Know Your Kitchen

FOOD GLOSSARY

There are hundreds and thousands of yummy food names and spices! 

I set out to pull together a little more comprehensive list. I'm sure there are things I've missed, and as I discover them, they'll be added to this glossary.

With respect to various dialects, please keep in mind that some words may be pronounced differently.  :)

Spices and Herbs:

English Name...Hindi Name

All spice... Kebab cheeni

Alum.... Phitkari

Aniseed... Suwa or shopa or saunf

Asafoedita... Hing

Almond....Badam

Basil, holy... Tulsi

Bay leaf... Tej patta

Bengal gram...chana

Black pepper... Kali mirchi

Black salt... Kala namak

Capers... Kachra

Capsicum/Bell pepper....Shimla mirch

Caraway seed... Shahi jeera

Cardamom, black... Badi elaichi/kali elaichi

Cardamom, green... Choti elaichi

Carom/thyme Seed... Ajwain

Cashewnut...Kaju

Celery seed... Ajmud

Chilli....Mirch

Cinnamon... Dalchini

Cinnamon buds... Naaga keshar

Citric acid... Nimbu sat

Cluster beans....Gouwaar phali

Clove... Laung

Coconut....Narial

Colocasia....Arvi

Coriander powder... Dhania powder/pisa dhania

Coriander/Cilantro... Dhania/Kothmir

Cloves... Lavang

Cumin, black... Kali zeera

Cumin seed... Jeera

Curry tree/Sweet neem... Kadipatta

Dill... Soa sag

Fennel seed... Saunf

Fenugreek leaf... Kasoori methi

Garam masala... Garam masala

Ginger... Adrak

Ginger, dried... Sonth

Licorice powder... Jethmadh

Mace... Javitri

Mango extract... Camiki

Mango powder... Aamchur

Mint... Pudina

Molasses/unref sugar... Jaggery/gur

Mustard oil... Sarson tel

Mustard seed... Sarson

Mustard seed, brown... Rai

Nutmeg... Jaiphal

Peppercorns... Kali mirch

Pomegranate seed... Anardana

Poppy seeds... Khus khus

Saffron... Kesar, Zaafraan

Saffron pulp... Kesar miri miri

Salt... Namak

Sesame seed... Til

Star anise... Chakra phool

Tamarind... Imli

Tea... Chai

Tumeric... Haldi

Vinegar... Sirka

White pepper... Safed mirchi

Nuts/Legumes/Grains:

English Name... Hindi Name

Almond... Badam

Black eyes peas... Chawli /lobhia

Cashew... Kaju

Chickpeas, brown... Chana

Chickpeas, green... Hara chana

Chickpeas, white... Khabuli chana

Gram flour (chickpea)... Besan

Maize/corn flour... Makai ka atta

Peanuts... Moongphali

Pistachios... Pista

Puffed rice... Kurmura

Red kidney beans... Rajma

Red lentils... Masoor

Refined flour... Maida

Rice... Chawal

Semolina... Rava/suji

Split Bengal gram... Chana dal

Split black gram... Urad dal/kaali dal

Split red/yellow gram... Toovar dal/arhar dal

Split red lentil... Masoor dal

Walnut... Akroot

Vermicelli... Seviyan

Wheat... Gehun

Wheat flour... Gehun ka atta

Vegetables:

English Name... Hindi Name

Asparagus... Musli/shatwar/sootmooli/halyan

Avocado... Makhanphal

Bottle gourd... Doodhi

Cabbage... Patta gobi

Carrot... Gajar

Cauliflower... Phool gobi

Celery... Doroo

Chili, green hot... Hari mirch

Chili, red... Lal mirchi

Corn on cob... Bhutta

Corn, kernel... Makai

Corriander, fresh... Dhania

Cucumber... Kheera

Dillweed... Suvabhaji

Egg plant... Brinjal/biangan

French beans... Flas beans

Gardencress... Halim

Garlic... Lahsun

Indian sorrel... Khatti bhaji

Lettuce... Kasmisaag

Lotus stem... Kamal kakdior/bhien

Mustard greens... Sarson

Mushrooms... Goochi

Okra... Bhindi

Olives... Zeetoon/ziatoon

Onion... Pyaaz

Peas... Matar

Pepper, capsicum/bell... Shimla mirch

Pepper, yellow... Peeli mirchi

Potato... Aloo

Pumpkin... Kadhu

Radish... Mooli

Salad leaves/endives... Gulsuchal

Spinach... Palak

Sweet potato... Shakarkand

Tapioca... Simla aloo

Tomato... tamatar

Water chestnuts... Shingara

Fruits:

English Name... Hindi Name

Apple... Sabe

Appricot, dried... Khumani

Banana... Kela

Cantelope... Kharbooja

Coconut... Naryal

Currants... Kishmish

Dates... Khajur

Figs... Amjeer

Grapes... Angoor

Guavas... Amrood

Jackfruit... Kathal

Lemon/Lime... Neembu/nimbu

Litchie... Lichee

Mango... Aam

Mulberry... Shehtooth

Muskmelon... Kharbooja

Orange... Santra

Papaya... Papeeta

Pear... Nashpati

Pineapple... Ananas

Plum... Aloobukara

Pomegranate... Anar

Raisin... Kishmish

Sweet lime... Mosambi

Watermelon... Tarbooj, kalingad

Dairy

English Name... Hindi Name

Butter milk... Mattha/chhaach

Clarified butter... Ghee

Cottage cheese... Paneer

Cream... Malai

Curd... Dahi

Dried whole milk... Khoya/mawa

Meats:

