V R K EXPORTS

Begur, Bangalore, Karnataka

Cardamom comes in green colour (or true cardamom) and black, white, and red colours (amomum). In international markets, Indian cardamom is sold in different grades - 'Alleppey Green Extra Bold' (AGEB), 'Alleppey Green Bold' (AGB) and 'Alleppey Green Superior' (AGS). These names register an instant appeal worldwide. Cardamom is found in the form of a small pod with black seeds inside. Both the seeds and the pod give a pleasant aroma and flavour. Cardamom is used in food preparations, perfumes, health foods, medicines and beverages.

Cardamom oils can be added to baths as a form of aromatherapy and to fight tooth and gum decay. It can also help in soothing sore throat and relieve

Cumin is a small flowering herbaceous-plant having thin, slender and dark green leaves. Cumin seeds are popular for their distinctive spice- flavor and are used as an ingredient various cuisines the world over.

Cumin oil is used for flavouring desserts, condiments and alcoholic beverages. It is also used as a fragrance in creams, perfumes and lotions.

Vitamins C and E, found in cumin, are essential for healthy, young- looking skin. Cumin's essential oils also keep fungal and microbial infections away.

Fenugreek is available whole and dried, or as a dull yellow powder ground from the roasted seeds.

Fenugreek is one of the oldest cultivated medicinal-plants. It is one of the plants used both as a herb (the leaves) and as a spice (the seed). The dried leaves have a bitter taste and a strong characteristic smell, and are used as a flavouring agent in preparing many dishes, especially the curry.

For centuries, fenugreek, the rich source of vitamins and minerals, is an important part of herbal medicine. Being a rich source of iron, silicon, sodium and thiamine, it provides relief in many health complexions.

The seed of the fenugreek plant contains many active compounds with pharmaceutical applications. The seed is also high in fibre and protein.

The seeds are used in colic flatulence, dysentery, diarrhea, dyspepsia, chronic cough, and enlargement of liver and spleen, rickets, gout and diabetes. It is also used as a carminative and tonic. Fenugreek oil is used in the manufacture of hair tonics.

Chilli powder, the tasty blend of spices, is one of the easiest ways to bring a dish to life. This powder is used extensively as an additive in curries and other dishes. It is also used as a rub for steak, fish and chicken before broiling, baking or grilling. A yummy spicy hamburger is also prepared by including a tablespoon of the powder in the raw meat and kneading it into the meat before forming the hamburger patties.

It is cultivated extensively in Northern India as a cold-weather crop. It comes up well in fairly mild climate. The dry and cold weather favours high seed production.

The leaves of fennel are used for garnishing. Leaves and stalks are used in salads. It is an essential ingredient in Italian sausages, widely used to sprinkle on pizza. Dried fruits have fragrant odour and pleasant aromatic taste. They are also used for flavouring soups, meat dishes, sauces, pastries, confectionaries and liquors. The fruits are aromatic and stimulant.

Cloves are the unopened flower buds of the evergreen clove-tree. The buds are plucked by hand when they are pink and dried until they turn brown in color. Cloves are harvested when they grow 1.5 - 2 cm long.

As a spice, cloves are widely used in cooking, either in whole or ground form, in many popular cuisines all over the world. They are also used as a food preservative. The flavour of the clove is rich, sweet and sultry. As a medicinal ingredient, cloves help in preventing adult onset of diabetes and treating asthma and skin problems like acne. Antimicrobial, anesthetic and digestive properties of clove have been established by its uses in many household products.

Cloves are an excellent source of manganese, vitamin K , dietary fibre, iron, magnesium and calcium

Black pepper is defined as a small and unripe fruit of Piper Nigrum, To get black pepper, the berries from the plant are picked when they are still not fully ripe, fermented and then dried in the sun till the time they dehydrate and turn brownish-black in colour.

Pepper is known as the "king of spices, " and it shares a place with salt on most dinner tables. The word pepper originated from the Sanskrit word pippali, meaning berry. It is the third-most added ingredient in food among the wide range of spices.

Pepper is primarily used in cooking for the purpose of adding robust flavour to certain recipes. Because of its strong flavor and aroma, it is highly used as an added ingredient in food to make it tasty and delectable.

Owing to its strong influence on health, black pepper has been used in many traditional medicine-systems like Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha. Black pepper acts as an anti-depressant and also as an anti-oxidant that helps in lowering the cholesterol level to a great extent. The essential oil present in the black pepper helps in relieving muscular pain, fever, etc. and also helps in increasing blood circulation.

Turmeric is associated with everyone's lives in some way or the other. It has been used since time immoral as a food ingredient, medicinal herb, colouring agent, in rituals and as a cosmetic product.

As a food ingredient, turmeric is one of the most popular spices in India. Hardly is there a non-sweet dish that doesnt have atleast a tinge of turmeric.

As a medicinal herb and a cosmetic accessory, it has healing and glow-enhancing property. It is a good disinfectant. Ayurvedic and unani systems make extensive use of turmeric in its treatment methodologies.

Many of the natural dyes have turmeric as one of the colouring agents.

In Hinduism, religious rituals are considered incomplete without turmeric.

No wonder, turmeric, one of the wonders of nature, has been very popular, throughout the world, from times immemorial.

Mustard is an annual herb cultivated as oil-seed crop or as vegetable or as fodder, of which, 3 species are known for its condiment value. They are pale yellow or white mustard (Brassica hirta), brown mustard (Brassica juncea) and black mustard (Brassica nigra). The leaves of the plant are alternate, long, bristly-branched, and hairy on both sides. Flowers are small, yellow with four petals and seeds are 1.5 - 3mm.

It is grown as rabbi crop in Northern India. It is raised during rainy season from July to November in Southern India.

The major processed products are mustard powder used in the manufacture of mayonnaise. Whole mustard is used as a flavouring agent in Indian cooking, whereas ground mustard provides flavour and consistency in Bengali fish-curries. Mustard flour has preservative and antioxidant properties in addition to providing flavour and colour.

Derived from the Sanskrit word vasmati meaning fragrance, Basmati rice has an aroma-emitting compound 2-acetyl-1-prryolinel which is found in its natural state in the grains. Called the Prince of Rice, Basmati grains measure from 6.9 mm to 8.5mm. Thin, long, rich in taste, easy to digest, free from impurities, hygienically and finely processed, Basmati grains have great nutritional value. Basmati rice is a source of carbohydrates which constitute 85% of the kernel. Low fat, cholesterol- and sodium-free, Basmati rice is a good source of vitamin D, iron and calcium.

Basmati rice comes mainly in three varieties 370, Pusa and 1121. Used for preparation of fried rice and biryani, the grains are fluffy and do not stick together.