Sunday, December 11, 2022

Kerala's Secret Behind Indian Spices or Masala Ruling Indian Markets

 

Indian cuisine is as old as the civilization itself. A civilization that dates back five thousand years or more. It is perhaps the oldest civilization and the landmark is Varanasi which is considered the oldest city in the World.

A country that is rich in vegetation chiefly deserts - hot and cold, tropical forests, swampy grasslands all in plains, mountains, and the newest ranges the Himalayas. The diversity is incredible in all terms. It is an admixture of cultures, religions, and ethnicity besides the floral and fauna diversity.  

Indian Food

Indian food has been spice mixed since the Vedic Era. Well, forget that since the country is allabsorbing and the cuisine has been influenced not only by the prevailing regions but by an external source. For your information, chili and potato were influenced by the Portuguese and tomatoes came from Spain.

Many herbs and spices are of foreign origin but have been absorbed wholly and solely into the recipes. Almost all spices are grown in the country now albeit turmeric and asafoetida are imported from Afghanistan.    

Pepper is the most desired spice in the World that is part of India as well as Western Cuisine grows the best in the Indian State of Kerala. It grows the best in Kochi but many other spices grow in the temperate weather of Kerala.

  • ·         Pepper
  • ·         Cardamom
  • ·         Cinnamon
  • ·         Vanilla
  • ·         Nutmeg
  • ·         Ginger
  • ·         Turmeric

The state is the largest producer of spices in the country. It is one destination that brought many overseas traders since ancient times to the state. Portuguese, French, Arabs, Chinese, and many more flocked to the state for trading. The spice route is famous for linking the east and the west. Many traders settled permanently in the state over a period of time. Apart from the exotic culture, they brought Islam and Christianity into the state. This is an example of how pluralism develops and enriches the local cultures. Pedro Alvares Cadro was the first to export spices from Kerala in the year 1501. He was from Portugal.    

Keralite Influence on Indian Food

Indian cuisine though much influenced by local spices is also influenced by spices from Kerala. The ingredients in the recipes are those that are also grown in the Southern State.  Hence in incredible diversity, there is a commonality and that is what Indian culture is all about. Perhaps a visit to New Delhi and Kerala will better explain the country to an overseas visitor. Both are a window to India.

Of late as urbanization creeps in and global influences grow the cooking styles are also changing. The trend of powdered spices fetched from the market is dominating Indian cuisine. But there is a catch nobody knows what is in that powder. As competition grows among the powdered spice manufacturers adulteration may creep in to wage price wars. Hence most chefs and housewives are switching over to the traditional way of using masalas. Buy the original from the market, roast and grind and then add to the recipe. But this is impacted by the time constraint and labor. The procurement from the market and demand for household popular recipes is a major cause of stress among gastronomic experts and housewives. Most use powdered spice to battle the constraints. Enter Premix Wholseome Spices from a trusted source. And the source is Living Beyond Company in Mumbai.    

Indian spice market reached a value size of 72,900 crores in 2021. It is expected to rise to a volume of over 123, 000 by the year 2027 at a CAGR of 9.20%.  

Premix or Fusion Spices

Living Beyond sells wholesome premix spices for specific recipes. Be it meat masala, biryani masala, chole or rajma mix, pav bhaji mix, sambar, or any popular recipe that is pan India favorite is available. All you have to do is roast and grind in a minute, add,  and bingo your recipe is ready to be served. The cooking takes a few minutes and you can impress the guests by serving amazing gastronomic delicacies.

Premix ready-to-grind and mix-in recipes are here to overtake the time-consuming traditional cooking, and yet make traditional food with aplomb.  Premix whole spices are available widely all over the country or you can simply order online.

    

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