Asafoetida (hing)
Digestive, aromatic, most commonly used with lentils. Used sparingly.
Black pepper (kaale meere)
Spicy, aromatic flavor. An ingredient of garam masala.
Bay leaves (tamaal patra/tej patta)
Another ingredient of garam masala, hot and aromatic. Used in biryani/pulao for enhancing the taste.
Cardamom (elaichi/velachi)
Aromatic ingredient used in garam masala. Can be used as such (pods and seeds) in rice dishes (pulao/biryani) or powdered seeds in desserts like sheera (simolina dessert). Lends a flavor when added to Indian tea (chai).
Carom seeds (ajwain/owa)
Light brown in color and smaller than cumin seeds, owa has a strong, dominant flavor. Used sparingly.
Helps in digestion if chewed along with a cup of warm water.
Cinnamon (dalchini)
An ingredient of garam masala, has a sweet yet spicy flavor. Used in rice dishes (pulao/biryani).
Coriander seeds (dhaney)
Ground along with cumin seeds. This combination should be used sparingly as it may overpower the taste.
Chillies (mirchi)
Green, sometimes red, in color. Used fresh or in powdered form. Fresh green chillies are used in almost all Maharashtrian recipes.
Cilantro / coriander (kothimbir)
Fresh green cilantro is used in curry pastes and for garnishing.