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EveryMasala

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.

PartSeedBarkRootFlowerFruitChilliLeafResinBulbStigmaBlendPasteSeasoning
FlavourHot and fieryWarm and sweet-spicedSweet and mellowEarthy and deepCitrus and brightSharp and pungentSmokyFloral and perfumedBitterAnise and liquoriceSour and tartSavoury and umamiNumbing and tinglingHerbal and green
🇬🇷 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 🇦🇹 Austria and 5 moreCaraway The crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family herb, used to flavour breads and spirits.Seed · Anise and liquorice · Sharp and pungent 🇯🇵 JapanKarashiからし A potent Japanese mustard made from brown mustard seeds, served as a sharp condiment.Seed · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent 🇫🇷 France and 1 moreDijon mustardMoutarde de Dijon A sharp condiment made from brown mustard seeds and white wine or verjuice, originating in Burgundy.Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart 🇱🇾 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 🇮🇳 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 🇮🇳 IndiaKairकैर The spicy pink berry and flower bud of a drought-hardy desert bushFruit · Sharp and pungent 🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreMustard A pungent paste made from ground mustard seeds mixed with liquid and spices.Paste · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery 🇭🇹 HaitiEpis A blended flavor base of peppers, garlic, and herbs essential to Haitian cookingHot and fiery · Sharp and pungent 🇬🇭 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 🇲🇽 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 🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreZhugسحوق A Yemeni hot sauce of crushed chilies, garlic, and corianderHot and fiery · Sharp and pungent 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 5 moreLovageлюбисток A tall European herb with celery-like leaves and spicy seeds used in soups and broths.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇮🇳 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 🇫🇷 France and 3 moreHerbes de Provenceèrbas de Provença A dried herb blend from southwestern France, now a global kitchen staple.Warm and sweet-spiced · Herbal and green 🇯🇵 JapanGariガリ Thinly sliced young ginger pickled in sweet vinegar, served with sushi.Sweet and mellow · Sour and tart 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreMustard seed Tiny seeds from Brassica plants that become a sharp condiment or cooking oil.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery 🇯🇴 Jordan and 5 moreBaharatبهارات A versatile Middle Eastern spice blend used to season meats and soups.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent 🇪🇹 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 🇨🇳 ChinaMala麻辣 A fiery, tongue-numbing Chinese seasoning of Sichuan pepper and chilliesPaste · Hot and fiery · Numbing and tingling 🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreHawaijحوايج A ground Yemeni spice blend used for soups, coffee, and everyday cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep 🇺🇸 United StatesKosher salt Coarse edible salt used for dry brining and general cooking, typically free of iodine.Sharp and pungent 🇬🇭 GhanaShitoshitor din A dark, spicy sauce made from fried fish and peppers, central to Ghanaian cooking.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreGarlic powder A dry, savory spice made from dehydrated and ground garlic cloves.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreAlligator pepper The seed pods of West African ginger plants, named for the bumpy texture of their inner kernels.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery 🇮🇹 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 🇨🇳 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 🇳🇵 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 🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreEpazoteepazōtl A pungent leafy herb from the Americas, traditionally used to flavor beans and stews.Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright 🇲🇽 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 🇮🇳 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 🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreCaper The pickled flower buds of a drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrub.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart 🇺🇸 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 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCulantroជីរបន្លា A tropical herb with serrated leaves, offering a deep and pungent coriander flavour.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇮🇩 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 🇻🇳 Vietnam and 1 moreSaigon cinnamonquế Trà My, quế Thanh, quế Quỳ, quế Trà Bồng A potent bark from central Vietnam with a complex aroma and high coumarin content.Bark · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreSansho山椒 The dried berries and young leaves of a spiny Japanese shrub, prized for their numbing citrus heat.Seed · Citrus and bright · Numbing and tingling 🇮🇳 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 🇮🇳 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 🇲🇽 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 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreShiso紫蘇 A mint-family herb with serrated leaves, used fresh or pickled across East Asia.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇮🇹 ItalyCommon thyme A woody Mediterranean herb with small grey-green leaves and a sharp, spicy-sweet flavour.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Sweet and mellow 🇵🇪 Peru and 3 moreBlack mintHuacatay A South American marigold herb used as a paste or dried seasoning in Andean cookingLeaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇲🇽 MexicoSerrano pepper A hot Mexican chili from mountain regions, used fresh in salsas and sauces.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven spices you may not know, what is cooking this week, and one blend explained step by step.