Sharp and pungent
Mustard, horseradish, wasabi and black pepper: the bite that reaches the nose.
Pungent spices have a sharp, penetrating bite that reaches the nose and sinuses. Mustard, horseradish, wasabi, black pepper, ginger and garlic belong here.
What makes them pungent
Mustard, horseradish and wasabi make isothiocyanates when the plant is crushed, which creates a quick nose-clearing sting. Black pepper's piperine gives a more lasting bite. Ginger's gingerols and garlic's allicin give their own sharp edge.
How cooks use them
Mustard is used in Indian, German, French and English food, wasabi with Japanese raw fish, horseradish with roast beef, and pepper nearly everywhere. Pungency fades with heat or time, so many are added at the end.
Sensation
Pungent bite is different from chilli burn. It comes quickly, then fades, and does not linger on the tongue.
Sharp and pungent on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 4 moreParsley
A bright green herb from the celery family, used fresh across Europe and the Middle East.Leaf 路 Bitter 路 Herbal and green
馃嚘馃嚝 Afghanistan and 5 moreLovage谢褞斜懈褋褌芯泻
A tall European herb with celery-like leaves and spicy seeds used in soups and broths.Leaf 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Herbal and green
馃嚦馃嚨 Nepal and 1 moreJimbu
A dried wild onion herb from the Himalayas, used to season lentils and meat.Leaf 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Herbal and green
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyCommon thyme
A woody Mediterranean herb with small grey-green leaves and a sharp, spicy-sweet flavour.Leaf 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 2 moreP谩palo
A pungent herb from central Mexico to the Andes, used fresh in salsas and tacos.Leaf 路 Citrus and bright 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚨馃嚜 Peru and 3 moreBlack mintHuacatay
A South American marigold herb used as a paste or dried seasoning in Andean cookingLeaf 路 Herbal and green 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚡馃嚨 Japan and 1 moreSansho灞辨
The dried berries and young leaves of a spiny Japanese shrub, prized for their numbing citrus heat.Seed 路 Citrus and bright 路 Numbing and tingling
馃嚥馃嚲 Malaysia and 3 moreKesum
An aromatic herb from Southeast Asia, used fresh in salads and soups.Leaf 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Herbal and green
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 1 moreGarden cress
A fast-growing edible herb with peppery leaves and seeds used in salads and traditional medicine.Leaf 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Sour and tart
馃嚢馃嚟 Cambodia and 5 moreVietnamese corianderrau r膬m
The fresh leaves of a tropical herb used in Southeast Asian soups and saladsLeaf 路 Citrus and bright 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 5 moreCulantro釣囜灨釣氠灁釣撫煉釣涐灦
A tropical herb with serrated leaves, offering a deep and pungent coriander flavour.Leaf 路 Herbal and green 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 5 moreShiso绱槆
A mint-family herb with serrated leaves, used fresh or pickled across East Asia.Leaf 路 Herbal and green 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 5 moreKencur娌欏
A stemless ginger-family rhizome with a peppery, camphorous biteRoot 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Herbal and green
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- P谩palo: Wibowo Djatmiko ( Wie146 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Culantro: Maxintaft, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Jimbu: CJoshi0, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kencur: Hariadhi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shiso: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Common thyme: Isidre blanc, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vietnamese coriander: Joditran, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Black mint: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, source
- Sansho: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kesum: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Garden cress: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lovage: 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Parsley: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, source