Glossary

American : Jalapeno
Tamil : Pacha milagai
Telugu : Pachi miripikaya
Hindi : Hari mirch

There are more than 300 varieties of chillies. They vary in length from 5mm to over 300mm, some are long and narrow and others plump and globular and they vary in heat from mildly warm to mouth-blisteringly hot. All contain capsaicin, a biologically active ingredient beneficial to the respiratory system, blood pressure and heart. It is claimed to be effective in protecting against cancer. The chilli is a rich source of vitamin C, even more so than the lemon or orange. Even after cooking it only loses 30 percent of its vitamin C.

Tamil: Javarasi
Hindi: Sabudhana

A starch extracted from the sago (and other tropical) palms that is processed into flour, meal and pearl sago, which is similar to tapioca.

Hindi: Javitri

Mace is the bright red membrane that covers the nutmeg seed. After the membrane is removed and dried it becomes a yellow-orange color. It’s sold ground and, less frequently, whole (in which case it’s called a “blade”). Mace is used to flavor all manner of foods, sweet to savory.

Tamil: Jaathikai
Hindi: Jaiphal

Native to the Spice Islands, this seed from the nutmeg tree (a tropical evergreen) was extremely popular throughout much of the world from the 15th to the 19th century. When the fruit of the tree is picked, it is split to reveal the nutmeg seed surrounded by a lacy membrane that, when dried and ground, becomes the spice mace. The hard, egg-shaped nutmeg seed is grayish-brown and about 1 inch long. The flavor and aroma are delicately warm, spicy and sweet. Nutmeg is sold ground or whole. Whole nutmeg freshly ground with a nutmeg grater or grinder is superior to that which is commercially ground and packaged.

Tamil: munthiri paruppu
Telugu: jeedi pappu
Hindi: kaju

Kidney-shaped nut that grows out from the bottom of the cashew apple. The shell is highly toxic so great care is taken in shelling and cleaning the nut. Cashew nuts have a sweet, buttery flavor and contain about 48 percent fat. Because of their high fat content, they should be stored, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator to retard rancidity. As with most nuts, roasting cashews brings out their nutty flavor. kidney-shaped nut that grows out from the bottom of the cashew apple. The shell is highly toxic so great care is taken in shelling and cleaning the nut. Cashew nuts have a sweet, buttery flavor and contain about 48 percent fat. Because of their high fat content, they should be stored, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator to retard rancidity. As with most nuts, roasting cashews brings out their nutty flavor.

Tamil: jeeragam
Hinid: jeera

Cumin is the seed of a small slender herb of the coriander family. This spice is used in the regional cookery of every part of India.Cumin seeds are elongated oval and sage-green to tobacco brown in colour and have longitudinal ridges. Cumin is suited to almost any cuisine in the world. It is used in North African dishes like couscous, Middle Eastern ones like kebabs, in Spanish stews and American pies. In India, most curries start off with a loud crackle as cumin seeds hit the hot oil.

Tamil: perum jeeragam
Hindi: shahi jeera

smaller & thinner than cumin which is darker and has a stronger flavour

American: Jalapeno
Tamil: milagai
Telugu: miripikaya
Hindi: mirchi

Indian food without chillies is like summer without sunshine. India is the largest producer and exporter of chillies in the world. Commercially, chillies are fruits of the capsicum species and may be classified on the basis of their colour, shape and pungency.Green Chilli Fresh unripe chillies come in various shades of green, from lime green to olive green. When buying fresh chillies, look for crisp unwrinkled ones that are waxy. Green chillies are used in virtually every savoury dish. On ripening chillies turn red from green. These are dried until they look like dark crumpled rubies. Indian red chillies are available both in fresh or dried form. These are shiny long chillies with a bright red colour and a crinkled waxy surface. They can be roasted and powdered or soaked in warm water and ground into a paste for a gravy and also to make a spicy garlic chutney.

Tamil : vellam
Telugu : bellam
Hindi : gur

Can be replaced with brown sugar. Jaggery is dehydrated sugarcane juice and is mostly produced locally in India. Jaggery is not purified and therefore has all the quality of the juice itself. Jaggery is as important as sugar in Indian Cookery.Jaggery ranges from mustard yellow to deep amber in colour, depending on the quality of sugarcane juice. It is sticky but can be crumbled easily. It is made up of big lumps, which melts to a thick gooey paste. Jaggery has a heavy, caramel – like aroma which is slightly alcoholic.