Burghul

• Burghul is a cereal food made from several different wheat species, most often from durum wheat.
• For human consumption it is usually sold parboiled, dried and partially de-branned. It has a light, nutty flavor.
• Sometimes it is confused with cracked wheat. The difference between the two is that Burghul is parboiled while cracked wheat is crushed not parboiled.
• Burghul is a common ingredient in Kudish, Turkish, Middle Eastern, Indian and Mediterranean dishes. In Indian cuisine, Burghul or daliya is also used as a cereal with milk and sugar. In the United States is often used as a side dish, much like pasta or rice.
• Burghul is more nutritious than white rice, because it contains more fiber and more vitamins and minerals and has a lower glycemic index than white rice.
• It can be found in natural food stores, Middle Eastern specialty grocers, and some traditional grocery stores.

Singhare Ka Atta or Water Chestnut Flour

• Singhare ka atta is prepared from Singhara or Water Chestnut.
• Singhara are floating annual aquatic plants, growing in slow-moving water up to 5 meters deep, native to warm temperate parts of Eurasia and Africa.
• Singhara plants bear ornately shaped fruits that resemble the head of a bull, each containing a single very large starchy seed.
• Singhara has been cultivated in China and India for at least 3,000 years for these seeds, which are boiled and sold as an occasional street side snack in the south of that country.
• Singhara flour or Water Chestnut Flour is made from dried, ground water chestnuts. The nuts are boiled, peeled, dried then ground into flour. The nuts are also eaten raw.
• The Singhara flour is bright white fine powder; it is actually a starch rather than flour.
• Singhara flour is primarily use as a thickener. It is also used in Asian recipes to make batters for deep-frying.
• Singhare ka atta is used in many religious rituals and can be consumed as a phalahar diet on the Hindu fasting days.

Jaggery (molasses)

English: Jaggery (molasses)

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Gur / Gud

• Jaggery is a traditional unrefined sugar used throughout South and South East Asia. It is normally manufactured from either sugar cane or date palms, but recent trends in its manufacture have resulted in jaggery made from the sap of coconut and sago palms.
• It contains the natural goodness of minerals and vitamins inherently present in sugarcane juice & this crowns it as one of the most wholesome and healthy sugars in the world. In Mexico & South America, it is also known as panela.
• In traditional Indian medicine, called Ayurveda, this sugar has several purposes. It may be prescribed for use for people with sore throats. It has some use in the treatment of bronchial or lung infections, and in fact in research has shown to possibly offset some of the lung damage caused by silicosis, a disease of the lungs that occurs when people are exposed for a long time to silica powder.
• In taste this unrefined sugar has been compared to brown sugar, and to other forms of raw sugar.
• It is high in simple carbohydrates. It is rich in magnesium, iron, & potassium.

Kuttu Ka Atta or Buckwheat flour

• Kuttu Atta is flour ground from Fagopyrum esculentum, known more casually as buckwheat.
• It has a rich, nutty flavor and a very high nutritional value, making it popular in many nations, especially in Asia.
• Buckwheat is not a cereal or grass. It is called a pseudo cereal to emphasize that it is not related to wheat.
• Buckwheat flour is gluten free, leading people with gluten intolerance to seek it out as a flour alternative
• The buckwheat is ground, typically with the outer bran, which is high in fiber and other nutrients. The bran turns the resulting buckwheat flour a rich brown color, with dark flecks. Then, the buckwheat flour can be packaged for sale on its own, or blended with other flours.
• Most buckwheat is ground into flour and used for a variety of foods, including noodles in Japan and pancakes and breakfast cereals in the U.S. Russians and eastern Europeans make a wide range of foods with buckwheat.

