Fudco Cinnamon (Taj Powder) 300gCinnamon, one of the most-used spices in Indian cuisine, has been used for thousands of years.In ancient Egypt, its use was limited to royalty, who used it in beverages, medicine, and the embalming of their corpses. It was deemed as a gift fit for the gods. Currently, it is the world’s fifth most expensive spice by weight.Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of various trees belonging to the Cinnamomum genus, with the thinnest bark being the highest quality. It has sweet, pleasant smell and taste, and is used widely in beverages and food. In cooking, it is used in both desserts and main course dishes. It is available in both sticks and ground form.In most Indian dishes, however, you would be using the sticks, so you better buy whole cinnamon sticks. You can grind them later in your coffee grinder or food processor if you need ground cinnamon for any of your dishes.Storage of Cinnamon: If you store cinnamon in an airtight jar in the form of sticks, they will retain their flavour for a very long time. However, since grinding the sticks brings out the flavour of cinnamon, the powdered form loses the flavour quickly. It is better to grind cinnamon fresh when using it, or if you need to store it,it should be powdered in small quantities and stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. Keep the powdered cinnamon away from sunlight.Use in Indian Cuisine: No Indian spice box is complete without cinnamon. It is used heavily in many dishes such as chicken qorma, tandoori chicken, murghmakhani, chana dal, pulao, and many other dishes. Many recipes include roasting pieces of cinnamon sticks in oil so that its flavor and fragrance is released and the stick becomes tender. The food is then cooked in this aromatic and flavourful oil. Cinnamon is also one of the main ingredients in garam masala, a combination of spices which forms the base for almost all of the foods in Indian cuisine.Health Benefits of Cinnamon: Rich in antioxidants, cinnamon is apowerful spice with many health benefits.If you consume two grams of cinnamon every day, it will effectively reduce blood pressure and your levels of cholesterol.This, in turn, keeps your heart healthy and reduces any risk of heart diseases. Cinnamon also helps lower the blood sugar and improves the sensitivity to insulin, which is beneficial for diabetic patients. The essential oils in cinnamon are immune-boosting, and are anti-biotic, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and anti-viral agents. This provides protection against common viruses and infections. Ingesting cinnamon regularly is also good for skin and digestive and dental health.