Spices & Condiments
Indian spices include a variety of spices grown across the Indian subcontinent (a sub-region of South Asia). With different climates in different parts of the country, India produces a variety of spices, many of which are native to the subcontinent. Others were imported from similar climates and have since been cultivated locally for centuries. Pepper, turmeric, cardamom, and cumin are some examples of Indian spices. Spices are used in different forms: whole, chopped, ground, roasted, sautéed, fried, and as a topping. They blend food to extract the nutrients and bind them in a palatable form. Some spices are added at the end as a flavouring — those are typically heated in a pan with ghee (Indian clarified butter) or cooking oil before being added to a dish. Lighter spices are added last, and spices with strong flavour should be added first. "Curry" refers to any dish in Indian cuisine that contains several spices blended together, whether dry or with a gravy base. However, it also refers to curry leaves, commonly used in South India.
Properties of Some Spices
| Spice | Medicinal properties |
| Allspice | Stimulant, digestive, carminative, anodyne against rheumatism & neuralgia |
| Aniseed | mild expectorant, stimulating, carminative, diuretic, diaphoretic, in asthma powders, in veterinary medicine. |
| Basil | Stomachic, anthelmintic, diaphoretic, expectorant, antipyretic, carminative, stimulant, diuretic, demulcent,in skin diseases, asthma, opthalmia. |
| Bay leaves (laurel | Stimulant in sprains, narcotic & in veterinary medicine |
| Bishop’s weed | Digestive, antispasmodic, stimulant, carminative, expectorant. |
| Caper | Diuretic, aspirant, expectorant, emmenagogue, tonic & in scurvy, rheumatism, gout, afflictions of liver and spleen. |
| Capsicum | Digestive, thermogenic, carminative, stimulant, cardiotonic, antipyretic, serdorific, rubefacient & sialagogue. |
| Caraway | Stomachic, carminative, anthemintic, lactagogue, adjuvant/ corrective for nauseating & griping effects of medicines. |
| Cardamom (small) | Stimulant, tonic, diuretic, carminative, digestive, expectorant, cardiotonic & used in several pharmaceutical preparations. |
| Cardamom (large) | Hypnotic, appetizer, astringent to bowels, tonic to heart and liver. |
| Cambodge | Astringent, digestive, thermogenic, constipating, used in haemorrhoids, diarrhea, & to control obesity. |
| Cassia | Astringent, stimulant, carminative, germicidal & for checking nausea & vomiting |
| Celery | Stimulant, tonic, diuretic, carminative, emmenagogue, anti-inflammatory |
| Cinnamon | Astringent, diuretic, carminative, aphrodisiac, deodorant, expectorant, febrifuge, stomachic. |
| Clove | Refrigerant, ophthalmic, digestive, carminative, stomachic, stimulant, antispasmodic, antibacterial, expectorant, rubefacient,Aphrodisiac, appetizer, emollient. |
| Coriander | Carminative, diuretic, tonic, stimulant, stomachic, refrigerant, aphrodisiac, analgesic, anti-inflammatory |
| Cumin | Digestive, carminative, astringent, anti-inflammatory, constipating, diuretic, revulsive, galactogogue, uterine & nerve stimulant. |
| Curry leaf | Astringent, anthelmintic, febrifuge, stomachic, appetizing, carminative, constipating, anti inflammatory, antiseptic, used in skin diseases, in diarrhea, ulcers. |
| Dill | Carminative, stomachic, antipyretic. |
| Fennel | Stimulant, carminative, stomachic, emmenagogue, refrigerant, cardiac stimulant, antiemetic, aphrodisiac, anthelmintic |
| Fenugreek | Carminative, tonic, aphrodisiac, emollient, antibacterial, used in vomiting, fever, anorexia, colonitis |
| Garlic | Anticholestrol, antifungal, tonic, rubefacient, stimulant, thermogenic, aphrodisiac, used in cough, asthma, cardiopathy. |
| Ginger | Digestive, carminative, emollient, appetizer, stomachic, rubefacient, anodyne, expectorant, anthelmintic, stimulant. |
