• The Melam Company exports a variety of traditional Indian spices.bowls of spices image by isatori from Fotolia.com
  
  Dr. Kurian John Melamparambil began the Melam Group in 1992 as a way of funding the medical charity work he began after his father's untimely death. One of the largest exporting brands in India, the sale of Melam spices continues to fund Dr. Melamparambil's mission to provide free health care to impoverished people. Melam exports a variety of Indian spices, some commonly known and others more exotic.
  
  

Chili Powder

• Chili powder originates from grinding the dried pods of chili peppers, which hail from plants in the capsicum family. Most of the heat found in Indian cuisine comes from chili powder. Heat levels ranges from mild to intense depending on the type of pepper used. Chili peppers come in a wide range of sizes and colors, including red, green, white, purple and pink.
  
  

Curry Powder

• Melam sells over a dozen varieties of curry powder, some created for vegetarian use and others to accent fish, chicken or meat dishes. Other blends are geared toward specific Indian cooking techniques, such as tandoori, or to season biriyani, a rice dish made for special occasions. Each curry powder contains a different combination of spices. Most include coriander, turmeric, cumin, pepper and ginger along with other aromatic ingredients. Garam Masala, another type of curry powder, features warmer, sweeter spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
  
  

Ginger

• Powdered ginger is a buff-colored, spicy hot, dried and ground rhizome, or root. Its name comes from the Sanskrit word "stringa-vera" which refers to the horn or antler shape of ginger rhizomes. Native to India, ginger commonly flavors curry powders, chutneys and pickles.
  
  

Turmeric

• Turmeric, also a ground rhizome, comes from the tropical plant Curcuma longa L. Closely related to ginger, turmeric shares the peppery, spicy aroma of ginger but with a bitter, pungent taste. Because of its bright yellow hue, it is sometimes called "Indian saffron," as it imparts the same color to foods as saffron, but at a much lower cost.
  
  

Green Jeera

• Green jeera is a pungent, hot and slightly bitter Indian herb used to flavor sausages and pickles. The spice is also added to some chili and curry powders.
  
  

Cumin

• Yellowish-brown, ground cumin comes from seeds of a plant in the parsley family, and appears in Indian cookery both alone and as an ingredient in curry powder. It has a warm, earthy flavor and a strong aroma, which can overtake other spices if not used with restraint.
  
  

Fenugreek

• Featured heavily in the curry dishes of southern India, fenugreek has been cultivated since ancient times for a sweet, savory flavor reminiscent of maple syrup. Like cumin, a little fenugreek goes a long way. Fenugreek flavor appears in vindaloo curry powders and mango chutney.
  
  

Coriander

• The seed of the Coriandrum sativum plant -- whose leaves are known as cilantro -- has a light flavor that combines well with ginger and other Indian spices. Though coriander and cilantro hail from the same plant, their flavors are different and they are not interchangeable.