Padma Lakshmi & Judith Sutton, “Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs“, 2016 was the topic of an earlier blog post.
Jagadish Chandra Bose, “Runaway Cyclone”, 1896 also was the topic of an earlier blog post.
Here I present: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, “The Mistress of Spices: A Novel”, 1997 a culinary fiction with “magical realism”.
Indian-American author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni was born in Calcutta, West Bengal, INDIA. Jagadish Chandra Bose also was born in Calcutta, West Bengal, INDIA. The protagonist in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, “The Mistress of Spices”, 1997 is a Indian woman named “Tilo”. “Tilo” travels through time from a magical island to a spice shop in San Francisco, California, where she gives out magic potions (spice) to other Indians. “Tilo”, our protagonist has foil character named “Haroun”. “Haroun” is a taxi-cab driver from India, that comes to the spice shop for magical help from “Tilo”. “Tilo” has a romantic interest in a character named “Raven”. “Raven” is an architect, that comes to the spice shop for “Tilo” to help. This is the plot of the novel: “Tilo” cannot purse her own interest (her duty must be to serve others).
ABOVE I present a list of spices in the Indian language of “Bengali”.
BELOW I present charts of the “Bengali” & “Hindi” scripts with Romanized transliterations.
This blog is called “Holiday Recipes to Cook”. On such a website as this I give a spices list for Indian cookery.
Here I presented: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, “The Mistress of Spices: A Novel”, 1997 which was a culinary fiction with “magical realism”. The magic in the English-language novel is imparted by the utterance of Indian-language phrases. Magic words give the “spicy fiction” romance charm. The 1997 novel was adapted to a 2005 film based on the it.
INDIAN SPICES LIST:
Amchoor
(Hindi: Amchoor आमचूर)
Asafoetida
(Hindi: Hing हिंग)
Bay leaf (Hindi: Tej Patta तेज पत्ता)
Black cardamom (Hindi: Badi Elaichi बड़ी इलाइची)
Black Peppercorns
(Hindi: Kali Miri काली मरी)
Buchanania lanzan (Hindi: Chironji चिरोन्जी)
Capers (Hindi: Kabra कब्र)
Capsicum or Bell-Pepper (Hindi: Shimla Mirchशिमला मिर्च)
Caraway seeds
(Hindi: Shahijeera शाहजीरा)
Carom seeds
(Hindi: Ajwain अजवायन)
Char Magaz
(Watermelon seed, Cantaloupe seed,Cucumber seed, Pumpkin seed)(Hindi: Char Magaz चार मगज)
Cinnamon
(Hindi: Dalchini दालचीनी)
Cloves (Hindi: Laung लौंग)
Corianderseed
(Hindi: Sabut Dhaniya साबुत धनिया)
Cubeb or tailed pepper
(Hindi: Sheetal Cheeniशीतलचीनी/Kabab Cheeniकबाब चीनी)
Cumin seed (Hindi: Jeera जीरा)
Curry leaf
(Hindi: Kari Pattaकरी पत्ता)
Fennel (Hindi: Saunf सौंफ)
Fenugreekleaf (Hindi: Methi मेथी)
Dry Fenugreekleaves
(Hindi: Kasuri Methi कसूरी मेथी)
Fenugreek seed (Hindi: Methi dana मेथी दाना)
Garcinia gummi-gutta
(Hindi: Garam Masalaगरम मसाला)
Garcinia indica
(Hindi: Kokam कोकम)
Garlic (Hindi: Lasson लहसुन)
Ginger (Hindi: Adarak अदरक)
Dried Ginger
(Hindi: Sonth सोंठ)
Green Cardamom
(Hindi: Hari Elaichi हरी इलायची)
Green chili pepper (Hindi: Hari Mirch हरी मिर्च)
Indian Gooseberry
(Hindi: Amla आंवला)
Inknut Also called Haritaki
(Hindi: Harad हरड़)
Jakhya / Wild Mustard
(Hindi: Jakhya जख्या)
Black Stone Flower
(Hindi: Pathar phool पत्थर फूल)
Licorice powder (Hindi: Mulethi मुलेठी)
Long pepper
(Hindi: Pippali पिप्पली)
Yellow Mustard seed
(Hindi: Sarson सरसों)
Brown mustard Seed (Hindi: Rai राइ)
Naagkeshar (Hindi: Nagkeshar नागकेसर)
Nigella seed
(Hindi: Kalonji कलौंजी)
Nutmeg (Hindi: Javitri जावित्री)
Pomegranate seed
(Hindi: Anardana अनारदाना)
Poppy seed (Hindi: Khas khas खसखस)
Pandanus (Hindi: Pulao Patti पुलाव पत्ति/ Annapoorna Pattiyaan अन्नपूर्णा पत्तियां)
Radhuni Seeds / Wild Celery (Hindi: Ajmod अजमोद)
Red Chili Pepper (Hindi: Lal Mirch लाल मिर्च)
Saffron
(Hindi: Kesar केसर)
Black Sesame seed (Hindi: Kala Til काला तिल)
White Sesame seed (Hindi: Til तिल)
Star Anise
(Hindi: Chakra phool चक्र फूल)
Sichuan Pepper
(Hindi: Tirphal तिरपाल)
Tamarind (Hindi: Imli इमली)
Thymol / Carom seed
(Hindi: Ajwain अजवायन)
Ground Turmeric (Hindi: Haldi हल्दी)
White Peppercorns (Hindi: Safed Mirch सफेद मिर्च