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Here is a list of top fifteen species found in India:- 1. Asafoetida 2. Black Pepper 3. Capsicum 4. Cardamom 5. Celery 6. Cinnamon 7. Clove 8. Coriander 9. Cumin 10. Ginger 11. Fennel 12. Fenugreek 13. Nutmeg 14. Tejpat 15. Turmeric.
Spice # 1. Asafoetida:
Botanical name: Ferula asafoetida
Family: Apiaceae.
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Vernacular: Hindi— Hing, Telugu—Inguva;
Plant part used: Gum Resin of the plant.
Uses:
1. The gum resin is used as spice is culinary preparation.
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2. It is carminative, digestive, diuretic, Laxative.
3. It has medicinal properties also.
Spice # 2. Black Pepper:
Botanical Name: Piper nigrum L.
Family: Piperaceae.
Vernacular name: Hindi, Punjabi— Kalimirch; Telugu— Miryalu: Sanskrit: Maricha ushana, Hapsha; Tamil— Malagu; Gujrati— Kalimari, Bengali: Golmorich
Part used:
White pepper and black paper both are Piper nigrum. Fully mature unripe dried fruits are Black pepper while ripe berries are stemmed then dried to get white pepper (sheetal mirchi).
Green pepper is tender green spike of unripe fruits. Used as pickles.
Uses:
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1. Medicinally in Malaria, hemorrhoids/dyspepsia etc.
2. Essential preservative of meat or perishable food.
3. Flavoring Agent.
4. Oil of pepper is used in flavouring Sausages.
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5. Black pepper is used in culinary seasoning.
6. Essential ingredient of many food stuffs.
7. In some parts of the world it is used as moth killer and insect repellant.
Spice # 3. Capsicum:
Botanical name: Capsicum annum Linn.
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Capsicum frutescens L.
Family: Solanaceae.
Vernacular name: Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi— Lai mirchi, Oriya— Lanka, English—Peprika, Bengali— Lanka morich, Gujrati— Marcha, Telugu— Mirapakaya. Kannada— Menssanakaya;
Plant part used:
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Dried or green fruits.
Uses:
C. annum is also known as Simla mirch. And C. frutescence as Red pepper or Peprika.
1. Dry or green chilies are extensively used as spices and seasoning.
2. Peprika is rich in vitamin ‘C’. and apetizer.
Spice # 4. Cardamom:
Botanical name:
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Aframomum melagueta (Roscoe.) K. Sohum.
Use:
Seeds used for flavouring sauce, beer, wine perfumery etc.
Bengal Cardemom:
Botanical. Name: Amomum aromaticum
Vernacular Name: Morang elaichi,
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Use: Seeds used as spice.
Nepal Cardemom:
Botanical. Name: Amomum subulatum Rxle.
Vernacular Name: Large cardamom or Bari elaichi
Use: Seeds as spice; good taste, as medicine, Mouth freshner, Sweets also.
True Cardemom:
Botionical Name: Elettaria cardamom Maton.
Vernacular Name: Chhoti elaichi,
Use:
1. Dried fruits as spice, masticatory.
2. Seeds pleasant aroma, slightly pungent smell.
3. Used in perfumery, flavouring bitters and Ciqures.
4. It is stimulant also.
All Cardamoms belong to family Zingiberaceae. now a days Elatteria is kept under family Elatteriaceae instead of Zingiberaceae.
Spice # 5. Celery:
Botanical Name: Apium graveolens L.
Family: Apiaceae
Vernacular name: Hindi— Ajmud; Sanskrit— Ajamoda, Mayura, Hayagandha, Hastikavari.
Plant part used: Leaves and seed.
Uses:
1. Seeds used as Condiment, Carminative, diuretic.
2. Celery seed oil used for perfumes and soaps.
3. Oil is used as tonic and nerve stimulant.
4. Seeds and leaves are used is soups, pickles, salad, pastries etc.
Spice # 6. Cinnamon:
Botanical name:
Cinnamomum zeylenicum Blume
Family: Lauraceae
Vernacular name: Hindi, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Gujrati & Urdu— Dalchini; Sanskrit— Darushile; Telugu— Dalchina-chekka, Tamil, Kannada, Malyalam— Lavanga patti.
Plant part used: Dried inner bark of stem obtained by removing cork and cortical parenchyma.
Use:
1. Bark is extensively used as spice or condiment in the form of small pieces or in Garam masala.
2. Cinnamon oil (from bark) in used in confectionary, pharmaceutical, soap etc.
3. Cinnamon is used in making chocolate, candy, gum, perfume, incense etc. in Spain.
4. Bark is carminative, astringent and stimulant.
5. Bark oil is medicinal.
Spice # 7. Clove:
Botanical name: Eugenia caryophyllus (Spregal) Bullock at Harrison.
Family: Myrtaceae.
Vernacular name: Hindi— Laung, Gujrati, Kannada, Marathi— Luvanga, Sanskrit— Lavanga, Tamil— Kirambu, Lavangam, Telugu— Lavangalu.
Plant part used: Dry Buds
Uses:
1. Very aromatic spice with a fine flavour imparting warming properties.
2. Culinary spice in both sweet and Savoury dishes.
3. It is used in Pickles, gravy, baked food, cake, pudding, syrups etc.
4. Oil of clove is used in confectionary, Pickels, Sausages etc.
Spice # 8. Coriander:
Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum Linn.
