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
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 2 moreLong pepper
The dried fruit spike of a climbing vine native to Java, once the world's standard heat.Fruit 路 Hot and fiery 路 Sharp and pungent
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
馃嚨馃嚜 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornmulli
The dried pink drupes of the Schinus molle tree, sold as a peppery alternative to black pepper.Fruit 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Citrus and bright
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 3 moreCubeb
The dried fruit of a climbing vine, known for its long tail and sharp taste.Fruit 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
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
馃嚘馃嚭 AustraliaDorrigo pepper
The wild-harvested berry and leaf of an Australian shrub, known for its peppery heat.Fruit 路 Hot and fiery 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
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
- Dorrigo pepper: Poyt448, Peter Woodard, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
- Pink peppercorn: Charles Gadbois, CC BY 3.0, source
- Cubeb: Kembangraps, CC BY-SA 3.0, source