Smoky
Smoked paprika, chipotle and black cardamom: fire and smoke in a jar.
Smoky spices carry the taste of fire. Smoked paprika, chipotle, black cardamom, lapsang tea and some salts and chilli flakes give a campfire scent.
Where smoke comes from
Smoked flavour is gained by drying or roasting over wood. In La Vera in Spain, peppers are dried over oak, and chipotle is a ripe jalapeno smoke-dried in Mexico. Black cardamom pods are dried over open fires in the Himalayas.
How cooks use them
Smoky spices add depth to stews, beans, rubs, barbecue, paella and marinades. A small amount gives the effect of long cooking over fire without the effort.
Tips
Use a light hand, as smoke can dominate a dish. Smoked paprika comes sweet, bittersweet and hot, so choose by taste.
Smoky on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreCardamom
Aromatic seeds from spindle-shaped pods used in sweet and savory dishes across Asia and the Middle East.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇱🇦 Laos and 2 moreKhao khuaເຂົ້າຂົ້ວ
Dry-toasted sticky rice, ground rough, the nutty backbone of Lao laabSeed · Smoky
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreChipotle
Smoke-dried ripe jalapeño peppers used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cookingChilli · Hot and fiery · Smoky
🇪🇸 SpainChoricero pepperspimiento choricero
A dried red pepper from Spain used to make rich stews and sauces.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Smoky
🇨🇱 ChileMerkénmezkeñ
A traditional Mapuche smoked chili condiment from Chile, often mixed with coriander.Blend · Smoky · Hot and fiery
🇴🇲 Oman and 3 moreDried lime
Sun-dried limes from the Persian Gulf, used whole or ground to add sour depth to Middle Eastern dishes.Fruit · Sour and tart · Earthy and deep
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 morePaprika
A red powder made from dried Capsicum annuum peppers, used to colour and flavour dishes across Europe and the Middle EasSeed · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChili oil辣椒油
A red condiment of infused vegetable oil and hot peppers used across Asia and Europe.Hot and fiery · Smoky
🇺🇸 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
🇲🇽 MexicoCascabel chili
A dried Mexican pepper with loose seeds that rattle like a bellHot and fiery · Smoky
🇹🇷 TurkeyUrfa biber
A sun-dried and night-wrapped chili from Turkey with a smoky, raisin-like taste.Chilli · Smoky · Sweet and mellow
🇻🇪 Venezuela and 5 moreAjí dulce
A mild, sweet perennial pepper from the Caribbean and Latin America, used as a seasoning base.Chilli · Smoky · Sweet and mellow
🇲🇽 MexicoChile de árbol
A small, fiery Mexican chili pepper known for its grassy heat and bright red dried pods.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Smoky
🇻🇳 Vietnam and 4 moreLolot pepperlá lốt
The heart-shaped leaf of a creeping vine, used to wrap and flavor grilled meats in Southeast Asia.Smoky · Herbal and green
🇺🇸 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
🇳🇵 Nepal and 4 moreBlack cardamom
The dried pod of a Zingiberaceae herb, prized for its smoky, camphor-like flavour in savoury cooking.Fruit · Smoky · Sharp and pungent
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Ají dulce: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Black cardamom: Brian Arthur, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Urfa biber: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cascabel chili: Jessica and Lon Binder, CC BY 2.0, source
- Chimayó pepper: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Choricero peppers: Tamorlan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Merkén: Jorge Barrios, Public domain, source
- Chipotle: User:Carstor, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- New Mexico chile: vxla, CC BY 2.0, source
- Chili oil: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Chile de árbol: Cliff Hutson, CC BY 2.0, source
- Lolot pepper: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cardamom: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dried lime: Theinfo, CC BY 3.0, source
- Khao khua: Isan1985, CC0, source
- Paprika: Takkk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source