Spice Merchants Indian Restaurant Southsea

History

Spices are the soul of Indian food. Simple ingredients come alive with the special use of spices and herbs.

There is an art to using Indian spices. Indians spice their dishes in layers harmoniously blending subtle spices with aromatic ones and layering it with herbs, ginger, garlic and lime juice or tamarind.

Indian cuisine is as diverse as its people and geography. Indians did not have written down recipes but were passed on through generations purely by word of mouth.

Our classic Indian curries often combine the following main spices: coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, cloves, ginger, red and black pepper as well as other spices.

Many of our Indian vegetarian dishes are made with simple bland spices so the flavour of the main ingredient can stay pure and the spices provide a supporting taste. These are the more bland and delicate spices such as fennel, cumin, mustard seeds, coriander powder and turmeric.

Then there are stronger spices, here at The Spice Merchants we use strong, pungent spices like garam masala in small amounts a popular variety of spice blend used in Indian curries. It is safest to use whole spices in garam masala. Whole spices are used in many recipes and they keep releasing their flavour over time in a dish. This natural use of whole spices is more popular in North Indian cuisines.

Fresh herbs like mint, coconut, fresh green chillies are combined with spices to make fragrant concoctions when cooking. At The Spice Merchants Indian cooking involves the use of fresh herbs and it is easy to overlook this important aspect. Fresh herbs help balance spices.

Why Choose Indian Cuisine?

Indian cuisine is gaining popularity around the globe. Easy to prepare, tasty and its mainstay grains, lentils and vegetable dishes is allowing Indian cuisine to gain popularity all over the world.

Today, many people want a balance of both protein and carbohydrates. Indian cuisine offers the health promoting properties of various herbs, ginger and spices, as well as a well-balanced diet. Yogurt, an accompaniment to Indian meals, introduces good flora into the digestive system. Many of our menus are vegetarian, which tend to be more alkaline than non-vegetarian menus. Fresh fruit follows Indian meals, which also contributes to an alkaline balance.