Indian Spices Starter Kit
Jyoti Gosavi (she/her) & Janhavi Gosavi (she/her)
So you want to get into authentic Indian cooking, but you have no idea where to start? Mum and I have got your back. We present to you our Indian spices starter kit. A breakdown of the pantry essentials you need to cook up a South Asian storm.
Investing in a wide array of spices may seem like a big commitment, but that’s exactly how Indian households function. We don’t buy small quantities of a certain spice for a specific dish. Instead, they are all available on hand as staples, and different combinations form the bases to most dishes.
We hope that by demystifying the world of spices, you will feel equipped to take on all sorts of Indian recipes. The following spices will form a strong and versatile foundation for Indian cooking. Once you get familiar with them, you can experiment with a wider variety to build your pantry around your personal taste.
Masala Dabba: Translating to “spice container”, the masala dabba is found in every Indian home and holds the most frequently used spices. Here are your go-to essentials:
Turmeric powder: colours your food with a beautiful yellow hue
Red chilli powder: the only ‘spicy’ spice in the dabba, it gives your food that beloved heat
Garam masala: translating to “warm spices”, it has a complex flavour because it is a mix of many different spices
Coriander & cumin powder: a convenient combination of roasted coriander and cumin
Cumin seeds: they have an earthy flavour when tempered in oil
Asafoetida powder (optional): this has a sulfuric smell and can taste bitter. While it is often found in masala dabbas, it is an acquired taste so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for beginners
For example, the spices you need temper in oil to make a basic daal are:
Turmeric
Chilli powder
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Black mustard seeds: these pop in the pan to release
their nutty flavour
Fresh Essentials:
Once you’ve assembled your basic dry masalas, it’s time to gather some fresh essentials. These add depth and elevate your dishes.
Ginger & garlic paste: found together in a jar, this is another convenient combination
Curry leaves: often used in daals, they add a subtle citrus-y flavour
Fresh coriander leaves: can be used to garnish Dishes
Fresh green chillies: another way to inject some heat into your food
Wattie’s Indian Style tomato cans: these tomatoes come pre-chopped and are already infused with Indian flavours. Trust me, this is a life hack my parents swear by.
Ready-Made Spice Mixes:
There’s a misconception that all Indian families cook everything from scratch, and that Indian food cannot be convenient. Mum uses these ready-made spice mixes all the time because they’re quick, easy, and they taste authentic. I recommend these mixes for students because they are very cheap and will taste infinitely better than any ready-made sauce from Countdown.
From meat dishes like chicken biryani and vindaloo, to vegetarian dishes like paneer kadai and pav bhaji, there’s a mix for everything. The instructions on the back are often in English and are super easy to follow, but you can use these mixes however you see fit.
Types of mixes: there are dry powders and wet pastes. Dry mixes can be used over a long period of time as they won’t spoil easily, and are mostly used for vegetable subzis. Wet mixes have a shorter life span once open and are mostly used for curries. If you’re a chai enthusiast, you can even find chai spice mixes to add to your tea when it’s boiling on the stove.
For example, you can use these fresh essentials to elevate your daal:
Green chillies (use instead of the chilli powder)
Ginger & garlic paste (add in the tempering stage)
Curry leaves (add in the tempering stage)
Canned tomatoes (to give your daal dimension once
spices are tempered)
Coriander (to garnish with before serving)
Aromatics:
If you want your masala collection to smell as good as it tastes, branch out and get your hands on some Aromatics.
Bay leaves
Whole green cardamom pods (for sweet dishes)
Whole black cardamom (for savoury dishes)
Cloves
Cinnamon sticks
Cooking meat: Mum needs you to understand it is crucial to marinate meat before you cook it. Combine the spice mix with some yoghurt, coat your meat with it, and leave it covered. Even half an hour makes a world of difference to the end result!
Mum’s favourite brands: for wet spice mixes, Mum recommends Mother’s Recipe and Rasoi Magic. For dry mixes, she recommends Shaan. These brands are readily available at most Indian spice stores, and their mixes are super affordable.
Where can I buy these spices?
Here are Mum’s top recommendations for spice stores in Wellington:
Yogiji’s Food Mart (Petone)
Manga The Foodstore (Newtown)
The Spice Rack (Petone)
Narayan Spices N Foods (Lower Hutt and
Newlands)
There are new Indian spice stores cropping up all over the city, so look up your nearest one for convenience. If you’re in a pinch, mainstream supermarkets also sell selected whole spices.
Pro tips:
Spices and mixes may have a heat level written on them: mild, medium, or hot. Buy spices that cater to your tolerance; e.g. instead of omitting chilli powder from a recipe completely, you can purchase a mild or medium chilli powder.
When in doubt, ask for help! The staff at the store will be happy to lend a hand, as will the experienced shoppers around you.