of years in food and as a meat tenderiser. It helps lower cholesterol, prevents common digestive tract ailments, reduces hypertension and enhances the immune system.