Use of Spices in Ancient India

  

Use of Spices in Ancient India has been one of the important parts of Indian cooking. It indicates not only the types of spices used but also their cultivation in India. As the society was largely agrarian it cultivated a large variety of spices. Along with popular spices like cardamom, it also cultivated some specific spices in the form of seeds. Indian spices formed a major part of spice trade along with rest of the world. These highlight the popularity of Indian spices all over the world.

Use of spices in India continued to remain popular in every age. The cultivation of spices in India began from pre-historic days. While some of the spices like cardamom, long pepper, black pepper, Turmeric and Asafoetida were commonly found in every generation, it also included some special types of spices that were imported from Afghanistan and other countries of the world. Cultivation of spices forms a major part of agriculture in India which formed the backbone of the Indian economy. Along with cultivation of vegetables and a number of pulses, ancient Indian society also cultivated spices which were used for both self consumption as well as trade. Use of spices in ancient India began with the Indus Valley Civilization which largely used spices like long pepper, black pepper, asafoetida along with salt. Among the Buddhists and Jains five varieties of salts were popular which included sea salt, black salt, rock salt, kitchen salt and red salt along with spices like pepper, long pepper, Cumin, Asafoetida, myrobalan, dry ginger and turmeric, Mustardand Clove. Vinegar and sour gruel was also used to garnish the food.

For more, visit the link below:

https://www.indianetzone.com/52/use_spices_ancient_india.htm

History of Indian Spices

  

History of Indian spices is recorded from the time of inception before the invasion of Arabs in the year 711 AD. The story of Indian spices is more than 7000 years old. Centuries before Greece and Rome had been discovered, sailing ships were carrying Indian spices, perfumes and textiles to Mesopotamia, Arabia and Egypt. It was the lure of these that brought many seafarers to the shores of India.

In the ancient era, the Greek merchants thronged the markets of south India, buying several expensive items including the spices. Epicurean Rome was spending a fortune on Indian spices, silks, brocades, Dhaka muslin and cloth of gold, etc. It is believed that the Parthian wars were being fought by Rome largely to keep open the trade route to India. It is also said that Indian spices and her famed products were the main lure for crusades and expeditions to the East.

With the arrival of the Muslims the scenario altered further. An assortment of spices was used in Muslim preparations and the usage of such spices was popularised throughout the nation under the Muslim rule. As a result such spices gradually became a part of the Indian cuisines. Indian spice trading underwent changes once again during the colonial rule. As far as trading is concerned the Arabian traders were quite instrumental in popularising the Indian spices in the different corners of the world. In India, Arabian traders got the rare and exotic spices of the Far East from local spice merchants. India had spent the previous two millennia spreading its culture to the Spice Islands of the east. Arabian traders were able to make a considerable amount of money supplying these spices, even with the high prices paid to the Indian middle men, not only to their countrymen back home, but to Europe as well.

For more, visit the link below:

https://www.indianetzone.com/41/history_indian_spices.htm

Types of Spices

  

Indian spices exhibit a great variety which adds different flavours and aroma to the food making them more luscious and in certain cases healthy. There is a popular belief that spicy foods are bad for health. This belief is not only far from the truth but also that; spices in fact have medicinal properties and are good for health.

Medicinal Properties of Different Types of Spices
Spices are well known as appetizers and digestives and are considered essential in the culinary art all over the world. Some of them have anti-oxidant properties, while others have preservative properties and are used in some foods like pickles and chutneys etc. Some spices also possess strong anti-microbial and antibiotic activities. Many of them possess medicinal properties and have a profound effect on human health. They cleanse the oral cavity from food adhesion and bacteria; they may help to check infection, and to protect the mucous membrane against thermic, mechanical and chemical irritation. Spices possibly activate the adrenal-cortical function and fortify resistance and physical capacity. Stroke volume, blood pressure and stroke frequency can be markedly diminished or augmented by means of spices. Spices inhibit thrombus formation and accelerate thrombolysis.

