The World Famous Traditional Indian Spices

India is a country with rich cultural heritage and it is a symbol of oneness in diversity. Since times immemorial, India has been known in the world for its beautiful traditions and its delicious food. The food items and recipes of this country are world famous due to the spices used in them. Indian spices not only add aroma and taste to the food, but possess certain medicinal values as well. Many Indian spices like celery, coriander, cumin, and mint have been proved to cure the diseases ranging from common cold and cough to cancerous tumors. Indian people can't even imagine their food without these spices. Besides India, spices are also produced in several other parts of the world, but those produced on the Indian land are totally incomparable in attributes. Nowadays, these spices are getting much fame in the west as well. Although all the Indian spices possess their own unique qualities, but some of them are comparatively much special and popular. So, let's get acquainted with some such spices:

1) Bishop's-Weed: Commonly known as Ajwain, bishop's-weed is widely used both in the food and the pharmaceutical industry. It is commonly used as a food preservative and looks like powder in appearance. It closely resembles cumin, but it is totally different in taste. This spice is considered good for digestion and that's why used in various pulses and vegetables that are heavy to digest. This spice is mainly found in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat in India.

2) Black Pepper: The Indian name of black pepper is Kali Mirch. It looks like a tiny, round shaped, and black colored ball with a coarse surface. Its other variants include white, green, and red pepper. It is actually the changed form of the fruit named, peppercorn. The black pepper plant requires moist and organically rich soil, hence it is primarily found in Kerala, which is a south Indian region.

3) Cardamom: It is well-known as Elaichi in the Indian subcontinent. This spice is extensively used in both Scandinavian and Indian cuisine for adding aroma and taste to various foods. It is also used for flavoring purpose in various beverages. The two varieties of this spice are green colored small sized cardamom, also known as true cardamom; and black colored big sized cardamom, also known as java cardamom. In India, the major quantities of this wonderful spice are found in the southern states.

4) Clove: Clove's Indian name is Laung, which closely resembles an iron nail. This spice is very aromatic and possesses amazing medicinal and therapeutic qualities. The clove tree belongs to the evergreen class of trees. This spice contains a good amount of oil, that's why it is also used for making oil. Clove also found its application in the fabrication of toiletries. Although clove is found in many parts of the world, but it had basically originated from India.

5) Coriander: Coriander, or Dhania in the Indian language, is very often used in the Indian cuisine. It is used in both fresh (leaves) form and dried form. Coriander adds aroma and flavor to the food items. It is mostly sprinkled in the raw form over some dishes, etc. to enhance their appearance and taste. Coriander is mainly found in the states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, in India.

6) Turmeric: Popular with the name Haldi in India, turmeric is a wonderful spice and an effective medicine. Turmeric belongs to the ginger family and it is a perennial plant, which has a long life. The two forms in which it is commonly used are solid and powdered. Besides adding taste, its main role in the food is to provide it a good color. This spice possesses the utility and value that are far beyond imagination. There is no denying the fact that if not more, it is deemed equally important in the pharmaceutical industry as in the food industry.

Spices are now no more a thing that is known to only Indian people, rather they are getting acclamation the world over. People at large are now understanding the significance of spices in food and medicine. This is providing a boost to the agricultural industry of India, which produces a significantly large part of the world spice production. If you want to know more interesting facts about the above-mentioned spices, and various other Indian spices, you should visit Spice Trade.