There is no cuisine more alluring than Indian and Pakistani dishes. The aromas you get simply form cooking them are enough to scintillate your senses and turn your home into a fragrant palace that will have mouths watering in no time at all.
It is unfortunate that in the UK, a lot of people are intimidated by the idea of cooking their own Indian and Pakistani dishes due to the complexity and the sheer amount of herbs and spices required to achieve the traditional and famous flavours.
Here we are going to share the store cupboard essentials you should have stocked in order to create great tasting Indian and Pakistani dishes at home. After all, if you have the essentials stocked, you will find that cooking fantastic dishes isn’t as complicated as it seems.
- Cumin – One of the most used and trusted spices is cumin. Its warm and earthy flavours and strong aromatic scents are indicative of a lot of traditional Indian and Pakistani dishes and you should have either the seeds or a ground powder on hand at all times.
- Coriander – Coriander can be used fresh or dried and ground. The seeds are a key element in garam masala (another store cupboard essential) and the flavours are described as nutty and fruity.
- Mustard Seeds – Cuisines from all over the world make use of mustard in one way or another, it is even a well-used ingredient in a lot of British dishes. There are yellow, white, black and brown mustard seeds to chose from. Put them in a little hot oil and wait for them to pop and spit to release their distinctive flavour.
- Ginger – The delicious peppery flavour of fresh ginger is used in a whole host of famous dishes from all over Asia. You can even get dried and ground versions which bring different elements to your dishes if you prefer.
- Turmeric – Turmeric gives a lot of Indian and Pakistani dishes their famous yellow colour, as well as providing a trusted anti-inflammatory. Turmeric is well used all over for its flavour, vibrant colour and health benefits.
Here at Royal Nawaab’s halal restaurant in London we use the finest herbs and spices in order to create authentic, traditional tasting dishes that everyone will love.
