Earthy and deep

Cumin, turmeric and fenugreek: the low, savoury base of a curry.

Earthy spices have a deep, savoury, slightly dusty flavour. Cumin, turmeric, coriander seed, fenugreek and black cardamom give food a rounded, grounded base.

What makes them earthy

Cumin contains cuminaldehyde, a warm, musky compound. Turmeric tastes of soil, ginger and a little bitterness. Black cardamom adds smoke and camphor. They hold the flavour together under brighter spices.

How cooks use them

They form the base of curry powders, chilli, tagines, falafel and many bean dishes. They are usually cooked in oil early, to remove rawness, and are often combined with sweeter or more sour notes.

Cautions

Overuse can make food taste muddy. A small pinch of a brighter spice, such as coriander or lemon, restores balance.

Earthy and deep on EveryMasala

The spices written up so far, best known first.

PartSeed Bark Root Flower Fruit Chilli Leaf Resin Bulb Stigma Blend Paste Seasoning

MealBreakfast Lunch Dinner Supper Snacks and tea time Drinks Desserts and sweets Street food Pickles and preserves Feasts and banquets

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreNew Mexico chilechile de Nuevo México A cultivar group of Capsicum annuum from New Mexico, valued for its smoky flavor and range of heat levels.Sharp and pungent · Sweet and mellow

🇮🇳 IndiaVadouvan A French-Indian spice blend combining dried aromatics with ground seedsWarm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep

🇮🇳 IndiaIdli podiஇட்லிப் பொடி A coarse South Indian spice mix of roasted lentils and chillies, served with oil or ghee.Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇮🇹 ItalyRed Sulmona GarlicAglio rosso di Sulmona A traditional garlic cultivar from the Abruzzo region of Italy, grown on the Sulmona plateau.Bulb · Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreChar magazचार मगज A blend of four melon seeds used to thicken and enrich dishes in South AsiaSweet and mellow · Earthy and deep

🇸🇩 Sudan and 5 moreTamarind The sweet and sour pulp of a tropical tree pod used in sauces and drinks.Fruit · Sweet and mellow · Sour and tart

🇬🇪 GeorgiaSvan saltსვანური მარილი A moist, aromatic spice blend from the Georgian mountains, combining herbs with salt.Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep 🇻🇳 VietnamHúng lìu A Vietnamese spice blend of cinnamon, star anise, and clove for roasted meatsWarm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreChimayó pepper A prized New Mexico chile cultivar known for its sweet, smoky flavor and twisted dried pods.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Smoky

🇵🇪 Peru and 4 moreRocoto A hairy-leaved Andean pepper with black seeds and a distinct cucumber aroma.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreGalbanum A bitter Persian gum resin used in ancient incense and modern green perfumesResin · Bitter · Sharp and pungent

🇪🇸 SpainPaprika Tap de CortíPimentón de Mallorca A sweet, sun-dried ground pepper from the Balearic Islands, prized for its deep red colour and antioxidant properties.Seed · Sweet and mellow · Earthy and deep

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreIndonesian cinnamon A strong, affordable bark from Sumatra used as a common spice and oil source.Bark · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent 🇮🇳 IndiaBafat A coastal Indian spice blend for pork stews and meat dishesBlend · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇫🇷 FranceSel gris A coarse, moist sea salt harvested from the bottom of French salt pans.Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreTurmericहल्दी The dried rhizome of a tropical ginger relative, prized for its golden color and earthy bite.Root · Warm and sweet-spiced · Bitter

🇬🇪 Georgia and 1 moreBlue fenugreekუცხო სუნელი The blue-flowered annual herb that seasons Georgian stews and Swiss cheeseSeed · Earthy and deep · Bitter

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreIndian costusकुष्ठ (kuṣṭha) The dried root of a Himalayan thistle, used for centuries in perfumes and traditional remedies.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreCumin The dried seed of a small parsley-family herb, used whole or ground in many world cuisines.Seed · Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep 🇮🇳 IndiaRamanathapuram Mundu chilli A round, mild red chilli from Tamil Nadu with a GI tag.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇮🇳 IndiaKashmiri red chilliकश्मीरी लाल मिर्च A mild Capsicum annuum cultivar prized for its deep red colour and low heat.Chilli · Earthy and deep

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreJalapeño A medium-sized Capsicum annuum cultivar from Mexico known for its green pods and moderate heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Idli podi: Booradleyp1, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Red Sulmona Garlic: Marica Massaro, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Indian costus: Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Indonesian cinnamon: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source
Jalapeño: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Turmeric: J.M.Garg, CC BY 3.0, source
Chimayó pepper: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Vadouvan: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Kashmiri red chilli: Miansari66, Public domain, source
Cumin: Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Char magaz: Miansari66, Public domain, source
Rocoto: The original uploader was Lrothc at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Galbanum: Maša Sinreih in Valentina Vivod, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Paprika Tap de Cortí: Berin, CC BY 3.0, source
New Mexico chile: vxla, CC BY 2.0, source
Sel gris: Stéphane Gourichon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Tamarind: B.navez, CC BY 2.5, source
Svan salt: Jelger Groeneveld, CC BY 2.0, source
Blue fenugreek: Flyout, CC BY-SA 3.0, source