Indian Spice List Translation: English and Hindi

When many people think of spices, they inevitably think of India. Walk into any Indian restaurant and you will smell the wonderful aroma of spices being prepared and cooked in the kitchen. The same holds true if you are lucky enough to visit a traditional Indian home kitchen and have a home-cooked meal.

Probably more than any other cuisine, Indian cooking calls for the extensive use of many wonderful spices, from cloves, to cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. The proper use and balance of these aromatic spices is what makes Indian food so tasty and unique.

Here are some facts about Indian spices that are fascinating:

• The ISO (International Organization of Standardization) lists a total of 109 spices that are used in the world, and India produces at least 75 of them.

• India is the largest user, producer, and exporter of spices in the world.

• The global spice market is worth $15 billion and India’s share is worth a whopping $5 billion.

• India produces 30% of the world’s pepper, 35% of the world’s ginger, and 90% of the world’s turmeric.

• Kerala is the state in India that produces the most spices of any Indian state

• On 20th of May, 1498 is when the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed in India and that marked the beginning of the formal spice trade.

• Spices were highly sought after and many wars and battles were fought over them.

• Pepper has been used for over 4000 years and was so valuable that it was referred to as Black Gold and often used as a form of currency and payment.

• Pepper is the most used spice in the world.

• Many people know that saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. But cardamom is also one of the most expensive.

• In the 17th and 18th centuries in Britain, cloves were worth their weight in gold because they were so sought after.

• Chilies, garlic, turmeric, and ginger are the most grown spices in India.

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