Fruits and berries of the world

A star: eight boat-shaped pods round a hub, each holding a glossy seed. The shape of star anise.

Fruit spices are dried fruits used for their sour, sweet or aromatic flesh and seeds. Black pepper, allspice, tamarind, sumac, star anise and vanilla are all in this group.

What they are

Black pepper is a dried berry, allspice is an unripe berry, star anise is a star-shaped fruit and vanilla is the cured pod of an orchid. Sumac is the dried berry of a shrub, and tamarind is the pulp of a pod. The fruit holds both oils and acids that give flavour.

How they are used

Peppercorns are cracked or ground, tamarind is soaked into pulp for sour curries and chutneys, sumac is sprinkled on meat and salad for tang, and vanilla pods are split to flavour milk and cream. Star anise lends a licorice note to broths and braises.

Buying and keeping

Keep whole fruits in closed jars. Vanilla pods should be supple and oily. Tamarind keeps well as a block. Ground fruit spices lose aroma quickly, so grind them as needed.

Fruit on EveryMasala

The spices written up so far, best known first.

🇺🇸 United StatesSpicebush The dried fruit of a North American shrub, used as an allspice substitute.Fruit · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent

🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSichuan pepper花椒 (huājiāo) The dried husk of Zanthoxylum fruit, prized for its citrus scent and electric numbness.Fruit · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreHabanero A very hot chili cultivar with a floral aroma, native to the Amazon and grown in Mexico.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Floral and perfumed

🇵🇪 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornbaie rose The dried fruit of Schinus trees, offering a sweet, piney heat distinct from black pepper.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright

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

🇵🇪 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornmulli The dried pink drupes of the Schinus molle tree, sold as a peppery alternative to black pepper.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright

🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreKaffir limeมะกรูด The bumpy-skinned citrus fruit and double-leafed shrub of Southeast AsiaFruit · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreAndaliman A citrus-scented, tongue-numbing seed husk related to Sichuan pepperFruit · Numbing and tingling · Citrus and bright

🇨🇳 China and 5 moreRoselle The deep red calyx of a hibiscus plant, steeped into a tart drink or cooked as a leafy green.Fruit · Sour and tart · Citrus and bright

🇹🇼 Taiwan and 5 moreMountain pepper山胡椒 A citrusy tree fruit prized as a seasoning across Taiwan's indigenous cookingFruit · Citrus and bright

Fruits and berries