By Devi Poojari
April 22, 2024
Given the diversity in cuisines across India, it comes as no surprise that cooking Indian food at first can feel overwhelming. However, mastering the fundamentals of the cuisine can really go a long way, when starting off with a few crucial ingredients that can be used in a variety of preparations.
Pick between a handful of powdered spices like turmeric powder, red chilli and garam masala, as well as whole spices like bay leaves, black peppercorns and cardamom.
From using it to add some tang in sambar or even using the pulp to make a sweet chutney for chaat, tamarind can be quite the versatile ingredient.
Pulses like toor dal, moong dal and chickpeas are staple varieties that are eaten widely in dals, stews, curries and more.
Whether it is savoury preparations or sweet preparations, ghee adds a robustly nutty flavour and richness to recipes.
Grated coconut, coconut milk and coconut oil are all ingredients that feature largely in South Indian cooking, as well as an array of Indian mithai.
An ideal gluten-free substitute to use in pancakes, pakoras, cheela and even ladoos, chickpea flour can be handy when paired with other plant-based ingredients.
Indian breakfast dishes are a great way to foray into the cooking space; start off with simple dishes like poha or upma that you can begin your day with.