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.
馃嚤馃嚢 Sri Lanka and 5 moreCinnamon
The dried inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, prized for its sweet warmth and essential oil.Bark 路 Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚘馃嚬 Austria and 5 moreCaraway
The crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family herb, used to flavour breads and spirits.Seed 路 Anise and liquorice 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚠馃嚪 Iran and 4 moreSaffron夭毓賮乇丕賳
The dried crimson stigmas of the autumn-blooming saffron crocus.Stigma 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Bitter
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 4 moreNutmeg
The dried seed of a tropical tree, prized for its warm, pungent spice.Seed 路 Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 2 moreCardamom
Aromatic seeds from spindle-shaped pods used in sweet and savory dishes across Asia and the Middle East.Seed 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 1 moreMastic螠伪蟽蟿委蠂伪
A bitter-sweet resin from the mastic tree, used in desserts and traditional medicine.Bitter 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚲馃嚜 Yemen and 1 moreHawaij丨賵丕賷噩
A ground Yemeni spice blend used for soups, coffee, and everyday cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Earthy and deep
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 2 moreAllspice
The dried green berry of a tropical tree, named for its blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove notes.Fruit 路 Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 2 moreMixed spice
A British blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice for sweet bakingBlend 路 Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreIndian bay leaf啶む啶溹お啶む啶むぞ
The large, veined leaf of a Himalayan tree, used for its warm cassia scent in South Asian cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 5 moreGinger
The pungent rhizome of a flowering perennial, one of the world's most traded spices.Root 路 Hot and fiery 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚞馃嚰 Guinea-Bissau and 5 moreCalabash nutmeg
The dried seed of a West African tree, used as a local substitute for nutmeg.Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 1 moreChenpi闄崇毊
Sun-dried mandarin orange peel aged for use in Chinese cooking and medicineFruit 路 Sweet and mellow 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚘馃嚬 Austria and 5 moreCaraway
The crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family plant, used to flavour rye bread and spirits.Seed 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Anise and liquorice
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Nutmeg: Herusutimbul, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mastic: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chenpi: Dboxes, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Caraway: Slick, CC0, source
- Indian bay leaf: Sonja Pauen, Public domain, source
- Hawaij: Mx. Granger, CC0, source
- Mixed spice: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Allspice: Unknown author, CC BY 2.5, source
- Ginger: Venkatx5, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cardamom: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Calabash nutmeg: Samuel Curtis and William Jackson Hooker, Public domain, source
- Saffron: Hubertl, CC BY-SA 4.0, source