Why Are Spices Considered Sacred In India? What Is Special About Them?

Known for its combination of flavours, warmth and colourfulness, Indian cuisine is one of the most loved cuisines around the world. So, what is it that makes Indian food so popular amongst the people worldwide? – flavours surely, but what is it that makes it so special? Garam masala! A dry mix of spices churned into a powdered form or used whole, it gives your favourite paneer butter masala dish its rich flavour and trademark warmth. Made using the whole spices that are scattered across India and available in abundance, people across the country use spices that are native to their locality to create their own unique blend. Although available everywhere and companies providing spices online, every Indian household, no matter how big or how small, how lavish or how needful, deeply respects their food.

This respect arises from the tales of olden ages when modern medicine was non-existent and people depended on medicinal herbs that could be found everywhere, from farms to forests. Whole spices that were used by every household to create garam masala were found to give some medical relief. Since they were so bountiful in nature every person used to depend on them for their medicinal needs along with their food. Their ability to be available to everyone and provide medical relief earned them an unparalleled value and trust. These whole spices which constitute some of the tastiest dishes, are also core components of ayurvedic medicine and have been used as medications for ages.

Here are some of the offerings each traditional spice brings to the table:

Black Pepper – Apart from adding a bit of a pungent-spicy element to your paneer butter masala, black pepper creates a fragrant aroma and helps you digest your food better.

Chilli Powder – The most popular powder among the commonly found spices online, this powder is the most used spice in any Indian kitchen.

Dry Mango or Aamchur Powder – A spice unique to Indians and loved by almost all of them, Aamchur powder is known for its sour taste and is a rich source of multivitamins and antioxidants.

Fennel Seeds – A popular type of seeds used as a mouth-freshener after meals, fennel seeds are an integral part of the Bengali panchaporan or garam masala. It adds a sweet freshness to the food and improves digestion.

Ginger – Another most commonly found spice in Indian kitchens is ginger. Known well for its ability to improve digestion, ginger is a versatile ingredient that can be used in sweet as well as savoury dishes. Its sweet aroma augments the flavour of the dish and can be used in sweet dishes such as milk tea and laddoo, or in savoury dishes such as paneer butter masala and biryani.

Turmeric Powder – A must-have in any Indian house, turmeric powder is one the most frequently bought spices online. It is incredibly medicinal in nature with Indians using it to treat wounds, nourish skin and as a medicinal drink with milk to combat all their needs.

To sum up, Indians respect their spices because they rejuvenate health, have healing properties and are equally available to anyone in need.