Fruits and berries
Black pepper, allspice, star anise, juniper, sumac and tamarind: dried fruit that carries the flavour.
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.
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 4 moreFennel
The anise-scented seeds and crisp bulb of a Mediterranean perennial herbSeed 路 Anise and liquorice 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚨馃嚜 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornbaie rose
The dried fruit of Schinus trees, offering a sweet, piney heat distinct from black pepper.Fruit 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Citrus and bright
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
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 3 moreStar anise鍏 (b膩ji菐o)
The reddish-brown star-shaped fruit of a Chinese evergreen tree, used for its licorice-like flavor.Fruit 路 Sweet and mellow 路 Anise and liquorice
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 5 moreCapsicum annuum
A flowering plant producing berries of many colors and heat levels, from sweet bell peppers to fiery chilies.Fruit 路 Hot and fiery 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceFlorina pepper蟺喂蟺蔚蟻喂维 桅位蠅蟻委谓畏蟼
A sweet, horn-shaped red pepper from northern Greece with Protected Designation of Origin status.Fruit 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 3 moreLong pepperpippali
The dried fruit spike of a climbing vine, once the world's most prized spice.Fruit 路 Hot and fiery 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚘馃嚭 Australia and 1 moreMountain pepper
The dried berry of an Australian shrub, used as a peppery condiment and wasabi substitute.Fruit 路 Hot and fiery 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
馃嚞馃嚟 Ghana and 5 morePrekesepr蓻k蓻s蓻
The scented pod of a West African tree, used to perfume soups.Fruit 路 Sweet and mellow
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Allspice: Unknown author, CC BY 2.5, source
- Long pepper: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mountain pepper: Melburnian, CC BY 3.0, source
- Prekese: NMNH, CC0, source
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
- Chenpi: Dboxes, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Star anise: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Capsicum annuum: Franz Eugen K枚hler, K枚hler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain, source
- Florina pepper: https://www.aglaiakremezi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Peppers-pan-S, CC0, source
- Pink peppercorn: Milvus, CC BY-SA 3.0, source