| Item | mean |
| Aloo Wada | deep fried potato balls |
| Asafoetida | known to Indians as hing, it is used in very small quantities. It gives a unique flavour to vegetarian dishes and aids in digestion. |
| Baghar, Chounk or Tadka | tempering or browning of whole spices in ghee or oil |
| Besan | flour made from channa dal or gram flour, besan is used to make Indian snacks and sweets and can act as a thickener and flavour-enhancer to some dishes. |
| Bhaaji | vegetables particularly spinach, cooked with spices |
| Bharta | a dish made with steamed or roasted eggplant |
| Bhunoo | to saute or stir-fry |
| Cardamom | The pale green cardamom pods are the most common form and contain tiny black seeds. Grows in the rainforests of Southern India & Sri Lanka, this form is more fragrant than others. They can be used whole or ground in certain dishes and is a very important ingredient in garam masala, tea masala & Indian sweets. |
| Chilies | a fruit of the capsicum plant and native to tropical America, chilies were introduced to India by the Portuguese. Chili powder is an important ingredient in Indian cuisine and should be used with care as it is what makes the dish hot - add a little or more according to your taste. |
| Cinnamon | native to Sri Lanka, cinnamon comes from the fragrant bark of the Laurel tree. Cinnamon has a rich, warm flavour. Whole sticks are added to meat dishes, sweet chutneys and rice dishes. |
| Cloves | native to Moluccan Islands of Indonesia and have been growing in India for over a century, cloves act as a mild anaesthetic and is usually bought whole. Cloves may be fried, roasted or grinded according to each recipe. |
| Coriander | the dried light brown round seeds of the coriander plant are an important spice in Indian cuisine and is always ground before use. Fresh coriander leaves are used as a herb, to garnish dishes as well as used to make sauces & chutneys. Also known as cilantro and Chinese Parsley. |
| Cumin Seeds | used either whole or ground into a powder, cumin seeds are the most frequently used spice in Indian cuisine. It is also believed to aid in digestion. Whole seeds are roasted and ground to be used in raitas, salads & chutneys. |
| Curry Leaves | an important herb in Southern Indian cooking, this dark green leaf has a very distinctive flavour |
| Dum | to steam or bake in a tightly covered lid |
| Fennel Seeds | small greenish seeds have a licorice-like flavour. It has been used for a very long time both in medicine and cooking. It has digestive properties and is served roasted at the end of an Indian meal to be eaten whole. |
| Fenugreek Seeds | the hard yellow, brownish seeds of the fenugreek plant are strongly flavoured. Fresh green leaves of the plant are also used in Indian cooking. They are generally used whole in Southern Indian dishes and frequently used in pickles. |
| Garam Masala | Meaning hot spices, garam masala is a mixture of ground spices and used in small quantities and spinkled over dishes to add flavour after a dish has been prepared. |
| Garlic | used extensively in Indian cuisine usually in the form of garlic puree or paste |
| Ghee | clarified butter |
| Ginger | used widely in most dishes in the form of a paste/puree |
| Gulab Jaman | deep-fried milk balls soaked in an aromatic rose flavoured syrup |
| Halwa | a sweet made from thick semolina or carrot with Indian aromatic spices |
| Idli | South Indian steamed rice cakes served with sambar( lentil and vegetable mixture) and chutneys. |
| Jaggery | raw form of sugar, brown in colour, jaggery is used as a sweetening agent in Indian cuisine. |
| Kachumber | Indian salad |
| Kheer or duthpak | Indian rice pudding |
| Koftas | meat or vegetable balls cooked in a spicy sauce |
| Khoya | milk boiled until it becomes a thick paste |
| Korma | rich sauce made from milk and yogurt |
| Masala Box/dabba | air-tight stainless steel spice container |
| Mustard Seeds | round, dark, brown little seeds are an important spice in South Indian & vegetarian cooking. When placed in hot oil, the seed pop and release their flavour. |
| Nutmeg | an important ingredient in tea and garam masala, nutmeg has a mild, sweet flavour and a gentle aroma. It is best to buy nutmeg whole and grate as needed. In Indian cuisine, nutmeg is sparingly grated on Indian sweets. |
| Saffron | the most expensive spice, saffron comes from the stigmas and the upper part of the styles of the crocus. Orange-red in color, saffron is used sparingly in festive dishes such as biryani (spiced rice) and desserts. |
| Tamarind | extremely sour and brown in colour, tamarind is used widely in meat, poultry and dal dishes as well as in chutneys. |
| Turmeric | bright yellow in colour, turmeric is used as a colouring agent for curries while leaving a delicate taste. It also holds medicinal properties such as acting as a mild antiseptic and aids in digestion. |