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.
🇵🇪 Peru and 5 moreChili pepperchīlli
The pungent berry of the Capsicum plant, used to add heat to dishes worldwide.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇱🇾 Libya and 1 morePilpelchumaפלפלצ'ומה
A steamed chili and garlic paste from Libyan Jewish cuisine, now common in Israel.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇴🇲 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
🇮🇳 IndiaChammanthi podi
A dry coconut and spice condiment from Kerala that preserves fresh chutney for months.Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreCurry paste
A blended mixture of spices and aromatics used as the base for curries in Asia.Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 morePoppy seed
The tiny kidney-shaped oilseed of the opium poppy, used in baking and cooking across Europe and South Asia.Seed · Earthy and deep
🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreZhugسحوق
A Yemeni hot sauce of crushed chilies, garlic, and corianderHot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreAnnatto
The orange-red pigment from achiote seeds used as a natural food coloring and mild spice.Seed · Earthy and deep · Sweet and mellow
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 morePaprika
A red powder made from dried Capsicum annuum peppers, used to colour and flavour dishes across Europe and the Middle EasSeed · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreCurry powder
A Western adaptation of Indian spice blends for cooking sauces and stews.Blend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep
🇮🇷 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
🇪🇹 Ethiopia and 1 moreBerbereበርበሬ (bärbäre)
A complex Ethiopian spice blend built on chili peppers, coriander, and ginger.Hot and fiery · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇯🇴 Jordan and 5 moreBaharatبهارات
A versatile Middle Eastern spice blend used to season meats and soups.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent
🇬🇪 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
🇪🇹 EthiopiaMitmitaሚጥሚጣ
A fiery Ethiopian spice blend of bird's eye chilies, cardamom, and cloves.Blend · Hot and fiery · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChili oil辣椒油
A red condiment of infused vegetable oil and hot peppers used across Asia and Europe.Hot and fiery · Smoky
🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreHawaijحوايج
A ground Yemeni spice blend used for soups, coffee, and everyday cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep
🇮🇷 IranAdviehادویه
A fragrant blend of spices used to season rice and stews in Iranian cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreGarlic powder
A dry, savory spice made from dehydrated and ground garlic cloves.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep
🇬🇭 GhanaShitoshitor din
A dark, spicy sauce made from fried fish and peppers, central to Ghanaian cooking.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇲🇽 MexicoCascabel chili
A dried Mexican pepper with loose seeds that rattle like a bellHot and fiery · Smoky
🇮🇳 IndiaIdli podiஇட்லிப் பொடி
A coarse South Indian spice mix of roasted lentils and chillies, served with oil or ghee.Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇮🇹 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
🇵🇪 Peru and 4 moreRocoto
A hairy-leaved Andean pepper with black seeds and a distinct cucumber aroma.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇮🇳 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
🇫🇷 FranceSel gris
A coarse, moist sea salt harvested from the bottom of French salt pans.Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep
🇮🇳 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
🇬🇪 GeorgiaSvan saltსვანური მარილი
A moist, aromatic spice blend from the Georgian mountains, combining herbs with salt.Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep
🇮🇳 IndiaRamanathapuram Mundu chilli
A round, mild red chilli from Tamil Nadu with a GI tag.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Panch phoron: Wiki-uk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Curry powder: Slick, CC0, source
- Paprika: Takkk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Idli podi: Booradleyp1, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Garlic powder: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chili pepper: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Red Sulmona Garlic: Marica Massaro, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Berbere: Badagnani, CC BY 3.0, source
- Khmeli suneli: А. Кабанов, CC0, source
- Turmeric: J.M.Garg, CC BY 3.0, source
- Cumin: Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mitmita: Caffe Vita, CC BY 2.0, source
- Rocoto: The original uploader was Lrothc at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Pilpelchuma: מאור עטיה, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hawaij: Mx. Granger, CC0, source
- Asafoetida: Toyah, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cascabel chili: Jessica and Lon Binder, CC BY 2.0, source
- Poppy seed: Odedr, Public domain, source
- Annatto: Porto Neto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Zhug: DonIncognito, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Curry paste: Ryan Snyder, CC BY 2.0, source
- Chammanthi podi: Ranjithsiji, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Erode Turmeric: Sivaranjani, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chili oil: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Sel gris: Stéphane Gourichon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shito: Flixtey, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Svan salt: Jelger Groeneveld, CC BY 2.0, source
- Dried lime: Theinfo, CC BY 3.0, source