# What's this pungent Indian spice Pt. 2? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 13, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196 "2011-09-13T20:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/1 "2011-09-13T20:38:38Z")
There’s something in Indian foods that I can’t identify. It has a…metallic taste, and I taste it in potato or cauliflower dishes. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/2 "2011-09-13T21:19:30Z")
Well you’re not giving us much to go on . . . . Turmeric? Coriander? ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/3 "2011-09-14T04:25:04Z")
Cilantro? ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/4 "2011-09-14T11:13:04Z")
I believe coriander, particularly fresh leaf (Cilantro to you merkins) can taste metallic to some people, not so to others. As a result, some people loath it. I love it. And it’s used all over the place in indian cuisine. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/5 "2011-09-14T11:36:10Z")
Saffron? ---
**Author:** ![Post\_Miss\_Post](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Post\_Miss\_Post](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Post_Miss_Post)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/6 "2011-09-14T11:54:14Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > Well you’re not giving us much to go on . . . . Agreed. Can you give us an idea of the type of dishes? Do they share a similar colour for instance? If it were something like turmeric or saffron the dish would likely be yellow. The only thing I can think of is that I’ve often eaten/cooked Indian potato and cauliflower dishes with mustard seeds. You fry them in oil first until they pop all over the place. Yum! I’m not sure that that would account for the metallic taste though. And you’d notice the texture. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/7 "2011-09-14T12:43:32Z")
[Asafoetida](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida)? I have a few potato Indian recipes that call for that as a spice. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/8 "2011-09-14T13:59:23Z")
I know the taste you’re talking about, and it’s not cilantro (which I don’t like), or cumin/coriander seed/mustard seeds, all of which I cook with and could name when tasting. I’ve only tasted this in purchased Indian food, not in anything I’ve prepared myself. I’m certainly not an accomplished cook of Indian-style dishes, but I’ve cooked with garam masala, cardamom, fennel seed, cloves, several different kinds of powdered chiles, and curry powder, although I know the last isn’t authentically Indian, plus the spices named above, and none of them are the thing with the metallic flavor that the OP is discussing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/9 "2011-09-14T14:17:42Z")
Another possibility is kasuri methi, or dried fenugreek leaves. I’m not sure I’d call the flavor metallic, but it’s fairly pungent and is pretty prevalent in North Indian and Punjabi restaurants around here. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@Agent\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/10 "2011-09-14T14:18:42Z")
Curry. red curry or yellow curry ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/11 "2011-09-14T14:25:39Z")
> [@Agent\_Violet](#): > > Curry. red curry or yellow curry Curry isn’t a spice. (Well, there are curry leaves, but that’s another story. Oh, and that’s another possibility for the OP.) Curry is a collection of spices (there are many different kinds), and the OP is trying to find what individual spice or herb is contributing to the metallic flavor. Red and yellow curry are generally associated with Thai, Malaysia, etc., and not Indian food. Those curries are also made a good bit differently than your average Indian curry-type dish. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@Agent\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/12 "2011-09-14T14:46:00Z")
cumin is used in indian food…is THAT a spice? ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/13 "2011-09-14T15:05:37Z")
> [@Agent\_Violet](#): > > cumin is used in indian food…is THAT a spice? Of course, why wouldn’t it be? It’s a specific type of seed (well several specific types of seed) whereas curry powder or paste contain a mixture of spices. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-pungent-indian-spice-pt-2/596196/14 "2011-09-14T16:01:27Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Another possibility is kasuri methi, or dried fenugreek leaves. I’m not sure I’d call the flavor metallic, but it’s fairly pungent and is pretty prevalent in North Indian and Punjabi restaurants around here. Fenugreek was the first thing that popped to mind for me when I read the OP. Find a restuarant which serves [Aloo Methi](http://www.ecurry.com/blog/curries/dry/aloo-methipotatoes-with-fenugreek-leaves/)(Fenugreek Potatoes) and see if it’s the flavor you noticed turned up to 11. Fenugreek is used in both leaf and seed form(like coriander), and they’re somewhat seasonal because fresh leaves are preferred over the dried leaves. It’s fairly common in Indian cuisine, but is not a normal ingredient in garam masala, and may not be as noticeable a flavor when mixed with other strong flavors. Enjoy, Steven