Tag: Spices

Paprika is a vibrant red spice made from grinding dried peppers. Its flavour profile can range from sweet and mild to hot and smoky, depending...

Zedoary, also known as white turmeric or Curcuma zedoaria, is a spice derived from the root of a plant native to Southeast Asia. It belongs...

Wattle, also known as wattle seed, is a spice derived from the seeds of certain Acacia plants, which are native to Australia. Indigenous Australians have...

Wasabi, often called “Japanese horseradish,” is a bright green, pungent spice traditionally used in Japanese cuisine. It’s derived from the root of the Wasabia japonica...

Vanilla has no flavour or aroma when they are picked. They are parboiled, sun-dried, and fermented in a lengthy and complicated process. Its during this...

Turmeric is a plant related to ginger. It adds a bright yellow-orange colour and subtle flavours to many sweet and savoury dishes. It is an...

Tamarind is a reddish brown pulp that surrounds the seeds inside the seed pods of the Tamarindus tree. The pulp is often formed into cakes...

Szechwan Pepper are another essential ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder and Japanese seven-spice mixture. They have a fragrant, woodsy, peppery flavour with hints of citrus....

Sumac is a bright red spice made from dried berries. It’s common in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking and has a tangy, citrusy flavour. It’s...

Star Anise are the dried fruit of a tree They are an amazing star shaped seed pod. It is an essential ingredient in Chinese five-spice...

Sesame Seeds are an ancient seed dating back thousands of years. The small seeds range in colour from ivory to red, brown, pale gold, and...

Saffron are the stigmas of a wild crocus and the most expensive spice in the world. Saffron lends a yellow colour and a musty, floral...

Safflower is better known for its oil. However the flower are used in cuisine to colour foods yellow. Similar to saffron you need to be...

Rose is used more in North Africa, the Middle East and India than in the West. Dried and ground petals are used in marinades and...

Poppy Seed are protein rich seeds of the opium poppy. They are often sprinkled over breads and sweet buns, and ground into a paste as...

Pomegranate relates to both the seeds and the juice of the fruit. The fruit is from the Middle East and southern Asia. It is primarily...

Pepper owes its bite to an alkaloid called piperine, and its warm, woody, sometimes citrus like flavour. This from several essential oils. The balance of...

Nigella are the seeds of the Nigella sativa plant, better known to gardeners as love-in-a-mist. It is used primarily in the cooking of India. They...

Nutmeg are the kernel of the seed of the Myristica fragrans tree. This is the same plant that also provides us with mace. With a...

Mustard seeds have a flavour and aroma than most will know. In Western cooking the whole seeds are a common ingredient in pickling mixtures, but...

Mountain Pepper is the fresh and dried berries of a small shrub native to Australia. It is often used as a substitute for pepper in...

Mastic is the dried resin of a member of the cherry family. It has a light, pine-like aroma and taste. The resin is usually sold...

Mahleb is the kernels of a sour cherry Prunus mahaleb. It primary use is in baked goods in the Middle East. The soft kernels are...

Mace is the lacy, orange-red covering called an aril which surround the spice called nutmeg. The aril is also called Mace. The flavour is very...

Licorice / Liquorice is a roots of a perennial shrub native to Europe and Asia, are used to flavour baked goods, candies, liqueurs, and soft...

Kokum is a fruit that is used primarily in Indian cooking. The whole dried fruit and the dried rind have a slightly fruity, sour taste...

Horseradish is divided into two parts. The leaves can be added raw to salads. However it is the root of the plant that most people...

Grains of Paradise are seeds from a plant that is a relative of the plant that gives us cardamom. Native to Western Africa, grains of...

‘Ginger is a fibrous root. It’s used in both sweet as well as savoury foods nearly everywhere in the world. It has a sharp, pungent...

Garlic is probably the most widely used spice in the world having been used for thousands of years. It is available in many forms, including...

Galangal can be used fresh or dried. With a flavour similar to its close cousin ginger, it is used in a similar manner in the...

Fenugreek are dried seeds which are widely used in Middle Eastern, North African, and Indian cooking. However, they have never caught on the the West!...

Fennel Seeds are used to season pickles, breads, sauerkraut, and cured as well as fresh sausages. They have a wonderful anise like flavour. The seeds...

Dill Seeds are the seeds of another plant whose leaves and seeds are used in cooking. This one plant produces both a herb and a...

Cumin are the dried seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant. It’s a small plant related to caraway, dill and fennel. Cumin is one of the...

Cubeb is the dried immature fruits of a tropical vine. They are a close relative to black pepper which they resemble in appearance and flavour....

Coriander Seeds are dried seeds of the Cariandrum sativum plant. This is the same plant the grows the herb cilantro/coriander. The seeds have a sweet,...

Cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds of Syzyium aromaticum. They have been used as a spice for thousands of years. Eugenol is the essential...

Citrus – The juice and the pickled, preserved, fresh, or dried rind of many members of the Citrus genus give an unmistakable citrus flavor and...