AGRICROP TRADERS Kadavanthra, Kochi, Kerala

Turmeric is known as Kasturi Manjal of just Manjal, turmeric has been used in Asia for thousands of years and is a major part of Siddha medicine.It was first used as a dye and then later for its medicinal properties.

Pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed. Peppercorns, and the ground pepper derived from them, may be described simply as pepper, or more precisely as black pepper (cooked and dried unripe fruit), green pepper (dried unripe fruit) and white pepper (ripe fruit seeds).

Nutmeg having a slightly sweeter and mace a more delicate flavour. Nutmeg is used for flavouring many dishes, usually in ground or grated form, and is best grated fresh in a nutmeg grater.In Indian cuisine, nutmeg is used in many sweet as well as savoury dishes. It is also added in small quantities as a medicine for infants. It may also be used in small quantities in garam masala. Ground nutmeg is also smoked in India.

Mustard are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods.

Ginger is a key ingredient, especially in thicker gravies, as well as in many other dishes, both vegetarian and meat-based. Ginger also has a role in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Ginger is also an ingredient in traditional Indian drinks, both cold and hot, including spiced Masala chai.In Western cuisine, ginger is traditionally used mainly in sweet foods.

Fenugreek seeds are used dried, whole, ground, cracked or sprouted, roasted or unroasted. They are more flavorful when they have been roasted and ground. They are cooked in the same way as porridge or used as a seasoning. They are used to flavor soups, vegetables, cheeses, chutneys, gherkins and simmered dishes.

Fennel seed is a highly aromatic and flavourful herb, derived from a shrub. The seeds are pale greenish in colour and have a faintly sweet and refreshing flavour.Fennel seeds are mostly eaten after meals, as they aid digestion and also act as a mouth freshener.It is an essential herb in the Bengali five-spice mix (panch phoron), which is used to flavour vegetable dishes and curries.

Cumin seeds are used as a spice for their distinctive flavour and aroma. It is globally popular and an essential flavouring in many cuisines, particularly South Asian, Northern African and Latin American cuisines. Cumin can be found in some cheeses.

All parts of the Coriander plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking. Coriander is common in South Asian, Southeast Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Caucasian, Central Asian, Mediterranean, Tex-Mex, Latin American, Portuguese, Chinese, African, and Scandinavian cuisine.

Cinnamon is widely used as a spice. It is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavouring material. It is used in the preparation of chocolate.It is also used in many dessert recipes, such as apple pie, doughnuts, and cinnamon buns as well as spicy candies, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and liqueurs. True cinnamon, rather than cassia, is more suitable for use in sweet dishes.

Chilli is the dried ripe fruit of the genus Capsicum. Capsicum annuum is an annual sub shrub, the flowers of which are borne singly and fruits usually pendent, which provide red peppers, cayenne, paprika and chillies and sweet pepper (bell pepper) a mild form with large inflated fruits.

Cashew nuts are a popular snack and food source. Cashews, unlike other oily tree nuts, contain starch to about 10% of their weight. This makes them more effective than other nuts in thickening water-based dishes such as soups, meat stews, and some Indian milk-based desserts. Many southeast Asian cuisines use cashews for this unusual characteristic, rather than other nuts.