Herbs in Indian Cooking: Essential Flavors for Pizza and Curries

When you think of herbs, fresh plant leaves used to flavor food, often added near the end of cooking to preserve their aroma. Also known as culinary greens, they aren’t just garnish in Indian kitchens—they’re the soul of flavor. Think cilantro chopped over a hot pizza, mint in a cooling chutney, or curry leaves sizzled in oil before a curry hits the pan. These aren’t optional extras. They’re the difference between a dish that’s just spicy and one that sings.

Indian cooking doesn’t rely on just dried spices. fresh herbs, live plant leaves like cilantro, mint, and curry leaves used raw or lightly cooked to add brightness and depth bring life to everything from dosa batter to tandoori marinades. Cilantro, for example, isn’t just sprinkled on top—it’s blended into chutneys that cut through rich paneer or balance spicy chicken curry. Mint, often paired with cilantro, turns a simple yogurt sauce into a refreshing condiment that makes pizza toppings pop. And curry leaves? They’re the quiet hero. When fried in oil at the start of cooking, they release a citrusy, nutty scent that sticks to every bite.

Here’s the thing: most people think of garam masala when they think Indian spices, but garam masala, a warm spice blend typically including cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and cumin, but never containing fresh herbs doesn’t include herbs at all. That’s intentional. Herbs are the fresh counterpoint to those ground spices. They’re added last, raw, or lightly cooked—because heat kills their magic. This is why you’ll find recipes telling you to stir in cilantro at the very end. It’s not a mistake. It’s science.

And yes, herbs are making their way into Indian-inspired pizza too. A pizza topped with fresh basil and cilantro? Sounds weird until you try it with tandoori chicken and mint chutney drizzle. That’s the fusion we’re talking about. The same herbs that flavor your dal are now lifting your crust. You don’t need exotic ingredients. Just good, fresh cilantro, a handful of mint, maybe a few curry leaves fried in olive oil before you spread your sauce. That’s all it takes to turn a basic pizza into something that tastes like India.

What you’ll find in these posts isn’t just recipes. It’s the why behind the how. Why some chutneys are served cold. Why certain herbs vanish in heat. Why your roti tastes better with a sprinkle of fresh coriander. These aren’t random tips. They’re the rules of flavor that Indian cooks have followed for generations—and now, they’re being used to reinvent pizza. You’ll learn which herbs work best in dough, which ones to save for the finish, and which ones you’re probably wasting because you’re adding them too early.