Rose Water

• Rose water or rose syrup is the by-product of the process of extraction of rose oil, which is obtained by steam-distilling the crushed petals of roses. This process was first developed in Persia and Bulgaria.
• Classically, rose water is made using damask roses, many-petaled and fragrant. These were first grown in Iran and Bulgaria, but are now frequently found in Spain, Italy, and France. However, the Middle Eastern countries remain some of the largest producers of rose water because of the availability of damasks.
• Rose water has a very distinctive flavor and is used heavily in South Asian, West Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines.
• Rose water is used to flavor food. It is sometimes used as a component in some cosmetics. Throughout Europe and Asia it is also used for religious purpose.
• Traditionally roses have also been used for medicinal purposes. With more vitamin C than oranges, they contain vitamins A, D, and E and many antioxidants.
• In Iran it is also added to tea, ice cream, cookies and other sweets in small quantities, and in the Arab world and India it is used to flavor milk and dairy-based dishes such as rice pudding etc. It is frequently used in Mughlai cuisines.

Bhagar / Samo Seeds

English Name: Jungle rice

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Bhagar/ Samo Seeds

• Samo seeds or Mario seeds popularly known as Bhagar in India are seeds of a grass Echinochloa Colonum .
• Echinochloa Colonum was described in 1833, as a type of wild grass which originated from tropical Asia. It was formerly classified as a type of panicum grass.
• It grows amongst the rice paddy as it requires damp and moisture laden soil.
• In Rajasthan in India the seeds are used as rice, hence its common name in English is jungle rice (wild rice).
• The wild rice is prepared in different styles across various states of India. It forms a heavy and a filling meal and used generally by Hindus on fast days.
• It forms one of the most essential Maratha cuisines and tastes excellent when prepared and accompanied with peanut curry.
• With digestible fibers, high nutritional content and excellent nourishment, bhagar is immensely popular amongst the Indian majority.
• Jungle rice is found in the Central Valley, San Francisco Bay region, western South Coast ranges, southern Sierra Nevada foothills, southwestern region inhabiting the summer-irrigated crop fields and other disturbed, moist sites. It germinates throughout the summer.

Badiyan (Sun dried ground Ivory White Lentil Dumplings)

These Badiyan are made of Urad Dal (Black Gram). These are also known as Masale Wali Badiyan because lots of spices are mixed in urad dal to make these.

Badiyan are available in Indian Grocery Stores. These can be made at home also but they need good sun light for at least 2-3 days.

How to make Badiyan at home:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split and skinned black gram/Ivory white lentil (Dhuli urad ki dal)
• 1” Ginger piece
• 2-3 Green Chilies
• ¼ tsp of Asafetida
• 1tbsp coarsely crushed coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp red chili flakes
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper coarsely crushed
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 cup grated cabbage

Method:

• Soak urad dal overnight.
• Drain it and grind it with ginger and green chilies to a fine paste without adding water.
• Now add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Grease a polythene sheet or a steel thali (plate).
• Pour 1 spoonful of the paste all over the sheet or thali and let it dry in the sun for a day or two.
• When dried store them in airtight jars.

Boondi

• Boondi or Boondhi is an Indian Snack. There are two varieties of Boondis – one is plain (without salt) and other is salted (Khara).
• Plain Boondis are used to make Indian sweets like ‘Boondi Ke Laddu’ (Motichoor Ke Laddu) and the salted one is used to make Namkin Mixtures, Raita and other varieties ( like Kadhi or Curry).
• To prepare Boondi, Gram flour batter is made into small balls using a ladle with holes. These balls are then deep fried in vegetable oil.
• To make ‘Boondi Ke Laddu’ fried Boondi is then dipped in sugar syrup.
• To prepare Namkeen Boondi (Khara Boondi), the batter is mixed with spices and salt before frying.

Roasted Chana Dal

• Roasted Chana Dal is also called as Daria Dal, Roasted Split gram, Phutana, Pappulu or Puttanalu pappulu (Hyderabad).
• It is roasted, husked and split Desi of variety Chickpea (Bengal Gram).
• It is tiny, tough, creamy white, crispy with rich and nutty taste.
• It is available here in USA, in Indian Grocery Stores, as Daria Dal.
• It is commonly used as a thickener with chutneys such as coriander chutney, Coconut Chutney etc.
• Daria Dal is rich in manganese, folate, and protein, dietary fiber, copper, phosphorous and iron.

