Know your Herbs and Spices

Curry Leaf

2009-08-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Curry leaves are highly aromatic and commonly used in Indian cuisine. It is also known as sweet neem leaves. It is widely used as seasoning in south India and to make chutneys and in curries.
It has lots of good medicinal properties.

Medicinal Use:

Regularly consuming curry leaves gives you healthy long hair
Helps prevent premature grey hair
Is an effective antioxidant
Helps prevent diabetes

Basil

2009-08-21T09:31:00.001-07:00

Basil is a widely used culinary herb is an important part of Italian cuisine. There are many varieties of basil including Sweet basil, Thai basil, Holy Basil and Lemon Basil. Each have a unique taste and aroma.

Medicinal Use:

Basil has antioxidant, antiviral and antimicrobial properties
Studies have shown that it has anti-cancer properties
Used in the treatment of stress
Provides relief from asthma
Can help prevent diabetes

Garlic

2009-08-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

Garlic has a characteristic pungent aroma and an uniquely intense flavor. It is widely used across the world in many cuisines as a seasoning and a condiment. It is used in making many sauces and curries.

Medicinal Use:

Has anti-bacterial antiviral, and antifungal properties
Helps lower cholesterol and fight heart disease
May help lower blood pressure
Aids digestion
Can help prevent cancer
Can help remedy fungal infections such as thrush
Can act as a decongestant and relieve common cold

Ginger

2009-08-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Ginger root is a tuber and has a strong aroma and flavor. It is widely used as a spice to add a fresh taste to many dishes and also in making teas.

Medicinal Use:

Mixed with honey, ginger helps cure coughs and relieve sore throat.
Stimulates digestion and help your appetite
Helps with morning sickness and nausea in pregnant women
Has antibacterial properties
Used to treat diarrhea
Promotes health of gallbladder
Relieves joint pain and arthritis
Has cholesterol lowering property
Helps boost metabolism and lose weight

Mustard Seeds

2009-08-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Mustard seeds is a round hard seed varying in colour from yellow, dark brown to black.
They have a pungent taste and is widely used in many cuisines. In most of the west the yellow mustard seeds and ground up and used as a condiment. In the east the dark brown and black varieties are used mainly in seasoning.

Medicinal Use:

Has anti-inflammatory effects
Has anti-cancer properties
Helps reduce the severity of asthma

Tulsi (Holy Basil)

2009-08-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

Tulsi is a strongly scented herb and is used for religious and medicinal purposes. It is widely known as a herbal remedy in most parts of south Asia. It is considered as a sacred plant in India and worshipped.

Tulsi has a strong aroma and an astringent taste.

Medicinal Use:

Provides relief from common cold and cough
Tulsi juice when applied to acne and scars is very effective in curing them.
Provides relief from headaches
Can cure stomach disorders and improve digestion
Has anti-inflammatory properties and can provide relief form pains and aches.
Believed to help maintain blood sugar levels and treat diabetes

Mint

2009-08-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Mint is a very aromatic and flavourful herb and is used widely used in cuisines all over the world. They add a fresh taste to add dish they are added to and makes them very refreshing. There are several different varieties of mint, the most commonly used ones being peppermint and spearmint. Both fresh and dried leaves are used in cooking.

Medicinal Use:

Widely used as a breath freshener
Treat Stomach Aches
Help whiten teeth
Provides relief from asthma
Help with many allergy conditions
Settles a nervous stomach
Soothes the digestive tract and helps digestion
Mint juices helps cure acne and fade scars
Mint tea is a strong diuretic and helps you lose water weight
Can help relive congestion caused by common cold
Can repel mosquitoes and some insects.

Cumin

2009-08-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Cumin seeds are used as a spice for their distinctive aroma and taste. It is used in making garam masala

Medicinal Use:

Helps reduce nausea in pregnancy and morning sickness
Helps increase milk production and aids lactation
Helps with indigestion and cure diarrhoea

Used In:

Sauces and Curries
Garam Masala
Rasam

Turmeric

2009-08-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Turmeric is one of the key ingredients in many curries providing them both color and flavor. It is also widely known and used for its medicinal properties

Medicinal Use:

Has strong anti-bacterial properties
It is a natural antiseptic and is used to treat cuts and burns.
Delay/Prevent Alzheimer's disease
Blood purifier
Used as a stomach tonic
Treat common cold and cough

Tamarind

2009-08-20T12:02:00.001-07:00

Tamarind is an edible fruit pulp and is used commonly in Indian cooking for its tangy acidic taste.

Medicinal Use:

Tamarind has been found to be helpful for healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels

Saffron

2009-08-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

Saffron is a the stigma of a flower and is used for its unique flavor in lots of cuisines. It is a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus. The stigmas of the flower are dried and used in cooking as a seasoning and colouring agent. It is the reason for the unique flavor and rich color in lot of sauces. Saffron is the world's most expensive spice by weight.

