SHOPPING : Find Variety at Indian Markets

An Indian market is a useful place for shopping no matter what type of cooking you pursue. Aside from such specialty items as asafoetida and dried mango powder, the ingredients on hand can be used to prepare a broad range of foods--from an Italian sauce to a Mexican dinner.

Spices in particular are a good buy. Packed from bulk supplies in a variety of sizes, they are usually fresh because of high turnover, and they’re lower in price than the bottled and canned spices in supermarkets. The variety is greater too.

Cardamom, for example, can be hard to find in some supermarkets. But at the Bharat Bazaar in Culver City, it is available in three forms: whole pods, shelled seeds and ground. The price of the ground cardamom, packed under the shop’s label, is lower per ounce than that of a bottled brand in a supermarket.

Additional spices to look for are allspice, anise seeds, cloves, coriander, cumin, cinnamon sticks, fenugreek, ginger, mustard seeds, peppercorns, poppy seeds, saffron and turmeric. Poppy seeds are normally dark, but Indian shops carry white poppy seeds that could well be used as a topping for rolls and loaves of bread. Fenugreek seeds come whole or ground, and the dried leaves are also available. The ground spice or the leaves would be an interesting addition to salad dressings or soups. The flavor is akin to celery.

Chili powders and dried hot chiles could spice anything from chili con carne to an Italian sauce. Pistachios garnish many Indian desserts, cashews go into rich Moghlai sauces, and almonds into sweets and meat dishes alike, so these are readily available.

Vegetarians will find a far greater assortment of lentils and beans than in a supermarket. Flours also come in a great variety. In one shop, the assortment included finely ground corn flour, barley, garbanzo bean, mung bean, rice and tapioca flours as well as whole-wheat flour for chapatis.

Look also for sesame seeds, dried unsweetened coconut and cream of wheat (which may be labeled sooji ) . Basmati rice, a fine-quality rice that is exceptionally long-grained, could go with any meal. And imported mango chutney could accompany a baked ham as well as an Indian dinner.

Tea is a basic Indian beverage, usually served with milk and sugar and sometimes spiced with cardamom or a spice blend called tea masala. One brand of tea that Indians favor is Brooke Bond, carried in most stores. Tea masala is also available.

Most Indian shops carry a variety of utensils. Some are specifically designed for Indian foods, such as the small round board and slim rolling pin intended for chapatis. But others could cross cultural lines. Among these are mortars and pestles, available in heavy stone, stainless steel and brass. A small, heavy steel mortar purchased at Selected Spices in Los Angeles turned out to be a handy tool for crushing peppercorns, cardamom pods and other dry spices, as well as garlic cloves.

Indian-style woks come in several sizes, and a small one can make an attractive serving container. They are broad and shallow, with looplike handles at either side.

A charming idea is a spice container in which to group frequently used seasonings. The round, stainless-steel box holds seven cups for the spices. One large lid covers the cups, and another seals the container, keeping the spices airtight. This method of storage eliminates shuffling through a cupboard or drawer for an assortment of bottles, then opening each to measure out the contents. Manufactured in Bombay, the set is attractive enough to display on a counter.

Phulan Chander, who manages the Bharat Bazaar, stocks her container with chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, cumin seeds, garam masala (a spice blend), black pepper and turmeric, all commonly used in Indian cooking. A frequent baker could equip the container with allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace and nutmeg, while a selection of seasonings for general cooking could include garlic powder, lemon-pepper, dry mustard, paprika, oregano, basil and bay leaves.

Major centers for Indian shops include Pico-Fairfax, Culver City and Cerritos-Artesia. A partial list of markets in these and other areas follows.

Apna Bazaar, 1239 1/2 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles; (213) 932-2762.

India Spices and Groceries, 5891 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; (213) 931-4871.

Selected Spices, 5128 1/2 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles; (213) 661-6300.

Bharat Bazaar, 11510 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City; (213) 398-6766.

Mah Bharat, 9601 Venice Blvd., Culver City; (213) 204-3717.

India Sweets and Spices, 9409 Venice Blvd., Culver City; (213) 837-5286. 18191 S. Pioneer Blvd., Artesia; (213) 809-3191. 1020 Huntington Drive, Duarte; (818) 357-6898.

House of Spices, 12223 Centralia Road, Lakewood; (213) 860-9919.

Bombay Spiceland, 8650 Reseda Blvd, Northridge; (818) 701-9383.

Patel Brothers, 8516 Reseda Blvd., Northridge; (818) 772-7691. 18636 Pioneer Blvd., Artesia; (213) 402-2953.

India Foods and Gifts, 17820 Pioneer Blvd., Artesia; (213) 865-3678.

Bombay Spices, 18628 Pioneer Blvd., Artesia; (213) 860-9949.

New India Sweets and Spices, 565 S. Azusa Way, La Puente; (818) 965-5838.

The Geetanjali, 2960-F W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim; (714) 828-2960.

Next week in Markets, all about Dal.