Blends and masalas of the world

A ring: peppercorns and other round berries, tipped from the jar and counted by the spoon.

A blend is a mixture of spices put together to season a particular kind of food. Garam masala, ras el hanout, five-spice, za'atar and curry powder are examples from different parts of the world.

What they are

Blends bring together several spices whose flavours work together. Some are strictly traditional, such as panch phoron, and others vary by family, shop or region, such as garam masala and ras el hanout. A blend may be sold whole, ground, roasted or wet.

How they are used

Cooks add blends at the start of cooking to build a base, or at the end to give aroma. A rub such as jerk or Old Bay is applied to meat or seafood, and a table blend such as shichimi or za'atar is sprinkled on at the table.

Buying and keeping

Many cooks make small batches themselves, toasting the whole spices and grinding them. Bought blends vary widely in quality, so look at the ingredients. Keep them in closed jars, and replace ground blends after six months to a year.

Blend on EveryMasala

The spices written up so far, best known first.

🇳🇬 NigeriaYaji A spicy rub from Nigeria made with chili, ginger, and ground peanuts.Blend · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇮🇳 India and 3 moreGaram masalaगरम मसाला A ground blend of warm spices from the Indian subcontinent used to finish curries and stews.Blend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇳 India and 4 moreCurry powder A Western adaptation of Indian spice blends for cooking sauces and stews.Blend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep

🇱🇧 Lebanon and 5 moreZa'atarزَعْتَر A Levantine blend of dried herbs, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt used in breads and dips.Blend · Earthy and deep · Citrus and bright

🇯🇵 JapanShichimi七味唐辛子 A Japanese seven-ingredient spice blend for finishing soups and noodlesBlend · Hot and fiery · Citrus and bright

🇬🇪 GeorgiaKhmeli suneliხმელი სუნელი A flexible Georgian blend of dried herbs and seeds for stews and meats.Blend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep

🇪🇹 EthiopiaMitmitaሚጥሚጣ A fiery Ethiopian spice blend of bird's eye chilies, cardamom, and cloves.Blend · Hot and fiery · Warm and sweet-spiced

🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 2 morePanch phoronপাঁচ ফোড়ন A Bengali blend of five whole seeds used to temper dishesBlend · Bitter · Warm and sweet-spiced

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreMixed spice A British blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice for sweet bakingBlend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow

🇮🇩 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

Blends and masalas