Medicinal Use:

Saffron has a substance which is believed to help boost the mood.
Saffron has having anti-carcinogenic or cancer preventing properties.
Helps purify blood
Usually given to pregnant women in India during pregnancy for a healthy baby. A pinch is added to warm milk before bed.

Black Pepper

2009-08-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

Black pepper is produced from the still-green unripe berries of the pepper plant and is is the most popular and widely used spice in the world. It is used to season all kinds of savory dishes.

Medicinal Use:

Stimulates taste buds and helps improve digestion
Has antioxidant and antibacterial effects
Helps relieve constipation, diarrhea and indigestion.
Provides remedy for ear and tooth aches
Provides Joint Pain relief
Remedies insomnia.

Nutmeg

2009-08-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

Nutmeg is an egg shaped seed used in many cuisines for its sweet and delicate flavor and taste. Actually there are two spices from the nutmeg tree, nutmeg and mace. Nutmeg and mace have similar taste qualities, nutmeg having a slightly sweeter and mace a more delicate flavour. Both are used in small quantities in to add a unique aroma and flavor to dishes.

Medicinal Use:

Nutmeg provides joint inflammation relief
Helps with toothaches
Helps relieve upset stomach and stomach aches.
A pinch of mace added to warm milk before bed can help with insomnia

Used In:

Sweets and Desserts
Used when cooking green leafy vegetables
Garam Masala
Indian sauces and gravies

Fenugreek

2009-08-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

Fenugreek leaves are used as a herb and the seeds as a spice. It has lot of healing properties and helps cool your body.

Medicinal Use:

Fenugreek Seeds are used to increase milk supply in lactating mothers
Acts as a digestive aid
Helps relieve lung congestion
Reduces inflammation and fights infection.
Believed to treat sinus

Used In:

Can be made into a tea
Pickles
Sauces

Fennel

2009-08-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

Fennel seeds is a commonly used spice in cooking for its sweet aroma and flavor. Dried fennel seeds are also a main ingredient is lots of sauces.

Medicinal Use:

Aids lactation and increases milk supply in nursing mothers
Helps with and breath
Provides relief from stomach problems

Used In:

Sauces and Gravies
Garam Masala
Flavor Rice dishes.

Coriander

2009-08-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Coriander is a spice and the plant which is a herb is also known as Cilantro. Both the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are used in cooking. Coriander is a key spice in garam masala and Indian curries.

Medicinal Use:

Provides relief from anxiety and insomnia

Used In:

Curries
Leaves used in Chutney
Cilantro leaves used as a herb to flavor all kinds of dishes mainly in Indian and Mexican cuisines.

Cloves

2009-08-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

Clove is a spice which has a warm, sweet and aromatic taste and has natural oils which make it rich in nutrition and flavor. Cloves can be used in cooking either whole or in a ground form. They are extremely strong and should be used sparingly.

Medicinal use:

Anti-fungal
Antimicrobial
Has antiseptic properties
Helps relieve tooth ache
Help in the prevention of toxicity from environmental pollutants

Used In:

Dessert
Flavor sauces, kuruma and curries,
Flavor rice dishes like briyani

Cinnamon

2009-08-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon is a spice that contains an aromatic essential oil and is widely used as a spice cooking. It is used as a condiment and flavouring material.

Medicinal Use:

Helps maintain blood sugar levels
Cinnamon has anti-clotting and anti-microbial properties

Used in:

Desserts
Kuruma
Briyani
Flavor rice dishes

Cardamom

2009-08-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

Cardamom is a spice which has a strong and unique aroma and taste and is used extensively in Indian Cooking. Because of its intense flavor and smell a small amount goes a long way.

Medicinal Use:

Can be used to provide relief from common cold.

Avoid Bad breath

Used In:

Desserts

Sweets

Kuruma

Briyani

Flavor in rice dishes

Flavor Tea/Chai

Bay Leaf

2009-08-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

Bay leaves is a herb which has a distinctive flavor and fragrance and is used in cooking to bring together other flavors and add richness to a dish.

Used In:

Kuruma
Briyani
To flavor rice dishes

Asafoetida (Hing)

2009-08-19T12:36:00.000-07:00

Asafoetida is a spice which has a very strong flavour and odor and usually only added as a small pinch to some Indian foods. It is usually sold in powder form and is sprinkled into food.

Medicinal Use
Helps with Digestion and it is believed to eliminate stagnant waste from the intestinal tract.

Used In:

Sambhar and Rasam
Fried Foods
Pickles
Tamarind Rice
Tamarind Gravies and Kolambu

Chilli

2009-08-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

Chili peppers are rich in vitamin C and are believed to have many beneficial effects on health.
Chili has an important part in Indian cooking because it is an important part of the curry mix.