List of Indian spices

Indian spices include a variety of spices grown across the Indian subcontinent. With different climates in different parts of the country, India produces a variety of spices, many of which are native to the subcontinent. Others were imported from similar climates and have since been cultivated locally for centuries. Pepper, turmeric, cardamom, and cumin are some examples of Indian spices.
Spices are used in different forms: whole, chopped, ground, roasted, sautéed, fried, and as a topping. They blend food to extract the nutrients and bind them in a palatable form. Some spices are added at the end as a flavouring — those are typically heated in a pan with ghee or cooking oil before being added to a dish. Lighter spices are added last, and spices with strong flavour should be added first. "Curry" refers to any dish in Indian cuisine that contains several spices blended together, whether dry or with a gravy base. However, it also refers to curry leaves, commonly used in South India.
Below is a list of spices and other flavouring substances commonly used in India.

Image	Standard English	Notes
	Alkanet root
	Amchoor	Raw unripe mango is sun-dried and then ground to fine powder.
	Asafoetida	Intensely aromatic - flavor profile sometimes compared to that of truffles and garlic. Used as a tempering spice.
	Bay leaf, Indian bay leaf	Both Indian bay leaf and bay leaf are similar and called Tejpatra or Tamalpatra in Hindi. However, they are from two different species and have differences in taste. Used as a tempering spice.
	Black cardamom	Very earthy and darkly aromatic. Often used in North Indian curries. Used as a tempering spice.
	Black peppercorns	Pepper may be used whole or ground in Indian cuisines. The largest producer is the southern Indian state of Kerala. Used as a tempering spice.
	Charoli	Also known as chironji, Cuddapah almond or almondette; a type of nut particularly used in making desserts.
	Capers	They are immature flower buds of Capparius spinosa, also known as caper berry.
	Capsicum or bell pepper
	Caraway seeds	Used as a tempering spice.
	Thymol/Carom seeds	Also known as bishop's weed, they are different from celery seeds and radhuni seeds Used as Tempering Spice.
	Cassia buds	Also known as Mesua ferrea; the unopened flowers of the cinnamon tree that are picked just before blooming and dried in the sun. Used in Ayurveda for treating fever, vomiting, UTIs, migraines, etc. Also used in Chyavanprash. Used as a tempering spice. Hindi:
	Char magaz	A mixture of four types of melon seed kernels.
	Cinnamon	Grown commercially in Kerala in southern India. Two types, cassia and royal. Used as a tempering spice.
	Citric acid
	Cloves	Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka are largest producers in India. Used as Tempering Spice.
	Coriander seed	Also used in powdered form. Used as a tempering spice.
	Cubeb or tailed pepper	Tastes of clove with added bitterness with a persistent mild numbing sensation
	Cumin seed	Used as a tempering spice.
	Cumin seed ground into balls
	Curry leaf	Foliage of the curry tree. Cannot retain flavour when dried. Only used fresh.
	Fennel seed	Used as natural mouth-freshener. Used as a tempering spice.
	Fenugreek leaf
	Dry Fenugreek leaves	It is rubbed gently in the palms of the hands and sprinkled over the cooked dish towards the end.
	Fenugreek seed	Used as a tempering spice.
	Garcinia gummi-gutta	Used in fish preparations in Kerala
	Garam masala	Blend of eight or more warming spices. Each family has its own recipe.
	Garcinia indica	Used mainly in Maharashtrian Konkan and Gujarati cuisine. It has a sour taste with a faintly sweet aroma.
	Garlic
	Ginger
	Dried ginger	Mostly powdered.
	Green cardamom	Malabar variety is native to Kerala. Used as a tempering spice.
	Green chili pepper
	Indian gooseberry	It is used in Chyavanprash.
	Inknut	Also called haritaki. Used in Ayurveda for treating chronic ulcer, diarrhea, dysentery and piles.
	Jakhya	Also called dog mustard or wild mustard. Used in Garhwali and Kumaoni styles of cuisines. Tasteless and odorless when uncooked; earthy and crunchy when crackled in oil.
	Black Stone Flower	It has a strong earthy aroma and a very dry, light fluffy texture and feel to it. It is widely used in Chettinad cuisine and to some extent in Hyderabadi and Marathi cuisine.
	Guizotia abyssinica
	Liquorice powder
	Mint leaves
	Rose petals
	Long pepper	Used in South Indian cuisines.
	Kaachri
	Mango extract
	Marathi moggu
	Yellow mustard seed	Used as a tempering spice.
	Brown mustard seed	Used as a tempering spice.
	Naagkeshar	Used in Maharashtrian cuisine as one of the ingredients of godaa masaalaa.
	Nigella seed	Gives smoky, nutty flavor; dry-roasted or used as a tempering spice
	Nutmeg
	Mace	Mace is the outer covering of nutmeg nut and has a similar aroma.
	Panch phoron	This is a Bengali spice mix that combines fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and nigella seeds. Used as tempering spices.
	Pomegranate seed	Dried and ground in the Middle East.
	Poppy seed	Very popular in West Bengal known posto, with no of Bengali cuisine, most popular Allu Posto
	Pandanus
	Radhuni Seeds/Wild celery	It is dried fruit of Trachyspermum roxburgianum. Mostly used in Bengali Cuisine.
	Red Chili Pepper	Bhut Jolokia. Kashmiri 'Mirch. Guntur Sannam. Jwala Chilli. Byadagi. Ramnad Mundu/Gundu. Dhani. Kanthari. Warangal Chappatta. Used as Tempering Spice.
	Saffron pulp	Actually, safflower concentrate.
	Saffron	World's most expensive spice. Used for flavouring rice & desserts.
	Sesame seed	Black Sesame seed White Sesame seed
	Star Anise	Exotic, Chinese-influenced flavours Used as Tempering Spice.
	Sichuan Pepper	Also known as Teppal/ Tirphal.
	Tamarind	Provides tartness in South Indian curries.
	Turmeric	It is used extensively in Indian cooking. It is also often used as a colourant. It has a warm, peppery taste with musky, earthy undertones. Raw Turmeric . Dry Turmeric. Ground Turmeric'.
	Gum Tragacanth	A thickener and coating for desserts
	White Peppercorns	Mostly used in white, cream based gravies/curries.