| Indian Terms |
English Translation |
Purpose |
| Ajwain |
Carom seeds |
Used to provide spice in Indian dishes. |
| Atta |
Whole wheat flour |
Used in preparing Indian bread |
| Adrak |
Ginger |
Used as a whole or paste to give a strong flavor |
| Amchur |
Dried mango powder |
Used to give a sour taste to a curry |
| Atta |
Whole wheat flour |
Used for bread |
| Badam |
Almond |
Used used mainly in sweets and curries |
| Baigan |
Eggplant |
Vegetable |
| Besan Flour |
Chick Peas Flour ,Bengal gram flour |
Has a nutty earthy flavor, essential ingredient in South Asian dishes |
| Chana Dal |
Gram Lentil |
Bengal gram lentil |
| Chironji |
Chiroli Seeds |
Used as garnish decoration in Indian sweets |
| Chikoo |
Sapodilla |
Fruit |
| Cholay |
Chick Peas |
Split chick peas used to make curries. |
| Chaas |
Butter Milk |
Prepared by mixing 1 cup yogurt with 2 cups of water |
| Dhaniya |
Coriander Leaves |
Fresh herb leaves used in Indian food as garnish or as an ingredient |
| Dhaniya Seeds |
Coriander Seeds |
Circular shaped coriander dried seeds used as a whole or powdered to flavor Indian dishes |
| Dabeli Masala |
Spice Powder |
Available in Indian stores, used in some Indian
Dishes for giving flavor and spice |
| Dahi |
Yogurt |
Plain yogurt is made from whole or non fat milk |
| Dal chini |
Cinnamon Stick |
Dry sticks used to flavor curries and rice |
| Ghee |
Clarified Butter |
Semi fluid butter used in Indian cooking |
| Green Elaichi |
Green Cardamom |
Has a sweet flavor and is used in flavoring mostly sweet dishes |
| Gobi |
Cauliflower |
Vegetable |
| Garam Masala |
Indian Spice Powder |
Spices powdered together and used to flavor most of the Indian curries. Dry roast in a hot pan 200 g Dried coriander seeds, add to this 50 g cumin seeds, 20 g Black cardamom, 20 g cloves, cinnamon sticks 10 sticks, 8 to 10 Bay leaves. 20 G Peppercorns, 20 G small cardamom and 30 G fennel seeds. Roast together for another 10 minutes, close gas burner and allow this to cool. In a coffee grinder grind all the ingredients to a fine powder, mix and sieve the mixture and store in an air tight container. |
| Gur |
Jaggery |
Sweet molasses used in making some Indian dishes and sweets
Dishes and sweets |
| Hari Mirchi |
Green Chillies/ Thai chilies |
Fresh green chilies, can be used instead of dried red chilies |
| Hing |
Asafetida |
A strong flavored spice used to flavor Indian curries. |
| Haldi |
Turmeric |
spice, yellow colored powder, used in Indian food |
| |
Tamarind |
Used to provide sour taste in Indian food. |
| Jeera |
Cumin Seeds |
Indian spice with an earthy flavor , used a whole or powdered |
| Kala Namak |
Black Salt |
Coarse in texture with a pungent flavor |
| Kaju |
Cashew |
Dry fruit used in Indian dishes |
| Khoya (Mawa) |
Dried whole milk/thickened milk |
Used as a thickener and to give creaminess to Indian curry dishes |
| Kaali Mirchi |
Peppercorn |
Used as whole or powdered to make black pepper |
| Kishmish |
Raisins |
Used to flavor the food |
| Kesar |
Saffron |
Spice derived from a flower |
| Kadai |
Indian cooking wok |
Circular deep pan |
| Kadi Patta |
Curry Leaves |
Aromatic leaf , used in Indian cooking |
| Lavang |
Cloves |
Dried flower like buds , flavored spice |
| Lasoon |
Garlic |
Used to flavor Indian curries or dishes |
| Laal Sukhi Mirchi |
Dried red chilies |
Spice with a pungent flavor and spicy taste |
| Methi Leaves |
Fenugreek Leaves |
Fresh leaves (methi leaves ) / Dried leaves(kasoori methi) |
| Methi Seeds |
Fenugreek seeds |
Dried fenugreek seeds |
| Masoor Dal |
Red Split Lentils |
Used in Indian curries |
| Mutter |
Green peas |
Used fresh or frozen in Indian curries |
| Moong Dal |
Green Gram |
Yellow split peas |
| Maida |
Refined All Purpose Flour |
|
| Nariyal |
Coconut |
Used fresh or dried in Indian dishes |
| Naan |
Indian Bread |
Used with Indian curries |
| Paneer |
Cottage Cheese |
Made from milk, used in Indian curries |
| Pudina |
Mint leaves |
|
| Pista |
Pistachios |
Dry fruit used in Indian sweets |
| Palak |
Spinach |
Vegetable |
| Pyaaz |
Onion |
Vegetable |
| Rajma |
Kidney Beans |
|
| Red Chilli Powder |
Cayenne Powder |
Red colored spicy powder |
| Rai |
Mustard Seeds |
|
| Rava |
Semolina Flour |
Cream of wheat |
| Saunf Powder |
Fennel Seeds |
Seeds that have licorice properties |
| Toor Dal |
Split pigeon peas |
Lentil used to prepare curry |
| Tawa |
Griddle |
|
| Tandoori Color |
Orange Food Color |
Food coloring |
| Tej Patta |
Bay Leaves |
Aromatic leaf, used fresh or dried leaf in Indian cooking |
| Udad Dal |
Black Gram Lentil |
Lentil used as whole or splity |
| Vaal Dal |
Green Lima Beans |
Used in Indian curries |
| White Til Seeds |
Sesame seeds |
Nutty flavor |
Appetizers (Veg)
