Blog Post 15 — Spices (Part 2)
This is Part 1 out of 5 in a series that I am doing about spices. As more parts come out, they will be linked in the article. I hope that you enjoy this series!
Part 1 (Cumin and Mustard Seeds)
Part 3 (Black Pepper and Coriander Powder)
Part 4 (Garam Masala and Asafoetida)
Spice №3: Turmeric
Turmeric is known as one of the most iconic spices, due to its vibrant yellow color which provides a strong color to dishes. Recently, turmeric has entered the mainstream, with things such as golden milk and turmeric laden dishes taking over our Instagram feeds. However, turmeric has been used in Indian cooking for centuries, both flavoring and coloring our food. Turmeric originated in India and soon spread across other countries, reaching China, West Africa, and East Africa. Marco Polo wrote about it in his travels, describing it as a vegetable similar to saffron.
In Hindi, turmeric is oftentimes referred to as haldi and is used to provide flavor and color to a wide variety of dishes, including curries, pickles, dairy products, desserts, and much more. Generally, when a dish is any share of yellow, you will find turmeric in it. Turmeric has an earthy, and mildly bitter taste, and can be found in powder form — the much more usable and common type, or as a rhizome — the horizontal underground stem of a plant. This rhizome is generally only used to produce the powder, which can be sold commercially, however, you can also buy the rhizome is you so desire.
Turmeric is marketed as having many different ayurvedic properties, which can be attributed to tracing back its origin to being seen in Vedic scriptures. The curcuminoid which provides these theoretical medicinal properties is known as curcumin, which can be found in turmeric, and on its own. Its main purpose is to act as an anti-inflammatory, along with being an antioxidant, but these claims aren’t substantiated with evidence yet. Also, it is thought to aid with detoxification of the liver and digestion, to name a few other possibilities
Spice №4: Chili Powder
Chili powder is essential for any aspiring Indian chef — it gives that signature punch of heat that Indian food has become renowned for, and it’s red color, similar to turmeric, provides a stark contrast to other spices that would normally be found. Chili peppers are native to South America but were brought to India by Vasco de Gama and other Portuguese colonizers. Soon, these seeds started to be cultivated in India, and today, India is the largest producer of these chili peppers in the world. There are many different types of chili peppers grown in India, such as bhut jolokia, Kashmiri chili, and Guntur chili.
Along with chili powder from red chili peppers, sometimes dried red chili peppers and fresh green chili peppers are used in Indian cooking. These spices are used wherever heat is necessary — in curries, rasam, sambar, meat, etc. If you don’t have chili powder from Indian chilies, oftentimes, people will use cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, or other alternatives — this won’t provide the same flavor but will provide the necessary heat to a dish.
In the context of Ayurveda, chili powders can have different advantages. Chili powder is believed to allow for the release of hydrochloric acid, improving digestion and the breakdown of food. Furthermore, ulcers can be cured through the consumption of these peppers. Finally, the circulatory system is thought to greatly improve almost immediately after the consumption of these peppers.
