Spices for lunch
Thalis, rice plates, stews and sandwiches: the midday meal.
Lunch is the main meal of the day in many parts of the world, and spice is central to it, from the Indian thali and the Ethiopian injera platter to the Mexican comida.
The midday meal
In South Asia and parts of Africa and Latin America lunch is the largest meal. A thali brings together dal, vegetables, rice, bread, pickles and chutneys, each with its own spice. In Ethiopia a shared plate of wats and injera is built on berbere.
Lighter lunches
In the Middle East lunch may be mezze, falafel and salads dusted with sumac and za'atar. In Southeast Asia, noodle soups and rice plates use pastes, chilli and fresh herbs. Sandwiches and salads in Europe carry pepper, mustard and herbs.
Packed lunches
Dabbas in India, bento in Japan and tiffins in Singapore keep spiced food portable. Foods that taste good cold, such as pickles, chutneys and spiced rice, travel well.
Lunch on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreParsley
A bright green herb from the celery family, used fresh across Europe and the Middle East.Leaf · Bitter · Herbal and green
🇬🇭 Ghana and 5 moreGrains of Selimdiarr
The dried fruit of a West African shrub, used as a peppery spice and coffee flavouring.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Bitter
🇴🇲 Oman and 3 moreDried lime
Sun-dried limes from the Persian Gulf, used whole or ground to add sour depth to Middle Eastern dishes.Fruit · Sour and tart · Earthy and deep
🇮🇳 IndiaErode TurmericErodu Manjal
A Geographical Indication turmeric from Tamil Nadu with high curcumin content.Root · Earthy and deep · Bitter
🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreMustard
A pungent paste made from ground mustard seeds mixed with liquid and spices.Paste · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreIndonesian bay leafdaun salam
The aromatic leaves of a Myrtaceae tree used to flavour soups and stews across Indonesia and Suriname.Leaf · Bitter
🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreAsafoetida
A pungent gum-resin from the Ferula plant, used as a garlic and onion substitute in South Asian cooking.Resin · Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep
🇬🇪 GeorgiaKhmeli suneliხმელი სუნელი
A flexible Georgian blend of dried herbs and seeds for stews and meats.Blend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep
🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 2 morePanch phoronপাঁচ ফোড়ন
A Bengali blend of five whole seeds used to temper dishesBlend · Bitter · 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
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreEpazoteepazōtl
A pungent leafy herb from the Americas, traditionally used to flavor beans and stews.Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreFenugreekحلبة (hilba)
The cuboid seed of an annual legume, prized for its bitter warmth and maple aroma.Seed · Bitter · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇮🇹 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
🇮🇩 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
🇹🇷 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
🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreCaper
The pickled flower buds of a drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrub.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart
🇮🇳 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
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Grains of Selim: Unknown author, CC BY 2.0, source
- Epazote: Francisco Manuel Blanco (O.S.A.), Public domain, source
- Panch phoron: Wiki-uk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Parsley: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Khmeli suneli: А. Кабанов, CC0, source
- Turmeric: J.M.Garg, CC BY 3.0, source
- Caper: IssamBarhoumi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Asafoetida: Toyah, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Indonesian bay leaf: W.A. Djatmiko ( Wie146 ), CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mustard: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Erode Turmeric: Sivaranjani, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fenugreek: Yak, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Friggitello: User:CFang, Public domain, source
- Dried lime: Theinfo, CC BY 3.0, source
- Black cumin: AndreHolz at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source