Spices for dinner
The main meal of the evening: curries, roasts, braises and grills.
Dinner is the main gathering meal in much of the world, and often where the full range of a cuisine's spices is shown, from slow-cooked stews to roasts and curries.
Slow-cooked dishes
Stews and braises use whole and ground spices cooked for hours. Moroccan tagines, Indian curries, Mexican moles, Persian khoresh and Hungarian goulash each use a different spice set, giving each its character.
Roasts and grills
Spice rubs and marinades, such as jerk, tandoori, suya, shawarma and barbecue rubs, flavour meat before cooking over fire. Pepper, paprika, cumin, coriander and garlic are common across them.
Table spices
Beyond the cooking, many tables carry their own seasonings, such as pepper mills in Europe, pepper sauce in the Caribbean, chilli oil in China and shichimi in Japan.
Dinner on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
🇹🇳 TunisiaQâlat daqqaقلات دقة
A Tunisian blend of five warm spices used to season meats and vegetablesWarm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇵🇪 Peru and 1 moreAjí panca
A mild, fruity Peruvian chili used for its deep red color and sun-dried flavor.Chilli · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇹 ItalyRed Sulmona GarlicAglio rosso di Sulmona
A traditional garlic cultivar from the Abruzzo region of Italy, grown on the Sulmona plateau.Bulb · Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep
🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreJimbu
A dried wild onion herb from the Himalayas, used to season lentils and meat.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green
🇨🇳 ChinaEr jing tiao二荆条
A fragrant Chinese chili cultivar prized for its deep hue and medium heatChilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇨🇦 CanadaMontreal steak seasoning
A dry rub of garlic, pepper, and dill for grilling meat, born in Montreal delis.Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreMugwort艾草 (ài cǎo)
Aromatic leaves from the Artemisia genus used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine.Leaf · Bitter · Herbal and green
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreGalangal
The pungent rhizome of the ginger family, essential to Southeast Asian soups and pastes.Root · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreClove
The dried flower bud of a tropical tree, prized for its intense warmth and numbing bite.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 morePápalo
A pungent herb from central Mexico to the Andes, used fresh in salsas and tacos.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreBlack cumin
The tiny black seed of a wild annual flower, used across the Middle East and South Asia.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green
🇩🇿 Algeria and 5 moreBlack mustard
The dark seeds of an annual plant, used whole in oil or ground into a sharp paste.Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery
🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 2 morePiper chaba
A creeping vine from South and Southeast Asia whose stems and roots are used as a pungent spice.Root · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCapsicum frutescens
A small, wild chili species with erect berries, native to the Americas and widely grown in tropical regions.Chilli · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 IndiaBafat
A coastal Indian spice blend for pork stews and meat dishesBlend · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreCaper
The pickled flower buds of a drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrub.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart
🇬🇷 GreeceFlorina pepperπιπεριά Φλωρίνης
A sweet, horn-shaped red pepper from northern Greece with Protected Designation of Origin status.Fruit · Sweet and mellow
🇺🇸 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
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreHoja santa
The large, heart-shaped leaf of a Mexican pepper plant, used to wrap and flavor food.Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreSandia pepper
A New Mexico-developed Capsicum annuum cultivar used for green and red dishes.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreBig Jim pepper
A large, mild New Mexico chile cultivar developed in the United States for green roasting.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇺🇸 United StatesFish pepper
A variegated heirloom chili from the Chesapeake Bay, prized for its color-changing fruit and crab dishes.Chilli · Hot and fiery
🇺🇸 United StatesMrs. Burns' Lemon Basil
An heirloom sweet basil cultivar from New Mexico with intense lemon flavor and large leaves.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Floral and perfumed
🇭🇺 HungaryCherry peppercseresznyepaprika
A small Capsicum annuum cultivar from Hungary, used for paprika and preserves.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreIndian bay leafतेजपत्ता
The large, veined leaf of a Himalayan tree, used for its warm cassia scent in South Asian cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent
🇫🇷 FranceRomenay pepperpiment de Romenay
A compact, mild French chili cultivated in the historical province of Bresse.Chilli · Hot and fiery
🇰🇭 Cambodia and 5 moreVietnamese corianderrau răm
The fresh leaves of a tropical herb used in Southeast Asian soups and saladsLeaf · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent
🇳🇵 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
🇨🇳 China and 4 moreLesser galangal高良薑
An aromatic Asian rhizome with orange flesh and a sweet, gentle spiceRoot · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇨🇳 ChinaXiao Mi La Pepper小米辣
A wild Capsicum frutescens cultivar from southern China, prized for intense heat in spicy regional dishes.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇲🇽 MexicoGuajillo chilichile guajillo
A dried Mexican pepper with a sweet, fruity flavor and mild heat.Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreCumin
The dried seed of a small parsley-family herb, used whole or ground in many world cuisines.Seed · Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep
🇮🇳 IndiaNandurbar Mirchiनंदुरबार मिर्च
A GI-tagged chilli cultivar from the Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, India.Chilli · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreChar magazचार मगज
