Glossary of Hindi Terms for Cooking
FLOURS
English term Hindi term
Whole wheat flour Atta
All purpose flour Maida
Barley flour Jowar ka atta
Rice flour Chaaval ka atta
Chickpea flour Gram flour Besan
Millet flour Bajri or Bajra ka atta
BEANS English term Hindi term
Split peas, yellow Bengal gram Chana dal
Chick peas (or garbanzo beans) Kabuli chana
Black gram beans Urad dal
Mung beans,whole Whole green gram Sabat mung dal
Mung beans,split Split green gram Dhuli mung dal
Lentil (split or whole) Masoor ki dal
Black eyed Peas Black eyed peas or Cowpeas Chowley or Lobia
Red lentils,split Red gram (split) Arhar/Tuver dal
Kidney bean Rajmah
HERBS
English Term Hindi Term
Coriander leaves (cilantro) Hara dhania or kothmir
Basil Tulsi
Bay leaves Tej patta
Mint leaves Pudina
Curry leaves Curry patta or mitha neem
Fenugreek leaves Hari methi
Garlic Lasun
Fresh ginger Adrak
SPICES
English Term Hindi term
Aniseed or fennel seeds Saunfa Asafoetida Hing Curum Ajwain
Black pepper Kali mirch
Cardamom Chotee illaichi
Black cardamom Kali illaichi (don’t eat raw)
Chili Lai mirch
Green Chili Hari mirch
Cinnamon Dalchini
Coriander seeds Soohka dhania
Cumin seeds Zeera
White cumin Safed zeera
Black cumin Shah zeera
Fenugreek Methi zeera Mace Javantri
Ginger, powdered Soonth
Mango powder Aamchur
Mustard seeds Rai or sarson
Nigella seeds Kalonji
Poppy seeds Saffron
Sesame seeds Gingelly or til
Tumeric Haldi
Nutmeg Jaiphal
Black salt or rock salt Kala namak
Fenugreek leaves Methi ka saag
MISC
Ash gourd Hattichak
Pumpkin Kaddu
Snake gourd Chahehinda Yam (elephant) *not a sweet potato Zamikand Yam,ordinary(NOT a sweet potato, white flesh, larger) Ratalu Sweet potato Shakarkland
SOURCE: _Rotis and Naans of India_ by Purobi Babbar, Vakils, Feffer and Simons Ltd., Bombay.