Glossary

Adrak: One of the most popular spices in India and also one of yhe oldest, this is an important ingredient in many curries and can be bought in good supermarkets. It should always be peeled before use and can be pureed in a food processor. Dried powdered ginger is also useful to have in your larder.

Wholemeal flour (ata) also known as chapati flour, this may be bought at any Indian or Pakistan grocers shop. It is used to make chapatis, paratas and pooris. Ordinary wholemeal flour may also be used for Indian breads, very well sieved.

Gram flour (Besun) or channa dhal flour (lentil flour) is used to make pakoras and is also used to bind Kebabs and other items. A combination of gram flour and ordinary wholemeal flour makes a delicious Indian bread called besun ki roti.

Buna Channa: Dried roasted chick peas, bought in packets.

Channa dhal: Very similar in appearence to moong dhal- the yellow split peas- this lentil has slightly less shiny grains. It is used as a binding agent for kebabs and other dishes and may be bought from Indian or Pakistani grocers.

Dania patha: Coriander, fresh. This beautifully fragrant herb is used both in cooking and, finely chopped, sprinkled over dishes as a garnish.

Coriander seeds(Dania): This aromatic spice has a pungent, slightly lemony flavour. The seeds are used widely, either coarsely ground or powdered, in meat, fish and poultry dishes. The ground seeds, a brownish powder, are an important constituent of any mixture of curry spices.

Turmeric (haldi): This bright yellow, bitter tasting spice is sold ground. It is used mainly for colour rather than flavour.

Cumin(jeera): This musty smelling ground spice is used widely, especially for flavouring lentils and vegetable curries. Its flavour improves upon roasting or frying.

Kuskus (poppy seeds): These dried whole seeds are always better when roasted. They are used often whole, to flavour curries. Although they are from the opium poppy, they do not contain opium.

Kari patha (Curry leaves): Similar in appearence to bay leaves but very different in flavour, these can be bought both fresh(occasionally) and dried. They are used to flavour lentil dishes and vegetable curries.

Kalongi (onion seeds): Black in colour and triangular in shape, these are used for both pickles and vegetable curries.

Masoor Dhal: Small, round and pale orange, in colour, these split lentils, become pale yellow in colour when cooked. All supermarkets stock them, usually labled simply 'lentils'.

Fenugreek (methi): The flavour of the whole, dried, flat yellow seeds, a little bitter in taste, improves when they are lightly fried.

Fenugreek leaves (methi sag): Fresh fenugreek, sold in bunches, has very small leaves and is used to flavour both meat and vegetarian dishes.

Fennel seeds (Sonf): Very similar-looking to white cumin, these have a very sweet taste and are used to flavour certain curries. They can also be chewed (as betelnut and cardamom are) after a spicy meal.

Sesame seeds (Thil): Whole, flat, cream-coloured seeds, these are used to flavour some curries. When ground, they can be made into chutney.

Urrad dhal: Though very similar in shape and size to moong dhal, this dhal is white and little drier when cooked. It is popular amongst north Indians.