Just as India’s diverse culture, Indian cooking varies widely from region to region. The ingredients used in Indian Cooking are vast. A newly married Indian woman will often face a challenge when it comes to stocking a pantry with essential ingredients.
These are some of the essential ingredients needed for South Indian Cooking.
Spices Powders commonly used
- Turmeric Powder
- Red Chilly Powder
- Coriander Powder
- Cumin Powder (Jeera)
- Black Pepper Powder
- Garam Masala Powder
Spices Powders used sparingly
- Asfoetida
- Fenugreek Powder
- Fennel Seeds Powder
Whole Spices
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Star Anise
- Fennel Seeds
- Cumin
- Coriander Seeds
- Fenugreek Seeds
- Nutmeg
- Mace
- Mustard Seeds
- Whole Black Peppercorns
- Dried Red Chillies
- Bay Leaves
Lentils & Legumes
- Different Varieties of Dal like Moong dal, Masoor Dal, Toor Dal, Sambar Dal, Urad dal
- Black Chickpeas
- White Chickpeas (Kabuli Chana)
- Green Gram (Moong Beans)
- Red Beans
- Green Peas
- Peanuts
Different Types of Flour
- Rice Flour
- Whole Wheat Flour (Atta)
- Maida (Plain Flour)
- Chickpea Flour (Besan)
- Rava (Semolina)
Tea/Coffee
- Tea leaves or Tea dust (eg. Brooke Bond Red Label, Tajmahal, 3 Roses)
- Coffee Powder (eg. Brook Bond Bru Green Label)
- Instant Coffee (eg. Bru, Nescafe)
Fresh Herbs
- Curry Leaves
- Cilantro/Coriander Leaves
- Mint Leaves
Different Kinds of Rice
- Parboiled Rice (eg. Sona Masoori, Ponni Rice)
- Basmathi Rice (for making Biryani, Pulav, Fried Rice)
- Raw Rice (for making Idli, Dosa, Appam)
Fresh Ingredients
- Onion
- Shallots
- Ginger Garlic
- Green Chillies
- Coconut
Other Ingredients
- Oil
- Tamarind
- Sugar
- Salt
- Jaggery
- Pappadam
- Cashews
- Raisins
- Corn flour/starch
- Broken Wheat
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