What is a spice?

The third text in Unit 3 of your book, Poorvi, is 'Spices that Heal Us'. Before it, on page 93, the book tells us what a spice is: any seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf or other part of a plant that we use to give taste and colour to our food.

Most of us have many spices in our kitchen. In the letter on page 94, Daadi names each spice first by the name used at home, and then gives its English name.

Haldi is turmeric. Methi is fenugreek. Jeera is cumin. Heeng is asafoetida. Dalchini is cinnamon. Laung is clove.

Adrak is ginger. Kali mirch is black pepper. Saunf is fennel seeds. Ajwain is carom seeds. Elaichi is cardamom.

Your book also asks what YOU call these spices in your own language. It is fun to find out: many families use more than one name for the same spice.