Cardamom, Clove, Cinnamon: Reading the Spice Cabinet of an Indian Kitchen

Nearly every Indian kitchen has one: a round steel tin, the masala dabba, holding a handful of small compartments. Open it and the aromas arrive before you see a thing.

This guide is a slow tour of the spices behind Ushnasudha. Each one comes with a short note on how it has traditionally been regarded, drawn from published sources linked on the Ushnasudha page. They are notes about the ingredients, not claims about the tea.

Sweet and warm

These three bring the warmth: sweet, woody and round.

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  Cardamomइलायची · Ela

  Cardamom is a fragrant, warming pod of Indian kitchens.

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  Cinnamonदालचीनी · Twak

  Cinnamon bark is a sweet, warming spice used across Indian kitchens and traditional medicine.

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  Cloveलौंग · Lavanga

  Clove, the dried flower bud known as lavanga, is a deeply aromatic spice.

Pungent and lively

Ginger and black pepper bring the edge: a gentle heat that wakes up the rest of the cup.

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  Gingerअदरक · Ardraka / Shunthi

  In Ayurveda, ginger, fresh (ardraka) or dried (shunthi), is honoured as Mahaushadhi, "the great medicine", and appears in a very large share of classical formulations.

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  Black pepperकाली मिर्च · Maricha

  Maricha is one of the three pungent spices of Trikatu, the classical Ayurvedic trio of black pepper, long pepper and ginger.

Soft and aromatic

Nutmeg and bay leaf are the quiet ones. Used lightly, they add depth and a rounded, almost sweet fragrance.

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  Nutmegजायफल · Jaiphal

  Jaiphal, nutmeg, is a warm, sweet spice of Indian kitchens.

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  Bay leafतेज पत्ता · Tejpatra

  Tejpatra, the Indian bay leaf, is an aromatic leaf of Indian kitchens.

A small tasting exercise

If you have whole spices at home, try this. Take one pod of cardamom, one clove and a small piece of cinnamon. Smell each on its own. Then crush the cardamom lightly and smell it again. Notice how the aroma opens. That is exactly what happens in the pan.

Once you know each spice by scent, a cup of masala chai stops being one flavour and becomes a conversation between many.