I use some ingredients that to me are pretty mundane, but others may not have heard of before. For many of these items I grew up calling them by their Urdu names. I’ll include them when needed if you ever wander into an Indian grocery store and want to quickly find the ingredient or just for your own amusement. Here’s a list of some things I keep stocked in the kitchen.

Clove (long) – There’re only whole cloves in the cabinet.

Coconut (nariyal) – I’m using unsweetened shredded coconut.

Coriander (dhania) – I only get the seeds and freshly grind them when a recipe calls for it. It releases a wonderful citrus scent when it’s ground.

Cumin (zeera) – As with the coriander, I only stock the seeds and freshly grind them when needed.

Fried Onions – Only seen these at the Indian stores. You can fry your own onions, but the smell can linger for days.

Fenugreek (methi) – If using the leaves, I get them dried. These guys have a very strong scent. I keep them in a plastic bag sealed tight, in a cookie tin all the way in the back of the cabinet underneath everything else. The seeds on the other hand are fine and I store them in a recycled jam jar.

Garlic Paste – This is not the chopped garlic from the supermarket. This is a smooth paste. If you can’t find it, just put the garlic through the press.

Ginger Paste – I’ve only ever seen this in Indian stores. A good substitute is to grate fresh ginger on a microplane or zester.

Green Chilies – We buy Serrano chilies by the handful every week. If a recipe ever calls for Jalapenos or another type of hot peppers, this is my chili of choice.

Green (unripe) Mango (amchur) – These come in dried slices or a powder. I like to use the slices, it’s like a treat for those who like a bite of tartness in their food without adding any sourness to the whole dish. I love the slices and eating them straight after they’ve re-hydrated.

Mung Bean (moong dal) – In its whole form it is green. When split and the skin removed it is yellow.

Red Lentils (masoor dal) – This is brown lentils split and the skin removed.

Tamarind (imli) – I’m using concentrate here. I dilute it with warm water, because it’s got the consistency of molasses. It’s super tarty (ten times more than the unripe mango). Use at your own risk.

Turmeric (haldi) – Unless otherwise, I’ve only got the ground turmeric. Be careful with this, it stains.

Yellow Lentils (chana dal) – This is a split lentil. Don’t confuse with Mung Beans, because it’s more robust in flavor and texture when cooked.