5 Indian herbs and spices to mix up your mid-week meals

When you’re busy with work or family, it can be difficult to find the time to cook tasty, wholesome meals for yourself, even if cooking is one of your favourite things to do. However, it doesn’t take much to lift an average dish into something a little more special: all you need is some high quality ingredients. Here are five Indian herbs and spices that will transform your mid-week meals from drab to delicious.

Kashmiri chilli powder

Kashmiri chilli powder is of the Indian herbs and spices that have boomed in popularity amongst foodies in recent years. It’s a little milder than your bog standard chilli, and imparts a rich taste and incredible red colour to every meal. Kashmiri chilli is also incredibly good for you: one teaspoon in a meal provides enough vitamin A to fulfil your daily intake, and it acts as a detoxifier that helps to eliminate toxins from your body and increases the supply of vital nutrients to the tissues. Its amazing flavour stands out best in simple dishes, such as curries, chilli con carne, crispy chilli beef and our delicious potato and Kashmiri chilli recipe. Try it for yourself and see!

Fennel

Fennel is one of those ingredients that you either love or you hate, but if you’re lucky enough to be a fan, you will enjoy the light, bright, aniseed-like taste that it brings to your dishes. Fennel can be added to pretty much anything, as it’s so versatile. Try it with pork, tomatoes and pasta, or spaghetti with a sauce of orange, garlic and mint: you’ll be surprised at how it can give the dullest meal an amazing lift.

Turmeric

Turmeric is one of the most amazing Indian herbs and spices available, and packs a huge punch in terms of both taste and health benefits. This vibrant yellow spice contains so many antioxidants that it is rightly described as a superfood, so don’t be shy when adding it to your dishes. Some of our favourite turmeric recipes include sea bass with turmeric potatoes, aubergine fritters with cumin and turmeric, and turmeric roasted cauliflower.

Ground coriander

Coriander is an absolute hero when it comes to spicing up your mid-week meal, thanks to its nutty, spicy and warming flavours. Though it is mainly associated with curry, a liberal dash of coriander can brighten any dish: think lime and coriander rice or coriander marinated chicken or carrot and coriander soup. It’s healthy too, being rich in vitamin C and vitamin K, and is packed with protein.

Kashmiri chilli powder

Kashmiri chilli powder is of the Indian herbs and spices that have boomed in popularity amongst foodies in recent years. It’s a little milder than your bog standard chilli, and imparts a rich taste and incredible red colour to every meal. Kashmiri chilli is also incredibly good for you: one teaspoon in a meal provides enough vitamin A to fulfil your daily intake, and it acts as a detoxifier that helps to eliminate toxins from your body and increases the supply of vital nutrients to the tissues. Its amazing flavour stands out best in simple dishes, such as curries, chilli con carne, crispy chilli beef and our delicious potato and Kashmiri chilli recipe. Try it for yourself and see!

Coarse black pepper

Black pepper has a wonderful earthy taste and subtle heat that makes it a wonderfully versatile addition to your cooking. Whilst many people use it exclusively as a final seasoning, the spice can be used as a main ingredient to make meals such as black pepper tofu, Chinese beef with honey black pepper sauce or even, if you’re feeling fancy, a black peppercorn syrup to be served with ice cream. As well as being tasty, black pepper is super healthy and can aid in weight loss as it helps your body to break down fat cells.

Why not give our spinach and tofu curry a try? Springtime spinach is a source of beta carotene and folate, but don’t expect Popeye’s instant biceps! Rich in antioxidants and containing vitamin K and Iron (which will be better absorbed with vitamin C) spinach will help your skin, immune system, heart, your bones and energy levels.

Spinach and Tofu Curry

Recipe (serves 3-4)

Ingredients - click the ingredients to find them in our shop

250g of firm tofu, cubed

200g of baby leaf spinach, coarsely chopped or Canned Spinach

2 deep red tomatoes, chopped into cubes

One small-medium onion, peeled and diced

2 green chillies, chopped

2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped) and 5g of ginger (grated)

A bay leaf

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 cloves

A small stick of cinnamon

Pinch of asafoetida

1 tsp of paprika

¼ tsp of black pepper powder

Method

1.Heat 1tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan and shallow fry the cubes of tofu until they are golden brown. Remove the tofu onto kitchen paper and allow the cubes to cool.

2. In a separate pan heat two tablespoons of oil before adding the asafoetida. Next, put in the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon and let the cumin seeds crackle before mixing in the chillies.

3. Stir in the onions and sauté for a couple of minutes before introducing the garlic. When the onion has softened add the tomatoes, salt to taste and turmeric and cook until the tomatoes are smooth and pulpy.

4. Sprinkle in the black pepper and paprika, then combine the cubes of shallow fried tofu into the curry base.

5. Wilt the spinach into the curry and add the grated ginger. Simmer for 3-4 minutes before turning off the heat.

Prep Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 15 mins