Here's a master shopping list for Indian ingredients. The highlighted items are the must-haves. The others are for Indian food enthusiasts who plan to cook lots of Indian food a lot of the time. Click here for a printable pdf copy of the grocery list.
If you don't live near an Indian grocery store, you can find most of these items from online vendors, including Amazon.
Grains
- Basmati Rice (learn how to cook basmati rice perfectly, and view tips for shopping for basmati.)
- Rava (Cream of Wheat, Sooji)
- Whole-Wheat Durum Flour or Atta Flour (for rotis, pooris and other Indian flatbreads)
- Brown Basmati Rice
- Cracked Wheat
- Flattened Rice (Poha)
- Puffed Rice (Kurmura)
- Millet Flour
- Besan or Chickpea Flour
LEGUMES
- Toor Dal (pigeon peas)
- Masoor Dal (pink lentils)
- Rajma (red kidney beans)
- Chickpeas or chole or garbanzo beans (chana)
- Peanuts
- Chana Dal
- Urad Dal
- Moong Dal
- Moth or matki beans (tiny little brown beans)
- Whole Mung Beans
- Black-eyed Peas or Chavli beans
- Whole Masoor
- Vaal Dal (field beans)
Wondering which variety of legumes to use in Indian recipes? Check out my guide on pulses, including beans and legumes, used in Indian cooking.
Spices
- Black Mustard Seeds (rai)
- Cumin Seeds (jeera)
- Coriander Seeds
- Green cardamom pods (hari elaichi)
- Cloves (laung)
- Cinnamon bark (dalchini)
- Nutmeg (jaiphal)
- Mace (javitri)
- Whole Black
- Peppercorns
- Bay Leaves (tej patta)
- Whole Dry Red Chilies
- Green cardamom pods (hari elaichi)
- Cloves (laung)
- Cinnamon bark (dalchini)
- Nutmeg (jaiphal)
- Mace (javitri)
- Whole black peppercorns
- Bay leaves (tej patta)
- Whole dried red chillies
- Asafoetida (hing)
- Black cardamom pods (kali elaichi)
- Asafetida (hing)
- Fennel Seeds (saunf)
- Carom Seeds (ajwain)
- Onion Seeds (kalonji)
- White Poppy Seeds (khus khus)
- Fenugreek Seeds (methi)
- White Sesame Seeds (til)
- Saffron (kesar)
Powdered spices
- Kashmiri red chili powder
- Turmeric
- Ground coriander
- Ground cumin
- Garam masala
- Curry powder
- Biryani masala
- Pav bhaji masala
- Chana masala powder
- Amchur (mango powder)
Learn how to make your own spice mixes like curry powder and garam masala for Indian cooking.
Oils
- Avocado oil or another unflavored oil like canola oil or peanut oil for every day use.
- Coconut oil for south Indian dishes.
- Sesame oil
- Mustard oil
Fresh and frozen pantry items
- Curry Leaves
- Coriander Leaves
- Mint Leaves
- Shredded Coconut
- Green Chillies
Miscellaneous
- Jaggery (an unrefined Indian sugar that's perfect for Indian sweets)
- Tamarind, pulp or pods
- Coconut milk
- Kasoori methi (dry methi leaves)
- Poppadums or papads
- Golden raisins
- Cashews
- Pistachios
- Alphonso mango pulp. This is sold in cans.
Jazmin says
I recently visited my local Patel Brothers to buy spices, but I was not sure which dried chili peppers to buy because there are so many choices. When you have time, could you add an explanation of the choices here? The blog for the recipe I was following does not discuss this. I think each type is a different level of spice.
Also, what is the difference between whole yellow mustard seeds and split seeds? Do they cook differently (i.e., do I need to worry about a bitter taste with one more than the other?)
Thank you 🙂
Vaishali says
Hi Jazmin, Kashmiri chili peppers are an all-round good choice that will work for any recipe. They are typically milder and add great color.
Kelly Brown says
Thank you for sharing this useful information for Indian Grocery list.
We can do master shopping for all the famous Indian ingredients at Bazaar Bros, come under one of the best Indian grocery store.
Vanessa says
Dear Vaishali,
Thank you so much for this site, it's fabulous. I have a question. Which type of coconut oil do you use - refined [with no coconut taste] or virgin [with the coconut taste]. I ask because I am now vegan and of course missing my ghee in my lentils and I had not thought of trying coconut oil but curious if you use it for the flavour and hence use virgin?
Many thanks,
Vanessa
Vaishali says
Hi Vanessa, I typically use the unrefined oil to make south Indian dishes, because the flavor works beautifully in dishes from that region. Coconut oil is not a good choice for north Indian dishes, but if you want to use it you can use refined coconut oil, which doesn't have the coconut aroma or flavor.
tania says
just made your vegan sourdough discard brownies and they was fab! so easy and absolutely delicious! thank you so much. I have subscribed and will continue to browse your recipes. I am not vegan but thinking very seriously of becoming one. I love cooking and always am happy to find sensible and tasy recipes.
David Patel says
not bad - i have been using aapnabusiness to find my local Indian grocery stores.
Eliza says
Hi Vaishali !
I am very much grateful to see some good Indian grocery store which you are listed up. But if you did with separately that is online order available or phone or direct from store , it will be good for us. I have a suggestion for listing with based on country or city for grocery store like as Sydney Indian grocery. Thanks
Reena says
I am so happy to find this blog , I live in India and a beginner to the vegan world and was wondering if I could get someone in India, who is a vegan can understand the issues much better and ...Wala ! search got me to your blog. You have explained beautifully.
My request is to please suggest some thing for tea as well, as I am still struggling with leaving milk and sugar( specially in our Indian tea taste). Trying really hard to shed weight vegan style , so will keep looking forward to more recipes.
Anonymous says
i have coconut milk in indian tea it sweetens it a little too
tom says
I am looking for a wooden mathani(indian milk curdler).
I can not find one in the USA.
Can you suggest where I can order one?
Thanks,
Tom
Vaishali Honawar says
Hi Tom, I don't think most people use one these days, but you could try just asking at the local Indian grocery store and sometimes they might be able to get one for you. Good luck!
Gwen says
So happy to have found this blog! I am also in Silver Spring - is there anyplace to buy these ingredients locally? I can go online, but I like to shop for food items in person when I can.
Vaishali Honawar says
Hi Gwen, Nice to meet another Silver Spring-er! I go to the Patel Brothers store in Langley Park, on University Blvd. They've got everything you might need. I also like Daily Spices off Lee Highway in Fairfax County, although that's a little further. You can go to thokalath.com to find other Indian grocery stores in the vicinity. Unfortunately, there aren't many good ones in Silver Spring.
Tamara says
yet?T
Thank you for your wonderful recipes. please let me know if you ever publish them in a book as I would love to buy a copy.
Regards from Tamara
Vaishali says
Tamara, that's so kind. You are awesome, and of course I will let you know if I ever decide to do a cookbook. Take care! 🙂
Barb says
Thank you for this wonderful resource! can't wait to try this recipe!
Vaishali says
Thank you, Barb.