You don't need forty jars. These fourteen cover most South Asian and Afghan home cooking. Names in brackets are the ones you'll often see on the packet.
The fourteen
| Spice | What it does |
|---|---|
| Cumin seeds (zeera) | Fried in hot oil at the start of dal, rice and curries. Earthy and warm. |
| Ground cumin | For marinades, kebabs and raita, where you can't fry whole seeds. |
| Coriander seeds (dhania) | Toast and crush them for chapli kebab and karahi. Citrusy and nutty. |
| Ground coriander | The base of most curry powders. Thickens and rounds out a sauce. |
| Turmeric (haldi) | Colour and a gentle bitterness. A little goes a long way. |
| Kashmiri chilli powder | Mild, with a deep red colour. Use it for colour without too much heat. |
| Crushed chilli flakes | Heat you can see. Essential in karahi and chapli kebab. |
| Black peppercorns | Crush them fresh. The main heat in Afghan cooking and in karahi. |
| Green cardamom (elaichi) | Floral and sweet. For pulao, biryani, korma, tea and desserts. |
| Cloves (laung) | Strong and warming. Two or three in a pot of rice is enough. |
| Cinnamon or cassia (dalchini) | Sweet warmth for rice, slow-cooked lamb and garam masala. |
| Bay leaves (tej patta) | Into the oil with whole spices for rice and stews. |
| Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) | Rub between your palms over a dish at the end. Gives that takeaway flavour. |
| Garam masala | A blend of warm spices, added near the end of cooking. Recipe below. |
Nice to have next
Black cardamom for smoky pulao and nihari. Nigella seeds (kalonji) for naan and pickles. Ajwain for pakora and paratha. Fennel seeds for Kashmiri dishes. Dried pomegranate seeds (anardana) for chapli kebab and chutneys. Saffron for special-occasion rice.
Whole or ground?
Whole spices keep their flavour far longer. Toast whole seeds in a dry pan over a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until they smell fragrant and darken slightly, then grind them. The difference in flavour is big.
Buy small packs of the spices you rarely use and bigger packs of the everyday ones like cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli.
Keeping spices fresh
- Airtight jars, away from the cooker, the window and the kettle. Heat, light and steam all fade spices.
- Ground spices are at their best for about 6 months. Whole spices keep well for 1 to 2 years.
- Not sure? Rub a pinch between your fingers. If you can barely smell it, it won't add much flavour.
Grind your own garam masala
Makes a small jar. Use within about 3 months.
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks, about 5cm each, broken up
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 2 bay leaves
- Toast everything in a dry frying pan over a low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan, until fragrant.
- Tip onto a plate and leave to cool completely.
- Grind to a fine powder in a spice or coffee grinder and store in an airtight jar.
Afghan cooks often use char masala instead, a simpler mix of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and black pepper, sometimes with cumin. It's what flavours Kabuli pulao.