English Name... Hindi Name

Chicken... Murgh

Fish... Macchli

Ground meat... Keema

Meat (any)... Gosht

Mutton... Yakni

Prawn/shrimp... Jinga

Popular Dishes:

Achar... Pickles (any type)

Biryani... Spicy rice casserole

Dal... A dish prepared with lentils in a spicy gravy

Korma/ Curry... Meat or vegetables in a thick, creamy sauce

Lassi... A creamy yogurt drink

Masala... Spice blend

Naan... Flat bread cooked in a tandoor

Pakora... Fritter dipped in a spicy batter, usually made with besan

Paratha... Flat bread fried on a griddle basted with oil or ghee

Poori... Deep-fried bread

Saag... Any greens

Tandoor... Clay oven that uses high temperatures

Tandoori... Any dish cooked in a tandoor

Use of Basic Spices Below are the various uses for these spices. Almost every one of them provides natural health benefits as well. Turmeric is used in powder form in almost all vegetable preparations.It adds color and is also used to preserve pickles for a longer period of time. Cumin is used in the seed form in some dishes. It is used in a powdered form in many others. Cumin has a strong taste and smell. Black Pepper is used as fresh seeds. Fresh black pepper is used in dishes for the spicy taste, split pepper that is not fine ground is used to garnish our soups as well. It lists among the top for its healing properties. Mustard seeds are used to garnish. It has a good taste and aroma. Coriander and Curry Leaves are used fresh to garnish the dish right before serving, ground with other spices, or to make chutneys. Dry coriander seeds are sautéed lightly in oil and ground with other spices. Both are rich in nutrients and used in herbal medicines. Fenugreek is used sparingly in dishes. It has excellent curative properties. It is used as dry seeds or fresh leaves. Red Chilies are very spicy and used in dry form. It is ground to a paste with other ingredients or sautéed lightly in oil and cooked with vegetables, it is also used as a garnish. The degree of spiciness varies depending on which part of India or the world it is from. Smaller ones are spicier than the bigger ones. back to top Green Chilies are used fresh. They are very spicy, and add taste and smell. Similar to the red kind, small chillies are hotter than the bigger chillies. Asafoetida is used as a taste enhancer. It also possesses medicinal properties. Ginger is used in many preparations. The fresh form is used in dishes as a part of everyday cooking. The dry form is used in herbal medicines. It has a spicy flavor, again high in the list for its natural healing properties. Fennel Seeds are used in dishes mainly introduced by the Persians. Eg. Kurma. They have a strong smell and flavor, also great for digestion. Carom is used in some northern Indian dishes especially in pickles. In the south, they are used in natural ayurvedic preparations. They look exactly like cumin but have a stronger smell like thyme, and also have a distinct taste. It has excellent medicinal properties. Mango Powder is used in dry form to add some natural tart taste to preparations. It is basically raw mango sliced up, dried and powdered. Garam Masala is a mix of several dry ingredients. Sometimes toasted and ground to a fne powder, it can also be used as a powdered mix of many raw ingredients. Each blend brings a unique taste. Use of Sweet Spices Cardamom is used to garnish desserts. It is a sweet spice, has a sweet aroma and is used both in North and South Indian desserts. Nutmeg is a taste enhancer and used in desserts. Just a pinch is what is usually recommended for use on any preparation. Saffron is an expensive sweet spice. They are tiny red flowers of the saffron tree that are used in desserts. They are aromatic, taste good, and add color to the dish. Poppy seeds are used in a few spice and sweet dishes. Mace is similar to nutmeg. It is also used as a taste enhancer. back to top Other Spices & Ingredients Clove is a strong, spicy ingredient used very minimally in northern Indian dishes, rarely used in southern cooking. Cinnamon is also a more prominent spice in northern Indian cooking. Mint is used to make chutneys all over India. High in medicinal properties. Yogurt is a magic ingredient used in several dishes. It is generally used to make pachadi, also called raita in hindi. Since it does have a cooking effect, in the south it is served toward the end of the meal. In the north it is a side dish. Raita prepared with some basic taste enhancers go well with any spicy food, rice dish, or Indian bread. Jaggery, the best way to describe it is sugarcane molasses. Used all over India for sweet preparations. Gur was once a popular drink even at roadside stands in India. This is regular juice from the sugar cane. Black salt has a strong smell and taste and mostly used in northern Indian snacks. Tamarind is used for preparation of certain vegetables such as eggplant which is naturally alkaline. It helps to balance the taste of some of the spicy hot dishes. Garlic is used in many of the northern Indian and some of the southern Indian dishes. It is part of the normal diet in many homes because of its health benefits. Coconut is used mostly in Kerala, a southern state in India as a normal part of their daily diet. White it is used sparingly in other parts of the country.