Makhana/ Euryale ferox

• Makhana (Euryale ferox ) also called as fox nut or gorgon nut is an annual plant, grown throughout the ponds and low-lying lakes of China, Japan and India as well as parts of eastern Russia.
• It belongs to Family Nymphaeaceae (Water Lily Family).
• The seeds of the plant are starchy, white, small and round, with a brown outer covering. In India, particularly in the northern and western parts of the country, Makhana seeds are often roasted or fried, which causes them to pop like popcorn. They can be consumed either raw or after being stir-baked, often with a sprinkling of oil and spices.
• In India Makhana has been widely used in traditional oriental medicine to cure a variety of diseases including kidney problems, chronic diarrhea, excessive leucorrhea and hypo function of the spleen. Recent studies show its antioxidant activities.
• Euryale (Makhana) seed is considered sweet, astringent and neutral, according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, and is associated with the Spleen and Kidney meridians.

Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Ghee is clarified butter with its milk solids and water removed.

Typically it is produced by melting butter and allowing the different components to separate by density. The water evaporates, some solids float to the surface and are skimmed off, and the remainder of the milk solids sink to the bottom and are left behind when the butter fat is poured off. The components that are not butter fat are usually discarded.

Texture, color, or taste of ghee depends on the source of the milk from which the butter was made. In India, Ghee is usually made with water buffalo’s milk as it tends to be whiter than cow’s milk

It occupies an important position in South Asian and Middle Eastern Cuisines.

According to Ayurveda - India's nutritional sciences, Ghee (clarified butter) used in moderation is the best oil for cooking. One needs less ghee (half or two-thirds) as compared to oil to achieve the same goals.

It has following advantages:

• The ayurvedic texts say that ghee helps balance excess stomach acid, and helps maintain/repair the mucus lining of the stomach. It stimulates the digestion (Agni) better than any other oil.
• Increases immunity from disease or Ojas as it is known in Ayurveda.
• Ghee is said to promote all three aspects of mental functioning -- learning, memory and recall.
• Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter, and is therefore preferred in some cooking applications, such as sautéing.
• It increases the medicinal properties of spices when spices are sautéed in it.
• According to Ayurveda - it is more alkaline than other oils and this results in a smoother skin tone and makes one look younger.
• Ghee balances both Vata (the dosha that controls movement in mind and body) and Pitta (the dosha that controls heat and metabolism).
• Ghee balances both Vata (the Ayurvedic mind/body operator that controls movement in mind and body) and Pitta (the operator that controls heat and metabolism).
• Like aloe, ghee is said to prevent blisters and scarring if applied quickly to affected skin.
• Eating ghee is also believed to enhance virility and sexual potency.
• Excessive consumption of ghee is known to cause bromhidrosis. It is a type of body odor known as foot odor.

Ghee does not require refrigeration if you keep it dry; for example, don't dip a wet spoon into the ghee jar.

Rock Salt (Sendha Namak)

• Rock salt (Sodium chloride) is the common name for the mineral ‘halite’ or ‘Land salt’. It is mined from deposits in the ground.
• Rock salt crystals are larger, less refined, and more discolored than purified ‘table salt’. It can have impurities of gypsum (CaSO4) and sylvite (KCl) but it is very rare to find potassium sulfate as a mineral, although occasionally polyhalite (K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4.2H2O) is found associated with rock salt deposits.
• It does not contain additives such as iodine or anti-caking agents commonly found in table salt.
• The salt is sold in most grocery stores or health food stores in either edible/gourmet or inedible forms. The inedible form is not dangerous, however it does contain grit that would make it unpleasant to eat.
• It is lower in sodium thus it is believed that it helps in checking the blood pressure.
• Its best known use is to help make homemade ice cream in an electric or hand-crank machine. The salt lowers the freezing point of the ice, which causes it to melt. Melted ice water is much better at absorbing the heat from the ice cream mixture than ice cubes and this makes the ice cream freeze faster.
• The edible form of rock salt can be used in the cooking and seasoning of the food.
• The importance of this salt can be realized from the fact it is used in number of Ayurvedic medicines.
• In India, it is used mainly during 'fasts' and known as ‘Sendha Namak’.

