Have you ever looked at one of my recipes and thought “what on Earth…?” when reading the ingredient list in one of my recipes? Don’t worry! It can take some time to get to know all the spices and pulses that are traditional in Ayurveda, but they can help you to quickly and easily harness Mother Nature's medicine cabinet and I promise it'll be worth it! My spice collection includes all of the below and I keep a special spice tin of my favourite seven: cinnamon, turmeric, fennel seed, cumin, coriander seed, cardamom and ground ginger ready to go — perfect for making a quick dal soup, kitchari or Golden Milk. Most of these spices are pungent and therefore heating, so Pitta types or anyone “feeling too Pitta” should keep these to a minimum.

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