South East Asia is considered as the ‘land of spices’. There are many countries such as India, Indonesia, China, Srilanka, etc. which are at present the leading exporters of variety of spices. These regions are found to have huge number of spices. The spices in these regions are used in almost all delicacies. Among the numerable spices, let us know about some of the important and commonly used spices available in this region.
Asafoetida: It is a native of Afghanistan. It has got musky, earthy and bitter flavor and used as a substitute for ginger. It is used in preparation of vegetable curries.
Cardamom: Cardamom is a native of South India. It is a pod which consists of seeds. These seeds act as spice and has a very sweet flavor. These are used in sweets, meat and tea.
Cassia: It is a native of eastern India. It has got strong aroma and flavor and is used in many curries and slow cooking foods.
Fennel: It is a native of Western Asia. It has got a penetrating flavor and becomes bitter on roasting. It is used in bread, biscuits, curries and other dishes.
Mustard: It is a native of middle East. It is used in preparation of curries, pickles and yoghurt.
Turmeric: Turmeric is a native of South Asia and is used in curries, meat dishes, vegetables, dals, etc. It is found to add color to the dishes.
Black Pepper: Native of south India, this spice is found to have a biting and strong flavor. Black pepper is used in rice and meat dishes.
Cumin: Cumin is a native of north-eastern India. It has an earthy and warm flavor. It is used in soups, stews, chilli, curries and garam masala powder.
Ginger: Ginger is grown mostly in parts of India, China and many other south east Asian countries. It gives a pleasant, sweet flavor. It is used in curries, meat dishes along with garlic.