Raw Papaya

• Raw (un-ripened) papaya is the most common and preferred tenderizer for red meat (Lamb, Mutton, Goat)used in India. The papaya, also known as mamao, tree melon, or pawpaw, is the fruit of the tree Carica papaya.
• Green papaya fruit and the latex (milky sap like liquid) of the tree are both rich in an enzyme called papain, a protease (protein digesting enzyme), which is useful in tenderizing meat and other proteins.
• Papain is obtained by cutting the skin of the unripe but almost mature papaya and then collecting and drying the latex which flows from the cuts.
• The papain enzyme breaks down collagen present in the meat and thus make it more palatable for consumption.
• The enzyme is active when the pH factor is neutral (pH = 7) to slightly acid (pH = 6). The pH of most of the meats is neutral to slightly acid.
• Papain is used as clarifying agent in many food industry processes. It is a common ingredient in brewery and meat processing. It is also used in the tanning of leather, paper and adhesive industries and in sewage disposal etc.

Kewra Water

English Name: Screw Pine flower extract

Common Name (Hindi): Kewra water

• ‘Kewra water’ is extract distilled from the Pandanus flower, used to flavor drinks and desserts in Indian cuisine.
• Kewra plant / Screw Pine (Pandanus odoratissimus) belongs to family Pandanaceae (screw pine family). It is native to southern Asia.
• Some of the local names of kewra in other Indian Languages are: Assamese - Keteki; Bengali and Gujarati - Ketaky; Malayalam - Kaitha, Thaazha; Punjabi - Keora; Telegu - Mogil;
• Kewra/Ketaki is a densely branched shrub. It is rarely erect and is generally found along the coast of India and the Andaman Islands. Both male and female flowers are produced on different plants. The ancient Hindus called male plants as ‘ketaki-viphala’ or ‘dhuli pushpika’. The female plants were known as ‘sawarana ketaki’.
• The male flowers are fragrant and white in color. These flowers are used for extraction of ‘Kewra attar’ and ‘Kewra water’ and ‘Kewra oil’.
• ‘Kewra attar’ is one of the most popular perfumes extracted and used in India since ancient times. It is used for scenting clothes, cosmetics, soaps, hair oils, tobacco and agarbati. ‘Kewra water’ is used for flavoring various foods, sweets syrups and soft drinks. The use of Kewra water is very common on festival occasion, weddings and other social functions in North India. The ‘Kewra oil’ is considered as stimulant and antispasmodic and is useful in rheumatoid arthritis.
• The tender leaves of Ketaki are eaten raw or cooked with condiments. In the Philippines the leaves are cooked with rice for imparting the smell of new rice. Its leaves are also used to flavor ice creams
• All the parts of the plant are having tremendous medicinal value. The anthers of male flowers are given in earache, headache and diseases of blood. The juice of the flowers is quite useful in rheumatic arthritis.

Ketaki - A cursed flower

The Ketaki flower is mentioned in the Brahma’s story as the cursed flower. Kewra, also known as Ketaki is a forbidden flower cursed by Lord Shiva for bearing a false witness of Lord Brahma. According to a legend, Lord Vishnu was lying on the serpent couch in the sea of eternity. Lord Brahma, while passing by felt insulted when Lord Vishnu neither rose nor greeted him. Both flew into rage over the question of supremacy and this led to a fight. Horrified Devas rushed to Lord Shiva for aid. On the request of Devas, Lord Shiva proceeded to the battlefield and in the midst of battle; Lord Shiva assumed the form of a huge pillar of light. Both Brahma and Vishnu were awestruck by the cosmic pillar of light. Vishnu had to admit the defeat because he was unable to explore the limits of the mighty pillar of light whereas Brahma on his journey upwards came across Ketaki flower wafting down slowly.

Inquiring from the flower from where she had come from, Ketaki replied that she had been placed at the top of huge pillar of light.

Although Brahma was unable to find the uppermost limits of the cosmic pillar, he decided to take the flower back to Vishnu to bear witness that Brahma had reached the top of the pillar. Brahma gloated over the defeated Vishnu. This infuriated Shiva. Brahma was punished for telling lie and the creator was banned from being worshipped. Similarly, Ketaki was also cursed that she would never again be used in worship of Shiva. Thus, Ketaki is debarred forever from being offered in worship.