| Greater galanga | Carminative, expectorant, digestive, vulnerary, febrifuge, stimulant, depurative, used in skin diseases, rheumatism, asthma, wounds, fever, haemorrhoids. |
| Horse radish | Thermogenic, appetizing, digestive, stomachic, laxative, anti inflammatory, anodyne, refreshing, antibacterial. |
| Hyssop | Stimulant, carminative, pectoral, used in nervous disorders, toothache, pulmonary & uterine troubles. |
| Juniper Berry | Carminative, stimulant, diuretic, useful in dropsy, leucorrhoea, urino genital disorders. |
| Kokam | Cooling, anthelmintic, cardiotonic, astringent, emollient, useful in piles, dysentery, heart complaints, bilious affections. |
| Mace | cooling, febrifuge, expectorant. |
| Marjoram | Carminative, expectorant, tonic, astringent |
| Mint | Stimulant, stomachic, carminative, antiseptic, digestive, antispasmodic, contraceptive, used in vomiting, skin diseases, Amenorrhoea, dental caries. |
| Mustard | Thermogenic, anodyne, anti inflammatory, carminative, digestive, anthelmintic, sudorphic, tonic, emetic, used in vomiting, abdominal colic, dyspepsia, flatulence, skin diseases. |
| Nutmeg | Astringent, sweet, thermogenic, aphrodisiac, anti inflammatory, anodyne,deodorant, digestive, expectorant, narcotic, anticonvulsant, antiseptic, constipating. |
| Oregano | Stimulant, carminative, stomachic, diuretic, diaphoretic and emmenagogue |
| Parsley | Stimulant, diuretic, carminative, emmenagogue, antipyretic, anti inflammatory, emetic, aphrodisiac, alexipharmic, refrigerant. |
| Pepper | Anthelmintic, carminative, alterant, antiperiodic, diuretic, digestive, emmenagogue, rubefacient, stimulant, stomachic, used in fever, asthma, cough, dyspepsia, flatulence, arthritis. |
| Pepper long | Expectorant, thermogenic, diuretic, tonic, purgative, stomachic, digestive, emollient, antiseptic, used in bronchitis, fever, asthma. |
| Pomegranate | Astringent, cooling, tonic, aphrodisiac, laxative, diuretic, cardiotonic, used in pectoral diseases, dysentery, diarrhea, vomiting. |
| Poppy seeds | Expectorant, sudorfic, sedative, nervine tonic, constipating, aphrodisiac, used in internal haemorrhages, diarrhoea, dysentery. |
| Rosemary | Astringent, nervine tonic, stomachic, antibacterial, protistocidal, rubefacient, used in head aches and hardy menstruation. |
| Saffron | Stimulant, tonic, stomachic, aphrodisiac, anodyne, anti spasmodic, emmenagogue, diuretic, laxative, used in bronchitis, fever, epilepsy, skin diseases, decolouration of skin. |
| Sage | Mild tonic, astringent, carminative, deodorant, insecticidal,, antipyretic, used in gingivitis, dentifice, mouthwash, gargles. |
| Savory | Antispasmodic, antiatarrhal, astringent, carminative, laxative, diuretic, stomachic, sudorfic, vermifuge. |
| Star anise | Astringent, carminative, deodorant, expectorant, digestive. |
| Sweet flag | Thermogenic, constipating, emmenagogue, intellect promoting, emetic, carminative, stomachic, expectorant, sudorfic, antipyretic, resusticative, tranquilising, sedative, nervine tonic. |
| Tamarind | Refrigerant, digestive, carminative, laxative, antiscerbutic, febrifuge, ophthalmic useful in gastropathy, datura poisoning, alcoholic intoxication, scabies, constipation. |
| Tarragon | Aperient, stomachic, stimulant, febrifuge |
| Tejpat | Carminative, used in colic, diarrhoea. |
| Thyme | Antispasmodic, carminative, emmenagogue, anthelmintic, spasmodic, laxative, stomachic, tonic, vermifuge |
| Turmeric | Thermogenic, emollient, anodyne, anti inflammatory, vulnerary, depurative, antiseptic, appetizer, carminative, expectorant, stomachic, anthelmintic, stimulant, ophthalmic, tonic, used in skin diseases, dyspepsia, asthma, cough, bronchitis, inflammations, ulcers, worms, skin discolouration. |
| Vanilla | Aphrodisiac |