Production of Different Types of Spices
India has a glorious past, pleasant present and a bright future with respect to production and export of spices. Pepper, cardamom, chillies, turmeric and ginger are some of the important spices produced in India. India is a great exporter of spices.

Different Types of Spices
The important spices produced in India are black pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, chilli, garlic, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, celery, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, tamarind, kokum, garcinia, curry leaf, saffron, vanilla and mint. Some categories of the different types of spices are as follows:

Fruit Type Spices: Many fruits are used as spices in dried form. They are known for augmenting the taste and aroma of the food. Common fruit type spices include Cardamoms, Juniper, Nutmeg, Mace, Vanilla, Star Anise etc.

Seed Type Spices: Seed type spices are the fertilized and ripened ovule having a protective covering. Some of these are used in their original form while some are powdered before use. Common members of this type of spices are Caraway, Anardana, Ajwain, Celery etc. They do not possess much nutritional value, however their use in medicinal purpose, perfumery and making flavouring agent have been well established.

Bark Type Spices: Bark type spices are obtained from the bark of the trees. These are known to be highly flavoured imparting great taste to the food when added. The bark of the trees growing at higher altitudes produces better quality bark and high content of essential oils. Common bark type spices are Cinnamon and Cassias.

For more visit the link given below:

https://www.indianetzone.com/38/types_spices.htm

Pepper Type Spices, Indian Spices

Pepper Type Spices are used widely all cross India in various dishes to bring the unique taste and aroma.
Pepper Type Spices are a very important and well-known spice in the culinary circle of India as well as abroad.

Some of the important pepper type spices include black pepper, chabika, chillies and many others. They are described below;
Black Pepper
Black pepper is considered as the ‘King of Spices’ amongst the pepper type spices. In addition to black pepper, pepper is also sold in the processed forms like white pepper and green pepper.

Long Pepper
Long Pepper is used as pepper type spices and also in pickles and preserves. They have a pungent pepper like taste and produce salivation and numbness of the mouth.

Chabika
Chabika is a wild grown creeper found almost all over India, belonging to the family of pepper type spices.

Chillies
Chillies are the ripe fruit of the species of ‘Genus Capsicum’. It is consumed in fresh, dried and powdered in the form. It is virtually one of the indispensable pepper type spices in the kitchen.

Raed More :- Pepper Type Spices, Indian Spices

Tamarind Pulp, Indian Spices

Tamarind Pulp is the thick pulp of ripe fruit of Tamarind which is commonly used as condiment.
Tamarind Pulp is traditionally popular in India as condiment added to many dishes like Rasam, Sambhar, chutneys
   curries, etc.

The pulp of ripe fruit of Tamarind tree is commonly used  particularly in South Indian dishes.


Etymology of Tamarind
The fruit has different names in every states of the country. The Indian names of Tamarind in different languages are ‘Imli’ in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu; ‘Ttali’ in Assamese; ‘Tentul’ in Bengali; ‘Ambli’ in Gujarati; ‘Hunise Hannu’ in Kannada; ‘Puli’in Malayalam and Tamil; ‘Chinthappandu’, ‘Chinta’, ‘Amlika’ in Telugu; ‘Chinch’, ‘Chincha’in Marathi; ‘Tentuli’ in Oriya and ‘Yamadutika’, ‘Amli’, ‘Abdika’ in Sanskrit.


Use of Tamarind Pulp in Cuisine
Tamarind Pulp lends the dish a classic sour taste to the food. It is also used to season foods such as chutneys and pickled fish.

Use of Tamarind Pulp in Medicine 
Ayurvedic practitioners and folk doctors frequently used it as medicine. Tamarind also relieves pain, reduces fever, lowers cholesterol to improve cardiovascular health, treats piles, prevents cancer, and protects against parasites and worms.

To know more visit here : Tamarind Pulp, Indian Spices

Indian Culinary Influences by Indian Invasion

The variety in the cuisine of India has originated on the basis of foreign invasions. According to history, it is proved that the Indian cooking style is an amalgamation of various cultures and traditions as well as beliefs. To know more read: http://www.indianetzone.com/39/indian_culinary_influences_by_indian_invasion.htm