List of Bangladeshi spices
Bengali spices include a variety of spices that are grown across South and Southeast Asia. With different climates in different parts of Bengal, i.e., West Bengal and Bangladesh, a variety of spices are produced. Many of the spices are native to the region, while the others were imported from similar climates and have since been cultivated locally for centuries.
Spices are typically heated in a pan with ghee or cooking oil before being added to a dish. Lighter spices are added last, and spices with strong flavor should be added first. Curry is not a spice, but a term which refers to any side dish in Bangladeshi cuisine. It could be with a sauce base or a dry item. A curry typically contains several spices blended together.
List of Bengali spices
Below= is a list of spices and other flavoring substances commonly used in Bangladesh / West Bengal
| English name | Bengali name (বাংলা নাম) | Transliteration | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginger | আদা | ada | Used as fresh and also dried powder form. |
| Dried Green mango powder | আমচুর | amchur | gives fish curries tartness |
| Celery / radhuni seed | রাধুনী | radhuni | |
| Carom/thyme seed | জোয়ান | joyan | |
| Indian gooseberry | আমলকি | amloki | |
| Pomegranate seed | আনারদানা/ বেদানার বীজ | anardana/bædanar bij | |
| Holy Basil Ocimum tenuiflorum | তুলসী | tulsi | |
| Almond | কাঠবাদাম | kath-badam | |
| Green cardamom | এলাচ | ælachi | |
| Large cardamom | বড় এলাচ | boro ælachi | Very earthy and darkly aromatic. |
| Cinnamon | দারচিনি | darchini | |
| Coriander seed | ধনে | dhone | |
| Spice mixture | গরম মশলা | gôrom môshla | Blend of spices which varies between regions and households. |
| Rose water | গোলাপ জল | golap jôl | Flavors desserts. Used more often in dishes with origins in the middle east. |
| Jaggery | গুড় | gurṛ | from the sap of the sugarcane, coconut palm or date palm |
| Turmeric | হলুদ | holud | Source of "yellow color" in many dishes. |
| Fresh coriander | ধনে পাতা | dhone pata | Fresh green leaves, also called cilantro. |
| Terminalia chebula | হরিতকি | horitoki | |
| Green chili pepper | কাঁচা মরিচ/ কাঁচা লঙ্কা | kãcha morich/kãcha lonka | |
| Coriander powder | ধনে গুঁড়া | dhone gura | |
| Tamarind | তেঁতুল | tetul | |
| Nutmeg | জায়ফল | jaifol | |
| Mace | জয়িত্রি | joyitri | Mace is outer covering of nutmeg nut with similar aroma. |
| Cumin seed | জিরা | jira | |
| Cumin seed grounded into balls | কোটা জিরে | kota jire | |
| Curry tree | কারিপাতা | karipata | Only used fresh. |
| Neem leaf | নিম | nim | |
| Cashew nut | কাজুবাদাম | kajubadam | |
| Black salt | বিট লবণ | Bit Lobon | |
| Black cardamom | কালো এলাচ | kalo ælachi | Earthy fragrance used in Mughal inspired dishes. |
| Black pepper | গোল মরিচ | gol morich | |
| Nigella seed | কালো জিরা | kalo jira | |
| Fenugreek leaf | কসুরি মেথি | koshuri methi | |
| Cubeb | কাবাব চিনি | kabab chini | |
| Saffron | জাফরান | jafran | |
| Dates | খেজুর | khejur | |
| Poppy seed | পোস্ত দানা | posto dana | |
| Garlic | রসুন | roshun | |
| Red chili pepper | লাল মরিচ | lal morich | |
| Cloves | লং/লবঙ্গ | lông/lôbonggo | |
| Fenugreek leaf | মেথি পাতা .. | methi pata | |
| Fenugreek seed | মেথি | methi | |
| Salt | লবণ/নুন | lôbon/nun | |
| Citron | লেবু | lebu | |
| Makrut Lime | কাগ্জি লেবু | kagji lebu | |
| Sweet Lemon | শিরিন লেবু | shirin lebu | |
| Mint | পুদিনা | pudina | |
| Shallot | পেঁয়াজ কলি | peaj koli | |
| Panch Phoron | পাঁচ ফোড়ন | pãch foṛon | This is a Bengali spice mix that combines fennel, cumin, fenugreek, mustard and nigella |
| Long pepper | পিপুল | pipul | |
| Bell pepper | কাপ্সিকুম/ক্যাপসিকাম | kapsikum/kæpsikam | |
| Brown mustard seed | রাই/ সর্ষে / সরিষা | rai/shorshe/shorisha | |
| White pepper | সাদা সর্ষে / সাদা সরিষা | shada shorshe/shada shorisha | |
| Mustard seed | সর্ষে | shorshe | |
| Mustard oil | সর্ষের তেল | shorsher tæl | |
| Fennel seed | মৌরি | mouri | |
| Black Cumin | কালো জিরে | kalo jira | Sweet, floral and smoky cumin and anise-like flavor. Smaller in size than regular cumin. Often mistaken for caraway seed. Though English translation is black cumin, the term black cumin is also used as English translation of Nigella sativa, kalonji |
| Vinegar | সির্কা | shirka | |
| Dried ginger | শুকানো আদা গুড়ো | shukano ada gura | Mostly powdered |
| Indian bay leaf, bay leaf | তেজ পাতা | tæj pata | |
| Sesame seed | তিল | til | |