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Cumin seeds (jeera, jeeragam, jilakara, black cumin, kala jeera, royal cumin, shah jeera)
A basic Indian spice. Used mainly in North India.  Used for its strong but very pleasing flavor.  Used for digesting foods. 
One of the five spices in the Bengali panchporan (five spice) mixture
They can be fried whole in oil, or ground, or roasted and ground, or ground and then roasted, all with different results.

Turmeric (haldi)
A basic Indian spice.
Used mainly for its medicinal properties, and lovely color that it gives to the dishes.

Coriander seeds (dhaniya)
A basic Indian spice.
Used mainly for its fresh, cooling and soothing taste

Mustard seeds (black)
A basic Indian spice.
Used mainly in South and West India instead or along with cumin seeds.  Used for its strong but very pleasing flavor.  Good for digesting foods.
one of the five spices in the Bengali panchporan (five spice) mixture

Asafetida (hing, heeng), also spelled asafetida
A basic Indian spice.  Used as a digestive and for its flavor
Used mainly for its strong sulfur taste on the lines of garlic.

Fennel seeds (sounf)
A basic but not essential Indian spice. Used mainly in North India.  Used for its strong but very pleasing flavor.  Used for digesting foods. 
One of the five spices in the Bengali panchporan (five spice) mixture
They can be fried whole in oil, or ground, or roasted and ground, or ground and then roasted, all with different results.

Fenugreek (methi)
A basic but not essential Indian spice which is actually a lentil. Used throughout Indiaboth in North and South Cooking.  Used for its strong, bitter taste.   Used for its bitter taste and wonderful healthful properties.  Besides turmeric it is the most medically useful item in the Indian kitchen. 
One of the five spices in the Bengali panchporan (five spice) mixture
If it is burnt it gets very bitter and should be thrown away.

Dried Ginger (adrak, or sont)
A basic but not essential Indian spice. Used mainly in North India.  Used throughout India both in North and South Cooking.   Used for its warming properties and wonderful aroma and taste. 

Nigella Seeds or Kalonji
A basic but not essential Indian spice. Used mainly in North India.  Used for its strong but very pleasing flavor.  Used for digesting foods.  Small black seed, sometimes called onion seeds, although they are not really seeds from onions
One of the five spices in the Bengali panchporan (five spice) mixture
often sprinkled on naan (bread)

Carom (ajowain)
A basic but not essential Indian spice. Used mainly in North India.  Used for its strong but very pleasing flavor.  Used for digesting foods. 
One of the five spices in the Bengali panchporan (five spice) mixture
Used to flavor breads and root vegetables.

Green cardamom pods (eliachi)
A secondary and not essential Indian spice. Used throughout India - both in North and South Cooking.  Used for its strong but very pleasing flavor. 
One of the spices in Garam masala
It is best to grind small quantities at home using a coffee mill. Cardamom loses its natural oils quickly, it also loses its flavor. Cardamom is an expensive spice.
Used to flavor curries, masala chai and certain vegetables and Indian desserts

Black cardamom (kala eliachi)
A secondary and not essential Indian spice. Used in North Indian Cooking.   Used for its mellow and warm flavor. 
This larger dark brown variety is used flavoring meat, poultry and rice dishes. The inner seeds are often used for making Garam masala.

Cinnamon (dalchini)
A secondary and not essential Indian spice. Used throughout India - both in North and South Cooking.  Used for its sweet and pleasing flavor. It is the bark of the cinnamon tree
One of the spices in Garam masala
Used to flavor curries, masala chai and certain vegetables and Indian desserts

Cloves (lavang or laung)
A secondary and not essential Indian spice. Used throughout India - both in North and South Cooking.  Used for its pleasing flavor.
One of the spices in Garam masala
It is best to grind small quantities at home using a coffee mill. It easily loses its flavor.
Used to flavor curries, masala chai and certain vegetables

Nutmeg
A secondary and not essential Indian spice. Used throughout India - both in North and South Cooking.  Used for its warm and pleasing flavor.
One of the spices in Garam masala
It is best to grind small quantities at home using a coffee mill. It easily loses its flavor.
Used to flavor curries, masala chai, coffee and certain vegetables and Indian desserts

Mace (jaivitri)
A secondary and not essential Indian spice. Used throughout India - both in North and South Cooking.  Used for its warm and pleasing flavor.
One of the spices in Garam masala
It is best to use the blades whole and remove them after cooking
Used to flavor curries, masala chai and certain vegetables and Indian desserts
available whole or ground

Garam masala
powdered blend of spices that may include cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, black peppercorns, nutmeg, mace. garam means "hot", but not chili hot, hot in the sense that these spices are said to increase body temperature. Interestingly, many of these spices are used in deserts in western cooking (i.e. cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace)
different regions use different mixtures (masalas) and proportions. Garam masala will also vary from household to household.
powdered garam masala is often added at the end of cooking in small quantities
whole garam masala is used in north Indian cooking, especially meat dishes.
A whole garam masala could include whole cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom (black or green), whole mace, and black peppercorns.
Often these are fried in hot oil before other wet ingredients such as meat, onions, garlic, and/or ginger are added.
Cooking with these spices release a wonderful botanical odor that fills your house and neighborhood.

Coconuts
important in South Indian curries
available dried flakes, or as canned coconut milk

Garlic (lahsun)
A basic Indian seasoning. Used in North and South India.  Used for its strong and satisfying flavor. . 
One of the essential seasoning in Indian wet masala or an herbal concoction added to curries
Garlic is also believed to have many health benefits and first aid applications

Fresh or dry Mint leaves
use fresh or dry easy to grow and dry
used in North Indian cooking especially with eggplant and in Biryanis,
has a fresh, cooling taste and is excellent with warming spices.

Dry - Fenugreek leaves
Fresh cilantro leaves

Jaggery (palm sugar)
raw (unrefined) sugar
often sold in conical blocks

Gur - dried sugarcane juice

Mango, dried (amchoor)
raw, dried, ground mango is tangy and sour, in a pinch, lemon can be substituted

Tamarind (imli)

Yogurt
yogurt is used a souring ingredient in many dishes and is often cooked in sauces.

Lime Juice

Black peppercorns (kali mirchi)

Poppy seeds (khus khus)

Saffron (kesar or zafran)
very expensive because of the short harvest season (10 days per year!) and intensive labor needed for harvest some cooks soak the threads in hot milk for about 15 minutes before using to bring out the colored in fancy Mughal dishes, not usually in everyday cooking

Sesame seeds (til)
very small seeds generally roasted and then ground.  It has a very distinct nutty taste.

Black salt (kala namak)
actually pinkish-brown used in pickles and Chat Masala (a northern Indian spice mix sprinkled over fresh fruit)