The Essential Indian Grocery List for a Well-Stocked Kitchen
New to Indian cooking, or just want to stock your pantry properly? This Indian grocery list covers the spices, grains, lentils and staples every Indian kitchen needs – so you can cook almost any dish at home.
Indian cooking looks complex, but it's built on a compact set of core ingredients. Once your pantry is stocked with these staples, you can make everything from a quick dal to a full weekend feast. Here's the complete Indian grocery list.
🌶️ Essential spices
The core spice box
- Turmeric (haldi) – colour, earthiness and health benefits
- Cumin seeds (jeera) – the base of most curries
- Coriander powder (dhania) – mild, citrusy body
- Red chilli powder (mirch) – heat and colour
- Garam masala – the finishing blend
- Mustard seeds (rai) – for tempering (tadka)
- Cardamom (elaichi) – for chai and sweets
- Turmeric, cinnamon, cloves & bay leaf – for biryani and rich gravies
- Asafoetida (hing) – a pinch adds depth to dal
🌾 Rice, flours & grains
- Basmati rice – for everyday meals and biryani
- Atta (whole wheat flour) – for roti and chapati
- Besan (gram flour) – for pakora, cheela and sweets
- Maida & sooji (semolina) – for puris, upma and desserts
- Poha & idli rice – for breakfasts
🥘 Lentils & pulses (dal)
- Toor dal – the everyday staple
- Moong dal – light and quick-cooking
- Chana dal & chickpeas – for chana masala and more
- Urad dal – for dal makhani, idli and dosa
- Rajma (kidney beans) – for the classic rajma-chawal
🛢️ Oils, pastes & pantry
- Cooking oil & ghee – the foundation of flavour
- Ginger-garlic paste – a huge time-saver
- Tomato puree – for quick gravies
- Pickles (achar) & chutneys – instant flavour on the side
- Tamarind & coconut – for South Indian dishes
🥦 Fresh & frozen
- Onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic & green chillies – the fresh base of most dishes
- Paneer – fresh or frozen, for curries and snacks
- Frozen paratha & samosa – for quick meals
- Coriander & curry leaves – for finishing and tempering
Where to buy your Indian groceries
You'll find the freshest, most authentic versions of everything on this list at a specialist Indian grocery store. Chai n' Spice stocks the full range – fresh from India – and delivers across Germany, with free delivery over €45 and Munich delivery available on Sundays only.
Chai n' Spice – Indian Supermarket, Munich
📍 Schleißheimer Straße 182, 80797 Munich (Schwabing) · 🚚 Delivery in Germany · 💬 Order via WhatsApp +49 152 29299914
🛒 Stock your Indian pantry
Everything on this list, in one place – fresh from India, delivered to your door.
Shop the Grocery ListKeep this list handy for your next shop – with a well-stocked pantry, authentic Indian cooking becomes a weeknight habit, not a special occasion.