5 Underrated Indian Spices
India is a land of spices. Akin to its vastness, the sheer variety of spices used in indigenous cooking is baffling. While a few are prevalent across the regions, some variants remain overshadowed by their famous counterparts. Often either they continue to exist within their geographical boundaries. At others, they gasp to survive the test of time. It's a duty of an epicurean to learn and restore such underrated Indian spices.
| Ranita Ray
Nov 16, 2022
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Bhut Jolokia
Ghost pepper, Raja mirchi, U-morok, Red Naga, Naga jolokia, Bih jolokia, and Bhut jolokia are all names for this spicy pepper from India's North East. Guinness World Records classified it as the "hottest chilli pepper in the world" in 2007. This extremely fierce chilli has a deep red hue and can impart a meal with such a potent flavour that even a tiny nibble will induce tears.
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Kapok Buds
Karer, Shalmali, Semul, Andhra Moggu, Maratti Moggu, and Kapok Buds are all names for a spice native to the Chettinad region. It is the Red Silk Cotton tree's unopened bud. It is a staple in popular Karnataka cuisines bisi bele baath and saagu. It is typically cooked in oil before usage to bring out the full flavour. The taste is similar to a fusion of mustard and black pepper.
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Jakhiya
Jakhiya is the seed of Cleome Viscosa, a little-known wild edible plant of the Indian Himalayas. Jakhiya has a close resemblance to mustard seeds. The former is a tiny, dark brown, granular seed with an earthy aroma and a distinct flavour. They are sun-dried before hitting the market. Jakhiya is used to season practically all types of vegetables and curries in Uttarakhand's Garhwal region. And locals of this province prefer it over cumin and mustard due to its intense pungent fragrance.
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Dagar Phool
Kalpasi, also known as Dagar Phool, is commonly used in Chettinad and Maharashtrian cuisines. Despite having no taste of its own, kalpasi imparts a unique woody flavour. It is a flower with a blackish-purple hue. And they are often combined with other spices to make indigenous spice blends. In Maharashtra, it is a part of the famed goda masala, whilst in Lucknow, it goes into preparing potli masala. Only select localities in Tamil Nadu, Ooty and Kodaikanal grow it, as it demands a modest elevation above sea level for cultivation.
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White Bird's Eye Chilli
The intensely spicy, ivory-coloured kanthari mulagu chilli is cultivated mainly as a homestead crop in Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu. Kanthari mulagu, a rare kind of Bird's Eye Chilli, has long been used to promote hunger, reduce cholesterol levels, and relieve arthritis pain. This chilli is used in relishes, pickles, and curries in Kerala.
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