The Spice Route
Every spice has a journey
Long before there was a menu, spices travelled by boat, caravan and hand. Here are the ones we cook with, where they come from, how they taste and how Indian kitchens have used them for generations.
22 spices
Spice of the month
Garam masala
Garam means warm. Every family has its own blend, usually cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin, coriander and pepper, added at the end of cooking for aroma.
Taste it in
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Cumin
Cuminum cyminum
- Origin
- Eastern Mediterranean & India
- Taste
- Earthy, warm, nutty
Toasted whole in hot oil or ghee, cumin is the first sound and scent of countless Indian dishes. Its warm, nutty note is the backbone of dhal and many curries.
In our dishes
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Coriander
Coriandrum sativum
- Origin
- Mediterranean & West Asia
- Taste
- Citrusy, sweet, floral
The seeds are ground into almost every masala, while the fresh leaves finish dishes with brightness. One plant, two completely different flavours.
In our dishes
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Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
- Origin
- Mediterranean
- Taste
- Sweet, anise-like
In India, a small bowl of sugar-coated fennel seeds (mukhwas) is traditionally offered after a meal to freshen the palate. In the kitchen it softens rich sauces.
In our dishes
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Ajwain
Trachyspermum ammi
- Origin
- India & Persia
- Taste
- Thyme-like, sharp, peppery
A tiny seed with a bold aroma, close to thyme. Indian cooks traditionally add it to fried snacks and batters such as pakora and to hearty breads.
In our dishes
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Mustard seed
Brassica juncea
- Origin
- India & Himalayan foothills
- Taste
- Pungent, nutty when popped
Dropped into hot oil until they pop, black mustard seeds give South Indian and coastal dishes their signature nutty crackle. Mustard is a declared allergen.
In our dishes
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Fenugreek
Trigonella foenum-graecum
- Origin
- Mediterranean & South Asia
- Taste
- Bittersweet, maple-like
Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) crushed between the palms give butter chicken and makhni sauces their unmistakable aroma. The seeds add a gentle bitterness to pickles.
In our dishes
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Turmeric
Curcuma longa
- Origin
- South & Southeast Asia
- Taste
- Earthy, warm, slightly bitter
The golden root that colours dhal, rice and curries. In India it has been part of cooking, festivals and Ayurvedic tradition for thousands of years.
In our dishes
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Ginger
Zingiber officinale
- Origin
- Southeast Asia
- Taste
- Fresh, zesty, warming
Fresh ginger is crushed with garlic into the paste that starts most North Indian curries, and simmered into masala chai for its lively warmth.
In our dishes
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Garlic
Allium sativum
- Origin
- Central Asia
- Taste
- Pungent, sweet when cooked
Sizzled in ghee for a tarka or pounded with ginger into a paste, garlic gives Indian cooking its depth. Slow cooking turns its sharpness sweet.
In our dishes
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Chilli
Capsicum annuum
- Origin
- The Americas, via Portuguese traders
- Taste
- Hot, fruity
Chilli arrived in India with Portuguese ships in the 16th century and quickly became indispensable. We balance heat carefully and happily cook milder on request.
In our dishes
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Kashmiri chilli
Capsicum annuum
- Origin
- Kashmir, India
- Taste
- Mild, smoky, deep red
Famous for its vivid red colour and gentle heat, Kashmiri chilli gives tikka and tandoori marinades their colour without overwhelming spice. A spice from the valley of the shikara.
In our dishes
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Black pepper
Piper nigrum
- Origin
- Malabar Coast, Kerala
- Taste
- Sharp, woody, warm
Once so valuable it was called black gold, pepper drew traders to India's Malabar Coast for centuries. It was the heat of Indian cooking long before chilli arrived.
In our dishes
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Cardamom
Elettaria cardamomum
- Origin
- Western Ghats, South India
- Taste
- Floral, sweet, eucalyptus-fresh
The queen of spices and the soul of our chai. Green cardamom pods scent tea, biryani and sweets like gulab jamun. Kashmiri kahwa is unthinkable without it.
In our dishes
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Tamarind
Tamarindus indica
- Origin
- Tropical Africa, grown across India
- Taste
- Sour, fruity, tangy
The sticky pulp of the tamarind pod gives chutneys, chana masala and coastal curries their sweet and sour tang. Indian street food would not taste the same without it.
In our dishes
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Clove
Syzygium aromaticum
- Origin
- Maluku, the Spice Islands
- Taste
- Intense, sweet, warming
Cloves are dried flower buds. A few are enough to perfume a whole pot of biryani or basmati rice, and they belong in every garam masala.
In our dishes
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Saffron
Crocus sativus
- Origin
- Kashmir & Persia
- Taste
- Honeyed, floral, earthy
Hand-picked from crocus flowers, saffron is the most precious spice in the world. Kashmir has grown it for centuries, and it colours our biryanis and traditional kahwa.
In our dishes
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Cinnamon
Cinnamomum verum
- Origin
- Sri Lanka & South India
- Taste
- Sweet, woody, warm
The inner bark of the cinnamon tree, rolled into quills. It warms korma sauces and chai, and is one of the whole spices toasted at the start of a biryani.
In our dishes
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Curry leaf
Murraya koenigii
- Origin
- South India
- Taste
- Citrusy, nutty, aromatic
No relation to curry powder: these glossy leaves crackle in hot oil with mustard seeds and give South Indian and coconut curries their fresh, citrusy aroma.
In our dishes
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Mint
Mentha spicata
- Origin
- Mediterranean & Asia
- Taste
- Cool, fresh, bright
Fresh mint is blended into green chutney and cooling yoghurt dips and layered through biryani. It is the fresh counterpoint to warm spices.
In our dishes
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Spice of the month
Garam masala
- Origin
- North India
- Taste
- Warm, aromatic, rounded
Garam means warm. Every family has its own blend, usually cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin, coriander and pepper, added at the end of cooking for aroma.
In our dishes
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Chaat masala
- Origin
- Indian street stalls
- Taste
- Tangy, salty, fruity
The tangy, salty sprinkle of Indian street food, made with dried mango, cumin and black salt. It wakes up salads, fruit and our Bombay toasties.
In our dishes
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Pav bhaji masala
- Origin
- Mumbai
- Taste
- Spiced, tangy, warming
A special blend created for Mumbai's famous pav bhaji: coriander, cumin, fennel, chilli and dried mango, toasted and ground to give the mash its street-food character.
In our dishes
Every drink opens a petal
Join Lotus Club for free, collect petals with every chai or lassi, and your next drink is on us.