Besan (Gram flour)

English Name: Chickpea flour / Garbanzo flour / Gram flour

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Besan

• Gram flour is made from ground Chana dal, a legume otherwise known as chickpeas.
• It has a slightly nutty flavor and earthy aroma.
• Gram flour contains a high proportion of carbohydrate but no gluten.
• In comparison to other flours gram flour has a relatively high proportion of protein.
• It is used in Italian cuisine to make farinata and in French cuisine to make socca.
• In Indian cooking flour is used widely as a thickener in curries, it also is used to make fritters called pakoras, pancakes and savory balls. Kadhi, a North-Indian soup, combines besan with yogurt and cooked spices.
• It is also mixed with milk as a cleansing face wash.

Cracked wheat

English: Cracked wheat

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Dalia

• Cracked wheat is a wheat product made from whole raw wheat kernels which are crushed or cut into smaller pieces.
• Cracked wheat carries a great deal of nutrition and fiber since it is made from whole wheat berries. It includes the fiber and nutrient rich outer bran and germ of the wheat.
• There are a wide range of uses for cracked wheat. It can also be used in grain pilafs, multi-grain bread, pancakes and other grain dishes. The crushed wheat berries may be soaked or partially cooked when they are included in recipes such as bread, to ensure that they are fully cooked when the food is served.

Tamarind

English Name: Tamarind

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Imli

• Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) grows extensively throughout the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the West Indies.
• The pods are 3 - 8 inch long, brown, irregularly curved. When fully ripe, the shells of pods are brittle and easily broken. They contain a sticky pulp enclosing one to ten shiny black seeds. The pulp has a pleasing sweet/sour flavor and is high in both acid and sugar. It is also rich in vitamin B and high in calcium.
• It is available as a pressed fibrous slab, or as a jam like bottled concentrate, and some Indian shops carry the dried pods.
• Tamarind juice or paste is used as a souring agent, particularly in south Indian and Gujarati lentil dishes, curries and chutneys.
• Tamarind contains pectin which is used in the manufacturing process of commercially produced jams, jellies, fruit drinks, and is vital to Worcestershire sauce.
• Tamarind is considered a mild laxative and digestive.
• It is used to treat bronchial disorders and gargling with tamarind water is recommended for a sore throat.

Vermicelli

English Name: Vermicelli

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Seviyan

• Vermicelli is a type of pasta, round in section and somewhat thinner than spaghetti.
• In South Asia, the vermicelli used is made from semolina, while in Italy it is made from durum wheat.
• In Asia it is known variously as shemai in Bengali, sev in Gujarati, sevalu or semiya in Telugu, all probably modified form of 'mian xian' in Mandarin.
• The seviyan are used in a number of dishes including a variation of kheer ( sweet rice pudding).
• Vermicelli is used in many parts of India to make a popular dish called upma. To prepare it, one boils the dry oil-roasted vermicelli with a choice of vegetables.
• Nowadays it is available in roasted form also which is more convenient.

Breadcrumbs

English Name : Breadcrumbs

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Breadcrumb (Dabal roti Ka Choora)

• Breadcrumbs are small particles of dry bread, which are used for breading or crumbing foods, topping casseroles, stuffing poultry, thickening stews, and adding inexpensive bulk to meatloaves and similar foods.
• Dry breadcrumbs are made from very dry bread which has been baked or toasted to remove all remaining moisture, and may have a sandy or even powdery texture.

Yogurt

English Name: Yogurt / Curd

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Dahi

• Yogurt/Curd is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk.
• Dahi, is yoghurt of the Indian subcontinent, known for its characteristic taste and consistency. The word, Dahi, seems to be derived from Sanskrit word Dadhi. Dahi is also known as Thayiru (Malyalam), doi (Assamese, Bengali), dohi (Oriya), perugu (Telugu).
• It is nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
• People who are moderately lactose-intolerant can enjoy yoghurt without ill effects, because the lactose in the milk precursor is converted to lactic acid by the bacterial culture. The reduction of lactose bypasses the affected individuals' need to process the milk sugar themselves.
• Yoghurt also has medical uses, in particular for a variety of gastrointestinal conditions, and in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea.