India has always been famous for its hot and spicy food, but do you know that in the past most of the spices that Indians used to cook their food came from Pakistan and other gulf countries? And most trading activities would take place under the rug, as crossing the border to trade was illegal. However, the need and greed to get a good price for their performance made them risk their lives. In addition to money, trade was also carried out using the barter system. The barter system is a form of trade in which two parties exchange items or products with each other.
The amount of spices coming from Pakistan is as follows: carambola seeds (Ajwain), allspice (Kabab Cheene), anise or fennel seeds (Sonf or Saunf), asafoetida (Hing), bay leaf (Tej Patta), Black Pepper (Kali Mirch), Black Salt (Kala Namak), Caraway (Shahjeera), Cardamom (Elaichi), Chaat Masala, Cinnamon (Dhal Chini), Clove (Laung), Coriander (Dhaniya), Cumin (Jeera/Zeera) ).
And the spices that were exchanged from India were: curry leaves (Curry Patha), dried mango powder (Amchur), dried fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi), fenugreek seeds (Methi Dana), garam masala, ground mixed spices , Dried Ginger (Saunt), Mustard Seeds (Rai or Sarson), Onion Seeds also known as Nigella Seeds (Kalonji), Paprika (Deghi Mirchi), Pomegranate Seeds (Anardana), Poppy Seeds (Khus Khus), Red Chili (Lal Mirch), Saffron (Kessar or Zafran), Sesame Seeds (Til or Thil), Star Anise (Badiyan or Chakri Phool or Anas phal) and Turmeric (Haldi).
As time passed, people from both countries had started cultivating these different species, so now they are all easily available in the Indian and Pakistani markets. However, these species differ in their quality due to geographical conditions. To understand it better, take the example of the onion. The best onion in the world comes from Nasik, Maharashtra in India. And likewise, the best oranges come from Nagpur, India. The quality of a fruit, vegetable or spice depends on its geographical condition and temperature.
There are a few more examples to help you understand what impact a particular state or location can have on a vegetable, fruit, or grain. Take the example of dates (khajur). The dates are readily available in many places, but these dates do not match the dates that come from the Arabic. In the same way, coconut kernels are readily available in almost every country in the world, but the best coconut kernels can only be found in Ghana on the African continent.
Let’s go back to the topic we were discussing, that is, spices. It is because of these spices that we have some of the best food dishes in the world that have made their presence felt globally for their delicious aroma and delicious flavors. But there is more to Indian food, and without which Indian food cannot be complete or in other words they complement Indian food. These foods are popularly known as Papad, Pickle and Chutney. The main ingredients of all three items are various spices that have been explained above.
