Glossary of some commonly used Indian Spices is presented here:
| English | Hindi | Tamil | Kannada | Marathi | Konkani | Gujarati | Notes – recipes and uses |
| Aniseeds, fennel seeds | Saunf | Sombu | Badishop | Variyali | |||
| Asafoetida | Hing | Perumkayam, perungaya | Hingu | Hing | Hingu | Hing | Good for digestion |
| Basil seeds, sweet basil | Sabja seeds, subja, falooda seeds, tukmaria | Sabja seeds | Tukmariya | Added to falooda | |||
| Bay Leaf | Indian tej patta, tamalpatra | Brinji elai | Tamal patra | Tej patta leaves are commonly called as Indian bay leaves. But they are not related to the bay laurel leaves. Both have different appearance and aroma. Tej patta has an aroma similar to that of cinnamon bark While bay leaves have a lemony aroma. | |||
| Big mustard seeds | Sarson | Sarsav | |||||
| Black cardamom | Badi elaichi | Periya elakkai | Elcho | ||||
| Black cumin seeds | Kala jeera | Karung seeragam | |||||
| Black mustard seeds | Rai | Kadughu | Rai | ||||
| Black pepper | Kali mirch | Milagu | Menasinkalu | Kali miri | Mari | ||
| Black salt | Kala namak | Sanchal | Used in shinkanjvi – Indian lemonade. You can add them in fruit juices. It has a sulphric taste & add a lot of zing to the drink | ||||
| Caraway seeds | Shahjeera | Perum seeragam | Shahjeera | ||||
| Carom seeds, Thymol seeds, Bishops weed | Ajwain | Omam | Owa | Owa | Wonwo | Ajmo | |
| Chilli powder | Lal mirch powder | Milagai tool | Marchu powder | ||||
| Cinnamon | Dalchini | Lavanga pattai, pattai | Dal chini | Dal chini | Dal chini | Taja | |
| Clarified butter | Ghee | Nei | Ghee | ||||
| Cloves | Laung, lavang | Krambu | Laving | ||||
| Coconut desiccated | Sukha nariyal ka choora/boora | Thuruvina thengai | Topranu khaman | ||||
| Coconut dry | Sukha nariyal | Ularndha thengai | Copra | Copra, khopru | |||
| Coconut fresh | Nariyal | Thengai | Chobra | Khopru, topru | |||
| Coriander powder | Dhania powder | Dhaniya podi | Dhane pood | ||||
| Coriander seeds | Sabut dhania | Kottumalli Vidai, dhaniya | Dhane | Kothmir na dana | |||
| Coriander, cilantro | Dhaniya, dhania | Kothamalli ilai | Kothmari/kothmir | ||||
| Cumin seeds | Jeera | Jeerakam | Jeeru | ||||
| Curry leaves | Kari patta, kadipatha | Karuveppilai | Limda, mitho limbdo | ||||
| Dry fenugreek leaves | Kasoori methi | Kaaindha vendhaya ilaigal | |||||
| Dry ginger | Saunth, sounth, soonth | Sukku | Sunthi | Sunth | Sunthi | Sunth | Saunth chutney recipe |
| Dry mango powder | Amchur | Mangai podi | Mavinkai Churu | Ambyacha Chur | Amchur | Amchur | Very often added in Punjabi recipes like chole, rajma |
| Fenugreek seeds | Methi ke dane | Menthiyam, Ventiyam | Methya dane | Methi dana | |||
| Fenugreek | Methi | VenThaiam | |||||
| Garlic | Lasan, lahsun, lahsan | Poondu | Lasun | Lasan | |||
| Fresh ginger | Adrak, adhrak | Inji | Ala | Adu | |||
| Dry ginger | Saunth, sonth | Sukku | Sunth | Sunth | |||
| Green cardamom | Hari elaichi, choti elaichi | Elakkai | Veldoda. Velchi | Elchi | |||
| Green chilli | Hari mirch | Pachai milagai | Hirvi mirchi | Chidiya marcha/lilu marchu | |||
| Ground nut, peanuts | Moongphalli, mungphali | Nila kadalei | Sheng dane | Shing | |||
| Holy basil | Tulsi | Tulasi | Tulas | Tulsi | |||
| Jaggery | Gur | Vellam | Bella | Gul | God | Gol | |
| Palm jaggery | Tara gura, sharkara tada | Pana vellam | |||||
| Lime | Nimboo, nimbu | Elumichai | Limbu | Limbu | |||
| Cocum, kokum | Bhirinda, bhirnda | Kokam, aamsul | |||||
| Lime peel | Nimbu ka chilka | Elumichai thol | |||||
| Mace | Jayitri, javitri, javntry | Jaipatri | Jaipatri | Jaipatri | Jaipatri | Javintri | |
| Mint | Pudina, podina | Pudina, pudhina | Pudina | Phudino | |||
| Nutmeg | Jaiphal | Jhadhikkai | Jaiphal | Jaiphal | |||
| Onion seeds, Nigella | Kalonji, kalaungi | Kalonji | Kalonji | ||||
| Pine nuts | Chilgoze, nioze | ||||||
| Dry pomegranate seeds | Anardana | Kaaindha maadhulai vidhaigal | Dadum na dana | ||||
| Poppy seeds | Khus khus | Khasa khasa | Khas | Khas khas | |||
| Raisins | Kismish | Kaindha dratchai / ularndha dratchai | Bedane | Suki draksh | |||
| Red chilli | Lal mirch | Milakai Vatral | Lal mirchi | ||||
| Rock salt | Sendha namak | Kal uppu | Sendhe laun | Sindhalu Mithu | Used in religious fasting as common salt Is not allowed during fasting/vrat | ||
| Rock flower, Stone flower | Pathar phool | Kalpaasi | Dagad phool | ||||
| Salt | Namak | Uppu | Meeth | Mithu | |||
| Sesame seeds | Til | Ellu | Til | Tul | |||
| Saffron | Kunkuma, kesar, zafran | Kumkumappu | Keshar | Kesar | |||
| Screwpine, pandanus | Kewra | Rambai ilaigal | |||||
| Sichuan pepper, Szechwan pepper | Timur, tirphal, tephal, teppal | ||||||
| Star anise | Chakriphool | Lavanga poo | |||||
| Sultanas | Munakka | Easily available in north India | |||||
| Tamarind | Imli | Puli | Chincha | ||||
| Turmeric | Haldi | Manjal | Halad | ||||
| Vetiver | Khus | ||||||
| Vinegar | Sirka | ||||||
| water melon seeds | Tarbuj ke beej | Tharboosani vidhaigal |
Note – if you know the name of any spices in any regional Indian language and want to update it in this post… Then do leave it in the comment section and we will update the post. If we have missed any spices, then also you can let us know. Thanks in advance.
Many thanks to all readers who shared the name of spices in regional languages.
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U dont remind sonf
It is listed and is the first spice in the table – named as saunf.