Knowing the Indian Cuisine: Popularly Used South Indian Spices

India, a country with its diverse culture, is the home of many tasty, spicy, and flavourful cuisines. 

No matter which Indian restaurant you visit, in India or abroad, you will always find spices being used as an important ingredient in every dish. Usage of flavourful and herbal spices is very common and necessary. India has a variety of dishes, from subtle flavoured to heavily spiced, from tangy to sweet and from vegetarian meals to non-vegetarian. Today we are going deeper into the spice usage of South India and if you’re here to learn and even make use of these spices, we have curated an amazing list of the most commonly used spices in South India. 

These spices are used by restaurants, like Dosa and More, one of the best places to get Indian food in Berlin. Dosa and More is an authentic Indian restaurant serving premium quality, healthy and nutritious meals at pocket friendly prices. 

Some of the most popularly used spices in south India are:-

1.      Nutmeg – Used as an essential oil, spice, and butter, nutmeg comes from the seed of the Myristica Fragrans tree. This spice is used to flavour many dishes, be they sweet or spicy. It is delicious and packs many health benefits such as being rich in antioxidants and can even help reduce signs of cancer, heart diseases, and liver diseases. Nutmeg is even added to coffee. Nutmeg adds its flavour to many different dishes such as – Biryani, Vangi bath, Dosa, Puliyogare, and Many other tasty dishes.

2.      Cardamom – A spice made from several different plants, Native in tropical and subtropical Asia. Cardamon is famous for its strong and unique taste, with an intensely aromatic fragrance, which added its flavours to sweet and savoury dishes. Rich in Vitamin C magnesium and Potassium, this spice is one of the common ingredients in Indian dishes, Cardamon finds its usage in famous south Indian Dishes too. One of the most expensive spices in the world by weight it is used in Moong Dal payasam, Mirchi ka Salan, Bread Upma, Tomato curry, and even in Coconut milk pulao.

3.      Tamarind – A tree prized for its beauty and fruit, produces a Bean like pod fruit. This contains a very sour pulp, which gets very sweet when ripened. The fruit is eaten raw and is also used heavily in cooking. Containing health-boosting benefits, Tamarind Is an excellent source of magnesium. It is a must-have for making different sauces or Chatni as a side for main dishes. Sometimes even added to the main dishes for that extra sweetness. Tamarind Paste is widely used and can be made Sweet or sour. Whatever your taste buds need.

4.      Red Chilli – This is the must-have for every Indian kitchen, as Red chilli is used in side dishes, main dishes, sauces, and everything and anything. And if you have an eye for spicy and tasty foods, you must have come across this flavourful spice. This spice can reduce heart diseases, and even can help you in your weight loss. Also rich in Vitamin A and Iron Every famous Dish has Red chilli as an ingredient. It even helps in digestion, maintaining blood pressure, and Inflammation. 

5.      Black Pepper – This Spice is derived from a fruit that is dried and then used as a spice. Black pepper is very rich in antioxidants and is said to even have some cancer fighting properties. And it has derived its name from the Sanskrit word Pippali, which means Black Gold. It is the go-to spice for adding flavour to any dish and is also most commonly used in South Indian dishes like – Black pepper chicken curry, Pepper paneer, Dry pepper chicken, and Chicken Chettinad.

6.      Clove – A tree native to Indonesia, of which the leaves are dried and then used as a spice. This spice was also used in making Chinese and Ayurveda medicines. Also a home remedy for toothache, hangover, and dental plaque, this spice is tasty, aromatic, and full of health benefits. It is used in almost all the South Indian dishes, but also dominantly in Chicken curry, and Clove tea.

7.      Cassia (or Cinnamon) – Extracted from the bark of a cinnamon tree, this spice is used for sprinkling on toast and your lattes but is used as an ingredient in almost all of the famous south Indian dishes. Cinnamon has proved to be effective for people having diabetes, and may also lower cholesterol. From Sambhar, Rasam, Veg Pongal to Medu vada, Cinnamon adds the Needed flavour.

8.      Curry Leaves – South Indian Dishes and Curry leaves go hand in hand. From Sambhar to Medu Vada to chicken curry and Moon dal, every dish uses Curry Leaves to add the amazing flavour that makes the dish distinguishing. This spice is even added to soups and packs benefits such as helping control blood sugar and even reducing the chances of heart diseases.

South India is home to so many amazing dishes which one can try by looking for Indian food near me when in Berlin and getting directions to the best and authentic Indian restaurant, Dosa and More.