What can I cook?The spice rackBeginner’s first 12SubstitutesSee all: SpicesAll blendsGaram masalaSambar powderSee all: BlendsWhat can I cook?Is my spice still good?DishesSee all: CookAll guidesRegional spice stylesStoring spicesSee all: Guides

Spices for South Indian cooking

By SpiceIndia editors · Updated · About SpiceIndia

1 About our shop links.

Murraya koenigii leaves - curry leaves
Photo: Sonja Pauen, CC BY 2.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

South Indian cooking leans on a crunchy, aromatic tempering and roasted spice powders. Stock these and you can make most everyday dishes.

The full list

Always first

Mustard seed

Rai, sarson

Must pop before anything else goes in.

Always fresh

Curry leaves

Kadi patta

Freeze sprigs to keep them for weeks.

For sourness

Tamarind

Imli

Soak and squeeze the pulp.

Tips from travellers

Use Spices for South Indian cooking differently at home? Share your tip. The first good one goes right here.

Share a tip

We read every tip before it goes live. No links, please, and nothing personal about other people.

Keep reading

The 10 essential Indian spicesThe ten spices that do most of the work in Indian cooking, what each one tastes like and the dishes…Warming spices in Indian cookingThe “garam” spices of Indian cooking: cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, dry ginger, nutmeg …Sour ingredients in Indian cookingHow Indian cooks add sourness without vinegar: amchur, tamarind, kokum, anardana and black salt, an…Homemade masala blends worth makingSeven Indian spice blends that taste far better homemade than shop-bought, from garam masala and sa…