A blend of four melon seeds used to thicken and enrich dishes in South AsiaSweet and mellow · Earthy and deep
🇵🇪 Peru and 4 moreRocoto
A hairy-leaved Andean pepper with black seeds and a distinct cucumber aroma.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCapsicum annuum
A flowering plant producing berries of many colors and heat levels, from sweet bell peppers to fiery chilies.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇵🇪 Peru and 5 moreCapsicum baccatumají
A domesticated Andean chili with fruit that hangs down, known for its bright orange skin and warm heat.Hot and fiery · Citrus and bright
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreTurmericहल्दी
The dried rhizome of a tropical ginger relative, prized for its golden color and earthy bite.Root · Warm and sweet-spiced · Bitter
🇮🇳 IndiaRamanathapuram Mundu chilli
A round, mild red chilli from Tamil Nadu with a GI tag.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇵🇪 PeruAjí amarillo
A golden-orange Peruvian chili with fruity notes and moderate heatChilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 IndiaHarmal chilliHarmal mirsang
A smooth red cultivar from Goa, known for its intense heat and role in traditional Goan cooking.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreChives
The hollow leaves and purple flowers of a widespread perennial herb in the onion family.Leaf
🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreFriggitello
A mild sweet Italian chilli often pickled, known for its complex flavour and slight heat.Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇲🇽 MexicoSerrano pepper
A hot Mexican chili from mountain regions, used fresh in salsas and sauces.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇳🇵 Nepal and 5 moreTimurटिमुर
The dried fruit of a Himalayan shrub, prized for its citrus aroma and numbing tingle.Citrus and bright · Numbing and tingling
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreMexican oreganoorégano cimarrón
A fragrant shrub from the Americas, its leaves provide a thyme-like herbal note distinct from Mediterranean oregano.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreLong pepperpippali
The dried fruit spike of a climbing vine, once the world's most prized spice.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇭🇺 Hungary and 5 moreHorseradish
A pungent root vegetable from Southeastern Europe used as a spicy condiment.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇵🇪 Peru and 1 moreAjí panca
A mild, fruity Peruvian chili used for its deep red color and sun-dried flavor.Chilli · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇹 ItalyRed Sulmona GarlicAglio rosso di Sulmona
A traditional garlic cultivar from the Abruzzo region of Italy, grown on the Sulmona plateau.Bulb · Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep
🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreJimbu
A dried wild onion herb from the Himalayas, used to season lentils and meat.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green
🇨🇳 ChinaEr jing tiao二荆条
A fragrant Chinese chili cultivar prized for its deep hue and medium heatChilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇨🇦 CanadaMontreal steak seasoning
A dry rub of garlic, pepper, and dill for grilling meat, born in Montreal delis.Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreMugwort艾草 (ài cǎo)
Aromatic leaves from the Artemisia genus used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine.Leaf · Bitter · Herbal and green
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreGalangal
The pungent rhizome of the ginger family, essential to Southeast Asian soups and pastes.Root · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreClove
The dried flower bud of a tropical tree, prized for its intense warmth and numbing bite.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 morePápalo
A pungent herb from central Mexico to the Andes, used fresh in salsas and tacos.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreBlack cumin
The tiny black seed of a wild annual flower, used across the Middle East and South Asia.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green
🇩🇿 Algeria and 5 moreBlack mustard
The dark seeds of an annual plant, used whole in oil or ground into a sharp paste.Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery
🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 2 morePiper chaba
A creeping vine from South and Southeast Asia whose stems and roots are used as a pungent spice.Root · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCapsicum frutescens
A small, wild chili species with erect berries, native to the Americas and widely grown in tropical regions.Chilli · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 IndiaBafat
A coastal Indian spice blend for pork stews and meat dishesBlend · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreCaper
The pickled flower buds of a drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrub.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart
🇬🇷 GreeceFlorina pepperπιπεριά Φλωρίνης
A sweet, horn-shaped red pepper from northern Greece with Protected Designation of Origin status.Fruit · Sweet and mellow
🇺🇸 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
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreHoja santa
The large, heart-shaped leaf of a Mexican pepper plant, used to wrap and flavor food.Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreSandia pepper
A New Mexico-developed Capsicum annuum cultivar used for green and red dishes.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreBig Jim pepper
A large, mild New Mexico chile cultivar developed in the United States for green roasting.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇺🇸 United StatesFish pepper
A variegated heirloom chili from the Chesapeake Bay, prized for its color-changing fruit and crab dishes.Chilli · Hot and fiery
🇺🇸 United StatesMrs. Burns' Lemon Basil
An heirloom sweet basil cultivar from New Mexico with intense lemon flavor and large leaves.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Floral and perfumed
🇭🇺 HungaryCherry peppercseresznyepaprika
A small Capsicum annuum cultivar from Hungary, used for paprika and preserves.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreIndian bay leafतेजपत्ता
