Sichuan is a very aromatic type of pepper.

Green Cardamon is sweet and aromatic in flavour and can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes.

The almond is regarded in India as a sign of affluence. It has many culinary uses.

Amchur is made from unripe green mangoes which are sliced and sun dried.

Asafoetida (Hing) is obtained from the roots of a perennial plant.Widely used in cooking and in medicine.

Atta (wholemeal flour) is ground on a stone to a very fine texture.  

Aubergine (brinjal) is commonly a  shiny purple-coloured fruit,

The Hindi word 'basmati' means fragrant, and refers to the nutlike flavour of this long grained rice.

The bottle gourd, also called bottle squash is a whitish green vegetable similar to courgette or marrow.

Cassava is a very starchy root vegetable which is eaten as a staple in many parts of India especially the south.

Cluster beans (Gypsy Beans) are widely grown all over India. They have a slightly bitter taste but are delicious when cooked.

A very versatile plant almost every part of the coconut has a use

Colcassia is a small round tuber. It has an interesting, nutty flavour

Coriander is India's most popular herb, and is well loved for its refreshing taste and unique aroma.

Used widely throughout India. A very important flavour in many dishes

The fruit, flowers and leaves are edible although only the fruit is sold in markets.

The taste of garlic is an irritant to some and emits a strong pungent smell

Melting butter in water until the water has evaporated makes ghee

Baby cucumbers eaten raw or cooked. Very popoular in India

Ginger is a perennial, horizontal and knotty root.

The green chilli is used by almost all Indians in many of their dishes

Mace and nutmeg are products of the same tree.

Kokum is made from dried mangosteen. This semi dried fruit is used as a souring agent often in fish curries. Very popular in the southern parts of India.

Mango is one of the oldest fruits cultivated in India.

One of the most popular vegetables in India.

Paneer ia a fresh cheese made form curds. Very popular with vegetarians.

It is said that Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian nation, used to eat groundnuts with goat’s milk every day.

Used widely in the preparation of Indian sweets

Plantain are used in curries or made into delicious fritters.

Kashmiri red chillies are famous for their caramel tones and mild flavour.

Ridgegourd (turia) is a very delicious vegetable popular all over India.

Rose water was first obtained by distilling roses in Persia

contian the same amount of protien as equal quantities of meat, fish or eggs.

Tamarind is used extensively in curries all over India as the pulp has a sweet sour taste.

These hair-like strands are made from wheat flour and are used in savoury and sweet dishes

The most well known use for urid dhal must be the pappadum!

Flour of the split  chick pea besan is used to prepare Bhajias.

Green gram is very rich in vitamins, iron and protein.

Only spilt red gram is used in the UK, it is possible to use them either dry or in a processed form which is lightly greased

Ajwain seed have a very strong smelll similar to thyme 

Aniseed is a liquorice-flavoured seed that is used in many fried and deep fried dishes as an aid to digestion.

Indian bay leaves (tejpatta) come from the cassia tree, which is similar to the tree from which cinnamon is taken.

Cinnamon (dalchini) is one of the earliest known spices,

Cloves (lavang) have an aromatic sometimes fiery flavour and an intense fragrance

Ready-ground cumin powder is widely available but it should be bought in small quantities as it looses its flavour rapidly.

These small oval seed have a pungent aniseed aroma.

They have a smoky well-balanced flavour

Similar in appearance to cumin, Fennel seeds have a sweet aniseed like taste

Fenugreek leaves are used in many curries as an alternative to spinach.

In India the seeds are fried in oil with cumin seed and curry leaves to temper vegetable and lentil dishes in their final cooking stage.

Coriander leaf is Indias most popular herb, and is well loved for its refreshing taste and unique aroma.

It is always fried or baked to extract its wonderful flavour.

Turmeric is obtained from the roots of a perennial plant. It is sold in fresh pieces or in powdered form.