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Warming spices in Indian cooking

By SpiceIndia editors · Updated · About SpiceIndia

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Cloves
Photo: Jorge Barrios, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In Indian kitchens some spices are thought of as warming, which is where garam masala gets its name. These are the ones used most in winter dishes, chai and festive cooking.

The full list

Chai and sweets

Green cardamom

Elaichi

The most fragrant of the warming spices.

Rice and meat

Cloves

Laung

Strong and numbing; use a few.

Rasam and pepper fry

Black pepper

Kali mirch

The original Indian heat.

Chai and Kashmiri cooking

Dry ginger

Saunth

Sharper than fresh ginger.

Mughlai gravies

Nutmeg

Jaiphal

Grate a little fresh.

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