Glossary: Indian Ingredients and their meaning

1. Ash Gourd : part of the gourd family. It is treated as bitter gourd. Available in Indian stores.
2. Asafetida: Called Hing. Made from the dried resin of several fennels like plants. It is used in powder from. It is a very pungent spice with strong aroma, so use sparingly.
3. Bengal Gram daal: called Chana daal or yellow split peas. The skin is removed.  Small variety of chickpea, used in classic Indian dishes.
4. Besan: Flour made with chickpeas. Low in gluten and high in protein.
5. Bitter gourd: called Karela. It is also known as bitter melon. With crinkly green skin, it looks almost like a cucumber. Available in Indian and Asian stores.
6. Black gram daal: called Split Urad daal. A pale cream in color with skin removed. Used mostly south Indian cooking.
7. Buttermilk: called Chaas. Liquid left behind after the cream has been separated into butter. In south India, ½ cup of buttermilk mixed with 1 cup of water and beaten well is called buttermilk. Usually taken as is.
8. Cardamom: called Elaichi. Available in pods and powder form. Substitute 2 cardamom pods to 1/4^th teaspoon powder.
9. Chilli: called Mirchi. Available fresh as green chillies, dried chillies, chilli powder and chilli paste. It gives flavor, color and heat to the most Indian style dishes.
10. Chutney: called chutney itself. A spicy side dish or relish. Made with many types of fruits or vegetables, used as condiment for other dishes
11. Coconut: called Nariyal. Comes in various forms and can be bought fresh, dried (called copra), shredded or flaked.
12. Colocasia: called Arbi. A white starchy vegetable rather like yam. Available fresh or canned.
13. Copra: dried coconut meat, from which coconut oil is extracted. Available in dried form.
14. Coriander: called Dhaniya leaves. Also called Chinese parsley or cilantro, it is an herb. Coriander leaves are often used in Indian cooking and as an ingredient in chutneys, salads and curries.
15. Coriander: called Dhania. Used mostly in seed and powder form. It is a gentle, fragrant spice. Important part of curry, it balances hotter spices.
16. Cumin: called Zeera. It is a curry ingredient with warm aromatic taste. Available in seed and powder form.
17. Curry powder: Blended curry spices from mild to hot according to the recipe.
18.  Daal: Indian name for lentils or pluses. It is available with and without skin. It is an excellent source of protein.
19. Drumstick:  An Indian vegetable, it has long skinny shape, it may be available fresh, canned or frozen in Indian grocery stores.
20. Fenugreek seeds: called Methi. Used whole or ground in curries, sambhar. It has strong aroma and slightly bitter taste. Use in small quantities.
21. Fried Gram Daal: Called roasted chana daal or puffed Bengal gram daal.
22. Garam Masala: A strong perfumed mixture of several spices. It may be bought already mixed or made where spices are sold or made at home.
23. Ghee: clarified butter in which Indian food is traditionally cooked. Substitute it with cooking oil, butter. Cannot be substituted in sweet dishes.
24. Green Gram Daal: also called Split Moong Beans/Moong Daal. It is pale yellow in color, it is split and without husks. Available is Indian grocery stores.
25. Green Mango: called Aam. Unripened fruit of a mango tree. Often used in pickle and chutney. Has a sour taste.
26. Jaggery: called Gur or Palm Sugar. It is coarse, dark unrefined sugar made from the juice of crushed sugarcane. Available in solid cake form in Indian grocery store.
27. Masala: Mixture or blend of herbs or spices or seasonings. Available in paste or powder form.
28. Mustard seeds: called Sarson or Rai. It is brownish black in color. Used whole or crushed in curries. It has a strong, hot flavor and used in small quantities.
29. Nutmeg: called Jaiphal. A pungent spice, available in whole or powder form.
30. Okra: called Bhindi or ladies finger. It is green in color with a ridged skin.
31. Pappadums: called Papad. Paper thin lentil cakes which are bought pre-packed at Indian grocery stores. Can be used fried in oil where they swell, curl and double in size or dry roasted in the Microwave oven.
32. Plantain: called kela or cooking bananas. Used in South Indian cooking. They are larger than sweet eating bananas with thick green skin and starchy interior.
33. Red Gram Daal: called Toor Daal or Pigeon Peas.  Pale yellow in color. Used in skinned, split or whole form.
34. Rice Flour: Flour made from ground rice.
35. Ridge Gourd: called Lauki. Also called club gourd or silk squash. It belongs to cucumber family. Skin is removed before eating.
36. Saffron: called kesar. Strongly perfumed with an unusual sharp taste. It adds flavors and color to dishes.
37. Semolina: called Suji. Grain made from wheat commonly used to make sweets and puddings. Available in three grades fine/medium/coarse.
38. Sesame Seed: called Til. It has a nutty flavor. Used in vegetable, rice dishes, chutneys and pickles.
39. Snake Gourd: similar to bitter gourd or melon gourd but with a shape looking like a snake.
40. Tamarind: called Imli. Available in paste or fresh form. Very sour use less in quantity. One tablespoon of tamarind paste can be substituted for 1 ½ teaspoon of lemon juice.
41. Turmeric: called Haldi. Relative of ginger plant. It adds the yellow color to curry powder and curries.  Use sparingly as it can be bitter in flavor.
42. Vermicelli: called Sevai: very think strands of pasta.
43. Yogurt: called Dahi. Milk curd, used in its natural form both as a curry ingredient and as a curry accompaniment. Plain spiced with cucumber or vegetables.