List of Indian Spices Anyone Must Try!

1. Garcinia gummi-gutta

Native to South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Also called Brindle berry and Malabar tamarind.
Looks like small pumpkin and is green to pale yellow in color.
In Tamil, it is called goraka.
Used in cooking, including in the preparation of curries to add a sour flavor. The fruit rind and extracts of Garcinia species are used in many traditional recipes used in food preparation in Southeast Asian countries.
In ayurveda, sour flavors are said to activate digestion. The extract and rind is a curry condiment.

2. Long Pepper
Also called Indian long pepper or pipli.
Cultivated for its fruit, which is dried and used as a spice and seasoning.
Taste hotter than black pepper.
The oldest known reference to long pepper comes from ancient Indian textbook of Ayurveda, where its medicinal and dietary uses are described in detail.
It can still be found in Indian and Nepalese vegetable pickles.
It is readily available at Indian grocery stores, where it is labelled pippali.

3. Nutmeg
Seed or ground spice of several species of genus Myristica.
Nutmeg is used in many sweet and savoury dishes.
In Kerala Malabar region, grated nutmeg is used in meat preparations and also sparingly added to desserts for the flavour. It may be used in small quantities in garam masala. Ground nutmeg is also smoked in India.
Also used in juice, pickles and chutney.
In the 6th century AD, nutmeg spread to India.

4. Panch Phoron or Panch Phutana
Whole spice blend, originating from the region of Easten South Asia.
All of the spices are seeds. Like fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts.

5. White Pepper
Seed of the ripe fruit of the pepper plant, with the thin darker colored skin of the fruit removed. Through retting.
Finds use in salad, light colored sauces and mashed potatoes.