Family: Apiaceae.
Vernacular: Hindi— Dhaniya, Gujrati— Kothmiri, Telugu— Dhaniyalu, Kottimiri, Sanskrit— Dhanyaka.
Plant part used: Dried ripened seeds or fruits. Fresh leaves are also used in Indian curries.
Uses:
1. Dried fruits are used in curry is in powder form.
2. Dhaniya powder is also used in Pickels, Sausages, curries, chutneys.
3. It is used to flavour spirits particularly green.
4. It is used in flavoring Bakery products, desserts, candy etc.
5. It’s used as medicine as well.
6. Decoction of dried fruit is stimulative, carminative, diuretic, antispasmodic, aromatic refrigerant and aphrodisiac.
Spice # 9. Cumin:
Botanical Name: Cuminum Cyminum L.
Family: Apiaceae
Vernacular name: Jira, Sanskrit— Ajaj, Ajajika, Telugu— Jilakarra
Plant part used: Dried fruit & Seed.
Uses:
1. A very important ingredient of curry and curry powder.
2. It is carminative, stimulant and is used in medicines as well.
3. It is used for seasoning soups and stews.
Spice # 10. Ginger:
Bot. Name: Zingiber officinale Linn.
Family: Zingiberaceae
Vernacular Name: Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit— Adrak; Bengali, Oriya— Ada; Gujarati— Adu; Telugu— Allam; Tamil— Inli;
Plant part used: Rhizome.
Use:
1. Raw ginger has a pleasant smell and is used in food items tea etc. Dry ginger (Saunth) is used as a spice in garam masala, curry powder etc.
2. Rhizome is carminative, stimulant and aromatic used as medicine also in cold, cough etc.
3. Ginger oil is a flavored, spice in Bakery and Confectionary.
Spice # 11. Fennel:
Botanical name:
Foeniculum vulgare Mill.
Family:
Apiaceae.
Vernacular name: Hindi, Punjabi— Saunf, Telugu— Sopu, pedda- jilakarra, Sanskrit— Madhurika.
Plant Part uses:
Dried ripe fruit & Seed.
Uses:
1. Fruits used for flavoring dishes.
2. Fruits are also used as masticatory after having lunch or dinner or in paan.
3. Fruits yield essential oil used in flavoring dishes. The main constituent of oil is anethole.
4. Fruits are carminative, stimulant and aromatic with medicinal value.
Spice # 12. Fenugreek:
Botanical name: Trigonella foenum-graceum L.
Family: Fabaceae
Vernacular Name:
Normally called Methi. Telugu— Menti, Kannada— Menthya, Tamil— Vendayam.
Plant part used:
Seed and leaves.
Uses:
1. It is used as spice and for flavouring food.
2. Seeds contain steroidal substance diosgenin.
3. In Egypt, Ethiopiea, Arab, etc. Fenugreek is an ingredient of Bread, hulba, Abish etc.
Spice # 13. Nutmeg:
Botanical name:
Myristica fragrans Houtt.
Family:
Myristicaceae
Vernacular Name:
Commonly called Jaiphal, Telugu—Jajikai, Sanskrit— Jatiphala.
Plant part used:
Dry seeds are called Nutmeg and dry Aril as Mace (aril surrounds the seed).
Uses:
1. Nutmeg are condiment.
2. It has medicinal properties also. It cures dysentery, vomiting, Malaria, nausea etc.
3. It has carminative, aphrodisiac and astringent properties.
4. It is also used in perfumery.
Saffron:
Botanical name:
Crocus sativas Linn.
Family:
Iridaceae
Vernacular name:
Hindi— Kesar, Urdu— Zafran, Telugu— Kumkuma puwu, Tamil— Kungumapu Gujrati, Marathi— Keshar, English— Saffron.
Part used: Dried Stigma of Crocus sativus
Uses:
1. Apart from flavouring and colouring properties it has extraordinary medicinal value also.
2. Mostly used in exotic dishes like sweets, Biryani etc.
3. It is effective medicine with ghee for diabetes.
Spice # 14. Tejpat:
Botanical name:
1. Cinnamomum tamala Nees and eberum.
2. Cinnamomum obtusifolium Nees.
Family:
Lauraceae.
Vern. Name: Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu— Tejpat, Marathi— Dalchini, Tamil— Talishapattiri, Telugu— Talisapatti, Sanskrit— Tamalaka, Tejpatra.
Part used: Evergreen, leaves of tree
Use:
1. Leaves used as spice mainly.
2. As a clarifier in dyeing with myaobalans
3. In Kashmir, as a substitute of Betel leaves or Paan.
Spice # 15. Turmeric:
Botanical Name: Curcuma longa Linn.
Family: Zingiberaceae
Vernacular name: Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Punjabi, Gujrati— Haldi, Telugu— Pasupu, Tamil, Malyalam— Manjal, Kannada— Arishina, Marathi— Haladi, Sanskrit— Haldi, Haridra, Harita.
Plant part used:
Dried, boiled, cleaned, polished rhizome.
Uses:
1. Food, flavourent and adjunct.
2. Also used as stimulant, Carminative, expectorant etc.
3. Used as Cosmetic for beautifying skin problems.
