The prowess of Indian spices needs no introduction but worldwide recognition is always a great idea! Earlier this week, ‘Garam Masala’, the much-loved Indian kitchen staple made it to the second position in the list of top 10 spices by TasteAtlas, which happens to be an experiential travel online guide for traditional food. The first position went to the Chilean staple spice Merquén which happens to be a traditional blend of smoked chilli pepper, salt, and coriander seeds.
All about Garam Masala
The Garam Masala spice is a staple in the Indian subcontinent and is used extensively not just in India, but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and thanks to Indian indentured labour, in some parts of the Caribbean as well. The mix, which literally translates to hot spice has up to 12-13 ingredients. The most common of these are cumin seeds, cloves, peppercorns, coriander seeds, black cardamoms, etc. The proportions of a garam masala recipe can differ in each household. Generally, the spices are lightly dry roasted, and then grounded. Some garam masala recipes can also have them be blended with water for a paste to be used fresh, while the dry powder can be kept for a long time.
Other Indian spice mixes you should try
Apart from India’s garam masala which made its way to the top 10 spices in the world, the cuisine is home to many other blends that are much loved and used every day in the household. These spice blends are made from different local spices, and are known to impart distinct regional flavours to the food.
1. Panch Phoron: Used extensively in the Eastern side of the country, in Bengali, Odia, and Assamese cuisine, Panch Phoron is a 5 whole spice mix. Panch phoron typically has mustard seeds or sarso, nigella seeds or kalonji, fenugreek seeds or methi, wild celery seeds or radhuni, and fennel seeds or sauf. This is generally in equal proportions but sometimes fenugreek seeds are used less because they can be bitter for some people.
2. Goda Masala: Goda or Kaala masala is another of the top 10 spices that you must know about if you like cooking. Based in Maharashtrian cuisine, this spice blend is made up of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, stone flower, coconut, sesame seeds and chillies. These whole spices are roasted and then powdered. This spice mix is used in many Maharashtrian dishes like Usal, Varan, etc.
3. Chettinad Masala: Chettinad masala is one of the best spice blends to have in your kitchen. This spice blend comes from the Chettinad cuisine in coastal Tamil Nadu and can be used in a variety of dishes, from stir fries to curries. This also has dry roasted spices like coriander seeds, cumin, carom, star anise, cardamom, cloves, fennel, mace, peppercorns, poppyseeds and fenugreek seeds ground into a fine powder.
Other mixes in the top 10 spices in the world
Cuisines world over have their own spice blends that make or break the dishes, and the list by Taste Atlas features many from across the world. The top spot went to Merquén from Chile which is made from chillies roasted over a wood fire, salt, and coriander seeds. It comes from the cuisine of the Mapuche of the Araucanía region of Chile but is used in other regions too.
Apart from these, here are the other spices that made it to the top 10 spices in the world list:
- Za'atar from the Levant: Coming from the Levant cuisine, this spice blend is made up of oregano, marjoram, thyme, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, salt, and most importantly sumac. It is used in dishes like Baba Ganoush, Hummus, and even with Pita bread and olive oil.
- Jerk Seasoning from Jamaica: Jerk is a style of cooking meat in Jamaica, and the seasoning used in that style is called Jerk Seasoning. The mix that has been included in the top 10 spices has onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne powder, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, etc.
- Shichimi Togarashi from Japan: This spice blend from Japan, that found its place on the list of top 10 spices in the world quite literally means 7 spice mix. It uses Japanese Sancho peppercorns, dried orange peel, red chilli flakes, black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, Nori roasted seaweed, ground ginger. This powder is used as a sprinkle, as well as a marinade.