|Mustard seed
Available in three different varieties: white, brown and black; all three are used to make mustard powder. Mustard seeds are used in pickles, curries and homemade mustard.
Cardamom
The small, dried pods with their aromatic, fine brown seeds are commonly used in curries, pickles and pilaf as well as dessert dishes such as milk puddings – think boeber. Cardamom comes in three varieties, identified by their green, white or black pods. It’s advisable to use cardamom as fresh as possible, as it quickly loses its flavour. It’s more flavourful when you slice open the pod and cook with the seeds.
Cumin seed
These aromatic seeds look a lot like those of caraway and aniseed. Best used freshly ground, cumin is an essential ingredient in curry, as well as for flavouring chicken, lamb and rice dishes.
Turmeric
Better known as borrie, it’s one of the core ingredients of Indian cuisine, found in most curry powders. Its most notable characteristic is its colour, and it’s generally used to add colour and flavour to curries, breyani and other Indian dishes. Turmeric can also substitute for saffron to colour a dish yellow.
Coriander seed
Sweet and aromatic, they’re at their most flavoursome when roasted before being finely ground for use; they’re used in boerewors and biltong, as well as in some biscuit and chutney recipes.
