Indian spices can find a place in any cuisine. It’s just a matter of opening your mind and palate to new flavors.

• Maneet Chauhan

Spring cleaning in my home includes the kitchen and my Spice Box. I cannot cook without spices add them to tweak almost all dishes, Indian or otherwise to have my special flavors stamp on them.

Every Indian cook has a Masala Dubba(box) filled with their most used spices. In the South its called Anjarai petti – a five partitioned box, that has over time morphed into a seven partitioned one. I have a North Indian and a South Indian one ( featured many scroll downs below )

Indian spices are very versatile. Their range however can be intimidating. I have over many evenings introduced them to my non Indian friends in my demo dinners and after that they have become staunch users of spices.

Read them up. Ask me. Ask an Indian friend or neighbor. Learn the flavors and try a pinch in various dishes to give them your special flavor stamp !

What’s in your Masala Dubba?