The large, veined leaf of a Himalayan tree, used for its warm cassia scent in South Asian cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent
🇫🇷 FranceRomenay pepperpiment de Romenay
A compact, mild French chili cultivated in the historical province of Bresse.Chilli · Hot and fiery
🇰🇭 Cambodia and 5 moreVietnamese corianderrau răm
The fresh leaves of a tropical herb used in Southeast Asian soups and saladsLeaf · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent
🇳🇵 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
🇨🇳 China and 4 moreLesser galangal高良薑
An aromatic Asian rhizome with orange flesh and a sweet, gentle spiceRoot · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇨🇳 ChinaXiao Mi La Pepper小米辣
A wild Capsicum frutescens cultivar from southern China, prized for intense heat in spicy regional dishes.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇲🇽 MexicoGuajillo chilichile guajillo
A dried Mexican pepper with a sweet, fruity flavor and mild heat.Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreCumin
The dried seed of a small parsley-family herb, used whole or ground in many world cuisines.Seed · Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep
🇮🇳 IndiaNandurbar Mirchiनंदुरबार मिर्च
A GI-tagged chilli cultivar from the Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, India.Chilli · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreChar magazचार मगज
A blend of four melon seeds used to thicken and enrich dishes in South AsiaSweet and mellow · Earthy and deep
🇵🇪 Peru and 4 moreRocoto
A hairy-leaved Andean pepper with black seeds and a distinct cucumber aroma.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCapsicum annuum
A flowering plant producing berries of many colors and heat levels, from sweet bell peppers to fiery chilies.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇵🇪 Peru and 5 moreCapsicum baccatumají
A domesticated Andean chili with fruit that hangs down, known for its bright orange skin and warm heat.Hot and fiery · Citrus and bright
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreTurmericहल्दी
The dried rhizome of a tropical ginger relative, prized for its golden color and earthy bite.Root · Warm and sweet-spiced · Bitter
🇮🇳 IndiaRamanathapuram Mundu chilli
A round, mild red chilli from Tamil Nadu with a GI tag.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇵🇪 PeruAjí amarillo
A golden-orange Peruvian chili with fruity notes and moderate heatChilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 IndiaHarmal chilliHarmal mirsang
A smooth red cultivar from Goa, known for its intense heat and role in traditional Goan cooking.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreChives
The hollow leaves and purple flowers of a widespread perennial herb in the onion family.Leaf
🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreFriggitello
A mild sweet Italian chilli often pickled, known for its complex flavour and slight heat.Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇲🇽 MexicoSerrano pepper
A hot Mexican chili from mountain regions, used fresh in salsas and sauces.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇳🇵 Nepal and 5 moreTimurटिमुर
The dried fruit of a Himalayan shrub, prized for its citrus aroma and numbing tingle.Citrus and bright · Numbing and tingling
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreMexican oreganoorégano cimarrón
A fragrant shrub from the Americas, its leaves provide a thyme-like herbal note distinct from Mediterranean oregano.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreLong pepperpippali
The dried fruit spike of a climbing vine, once the world's most prized spice.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇭🇺 Hungary and 5 moreHorseradish
A pungent root vegetable from Southeastern Europe used as a spicy condiment.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Clove: Bayu Nugroho, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pápalo: Wibowo Djatmiko ( Wie146 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Black cumin: AndreHolz at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Red Sulmona Garlic: Marica Massaro, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Black mustard: AnRo0002, CC0, source
- Piper chaba: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Capsicum frutescens: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Caper: IssamBarhoumi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Florina pepper: https://www.aglaiakremezi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Peppers-pan-S, CC0, source
- Chimayó pepper: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hoja santa: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source
- Big Jim pepper: User:Carstor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cherry pepper: James Lee, CC BY 2.0, source
- Indian bay leaf: Sonja Pauen, Public domain, source
- Jimbu: CJoshi0, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vietnamese coriander: Joditran, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Black cardamom: Brian Arthur, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Guajillo chili: Badagnani, CC BY 3.0, source
- Cumin: Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Char magaz: Miansari66, Public domain, source
- Rocoto: The original uploader was Lrothc at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Capsicum annuum: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain, source
- Capsicum baccatum: Retama, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Turmeric: J.M.Garg, CC BY 3.0, source
- Harmal chilli: Lavu Ankush Thakur, CC0, source
- Long pepper: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chives: Jamain, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Friggitello: User:CFang, Public domain, source
- Serrano pepper: Cindy, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Timur: Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mexican oregano: Dick Culbert, CC BY 2.0, source
- Horseradish: Pethan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ají panca: MiguelAlanCS, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Montreal steak seasoning: Laurent Bélanger, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Er jing tiao: Borshingwoods, CC BY-SA 4.0, source