The spices used in various regions of India are what give it its distinct taste, so you might find yourself asking: What are those spices?

In the Northern region of India, black pepper and turmeric are used as flavor enhancers; you'll find dishes like tandoori chicken, dum biryani, rajma and butter chicken. The cuisine is usually characterized by heavy use of meat, milk, cream, butter and ghee (clarified butter) and is known for its curries and spicy dishes. Here is a North Indian family recipe shared by our staff member who lived in Punjab before moving to Canada.

Matar (Green Peas) Paneer 

South Indian cuisine use red chilies, fenugreek, cinnamon, cardamoms, and other spices to create unique flavors. Popular dishes using these spices include rasam, uttapams, masala dosa and egg pulusu (egg curry). South Indian cuisine is more vegetarian and seafood based. The dishes are a combination of tangy and delicious spices cooked to perfection! Here is a recipe for a classic dish by our staff member, Bhanu.

Prawn Curry 

The most common spice blend used in both of India's regions is garam masala. Kissan Garam Masala is a fresh and fragrant blend which will undoubtedly take you to India without you having to leave the kitchen.