Spices And their Uses

 

A spice is any leaves, fruits, roots or other plant substance in a form primarily used for coloring and flavoring food. Spices are used in various forms such includes fresh, dried, chopped, crushed, ground.

Some Indian spices are following below:

Cardamom: Cardamom is an aromatic spice which include in ginger family. Originated from South Indian’s Western Ghats. It has a unique flavor and medicinal properties. The common variety are green cardamom, black cardamom. This is small type and small seeds in it. It is sweet in taste.

Uses: Used in desserts, breads, cakes for good flavor.  Also used in spicy curries, biryanis. Used in beverages like lassi. Sometimes blend it and add into masala powder.

Cumin: Cumin is made of seedlike fruits. They are thin, yellowish-brown in colour. It is cultivated in India and somewhere in China.  They contain 2.5 to 4.5 percent essential oil.

Uses: It is an essential ingredient in many dishes such as chutney and curry. Their aroma is very strong and heavy and taste is warm. Cumin is also used in medicines. It still has a medicinal importance in some places.

Clove: Clove is a dried form of flower buds of evergreen tree that is native in North Moluccas Islands in Indonesia. Cloves are one of the most flavored spices. The flavor of cloves mainly comes from the aromatic compound “eugenol”.

Uses: Cloves include as a Flavoring addition to curry, meat, stewed fruits, salads also. Cloves also used in tomato ketchup. Dried cloves are main ingredient in Indian chai. High quality cloves contain 15-20% essential oil.

Black pepper: Black pepper is a native to the Malabar Coast of India. It is widely used as a spice in all over the world. The black pepper plant is a woody climber. That plant has a bunch of small, rounded fruits which is green in colour. At maturity colour becomes yellowish red. Then they dried it and become a black pepper. Their odor is penetrating and aromatic and taste is hot and spicy.

Uses: This is used in spices so it also useful for preservative purpose. It is not only used in recipes but also used in health purposes medicines which include digestion and boosting the immune system. Black pepper oil is used for analgesic and inflammatory properties.

Bay leaves: Bay leaves are aromatic leaves of laurel tree which native to the Mediterranean region. They are stiff and can be bitter. Fresh bay leaves have a mild in flavor and dried leaves are more flavorful.

Uses:  They often used in their dried form and whole leaf form. They are used in cooking for flavoring rice, curry, soups, meats. It is best to remove the leaf before serving the dish. The powder of that leaves is use as a seasoning. Some research suggests benefits for conditions like diabetics and anti-inflammatory agent. The Scent of bay leaves is used as a natural insect repellent.

Ginger: Ginger is the underground stem of the plant which have a flower also. It is native of Asia. Spreading to Europe and the Americas. It has spicy, pungent flavor. It's colour is yellow-brownish.

Uses: Ginger is used as a spice. It flavored everything from baked goods and curries, pickles. It’s used to make ginger juice, beer and other drinks. Dried ginger powder used in Indian sweets.  Its medicinal uses are to treat nausea, motion sickness and morning sickness. It helps to reduce inflammation. Ginger is rich in antioxidants. It’s also used for condition like osteoarthritis, diabetes, menstrual cramps etc.

Star anise: It is the star shaped fruit of the Illicium verum tree. It is native to Southwestern China and Vietnam. It is dried, reddish-brown and each point contains a small seed. It is sweet, warm and licorice-like flavor.

Uses: Used in sweets like baking products cookies, cakes. Can be used in Beverages for flavor liquor like sambuca and some drink. The powder of Star anise is used in tea and some Indian recipes.

Which one spice is commonly use in your place, comment below.