HERBS AND SPICES 

• The most important spices in Indian cuisine are chilli pepper, black mustard seed (rai), cumin, turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, coriander and asafoetida (hing). Another very important spice is garam masala which is usually a powder of five or more dried spices, commonly comprised of cardamom, cinnamon and clove. 
• Some leaves are commonly used like bay leaf, coriander leaf and mint leaf. The common use of curry leaves is typical of South Indian cuisine. In sweet dishes, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron and rose petal essence are used.

FAT AND OILS 

• One of the most important things that will affect the flavor of your Indian food are the cooking oil that will be used.
• The two most common cooking oils in Indian food are ghee and mustard oil. Others which are used are those of coconut oil , peanut (groundnut) oil and sesame oil. Modern arrivals are sunflower oil, rapeseed (canola) and soybean.

GRAM FLOUR

• Gram flour is a flour made from ground chickpeas. It is also known as chickpea flour, garbanzo flour, or besan. Used in many countries, it is a staple ingredient in Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisines and in the form of a paste with water or yoghurt, a popular ingredient in the Indian Subcontinent. Moreover, when mixed with an equal proportion of water, it can be used as an egg-replacer in vegan cooking.
• Gram flour contains a high proportion of carbohydrates but no gluten. Despite this, in comparison to other flours, it has a relatively high proportion of protein.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 

• The dishes of India are characterized by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society.