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A well-stocked pantry is the difference between "there's nothing to cook" and dinner on the table in 30 minutes. With these 12 staples, you can make karahi, daal, biryani, sabzi and most everyday desi dishes.
The spices
- Red chilli powder — for heat and colour.
- Turmeric (haldi) — earthy colour; a little goes a long way.
- Ground coriander — adds body and a mild, citrusy flavour to curries.
- Cumin seeds (zeera) — essential for tarka and roasting.
- Garam masala — added at the end for aroma. Homemade is even better.
- Whole spices — cloves, green and black cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves for rice and pulao.
The basics
- Ginger and garlic paste — make a big batch, add a little oil and salt, and keep it in the fridge for 2 weeks or freeze in ice cube trays.
- Onions and tomatoes — the base of almost every curry.
- Lentils — keep at least masoor (red) and chana daal. Red lentils cook in 20 minutes with no soaking.
- Aged basmati rice — for plain rice, pulao and biryani. See our guide to perfect basmati rice.
- Ghee or a neutral oil — ghee for flavour, oil for everyday cooking.
- Yogurt — for marinades, raita and softening spicy gravies.
Storage tips
Store ground spices in airtight jars away from the stove — heat and light make them lose flavour within a few months. Whole spices last much longer, so buy those in larger quantities and grind small batches as you need them.
With these in your kitchen, try our chicken karahi tonight — it uses almost nothing else.
