Spices for street food

Chaat masala, jerk, suya and shawarma: seasoning made for a fast hand and a hot pan.

Street food is where spice is eaten fastest, in markets and at stalls where a seasoned mixture is put together in front of you. It is one of the best introductions to a place's flavours.

Asia

Indian chaat, Thai som tam, Indonesian satay, Vietnamese banh mi and Korean tteokbokki all rely on spice blends or pastes made at the stall. Chilli, lime, tamarind and sesame are frequent.

Middle East and Africa

Shawarma, falafel and kebab are spiced with cumin, coriander, paprika and sumac. Suya in West Africa is rubbed with yaji, and Ethiopian and North African sandwiches carry harissa or berbere.

The Americas

Tacos al pastor use chilli and achiote, Peruvian anticuchos use aji panca and cumin, Caribbean doubles and jerk stalls use curry and pepper, and American food trucks use smoky rubs.

Street food 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

🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreChipotle Smoke-dried ripe jalapeño peppers used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cookingChilli · Hot and fiery · Smoky

🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreYaji A West African spice blend for grilled meats and rice, popular among the Hausa people.Blend · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇪🇬 EgyptShattaشطة A fermented Levantine paste of fresh chillies, garlic, and saltHot and fiery · 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

🇨🇳 ChinaYongfeng chili sauce永丰辣酱 A fermented paste of peppers, rice and wheat from Hunan province, one of the region's three treasures.Paste · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇲🇽 MexicoSalsa macha A Mexican condiment of dried chilies and oil, crushed to a coarse texture.Paste · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇳 India and 3 moreIndian prickly ash A pungent fruit from a thorny shrub, used for its tingling spice in coastal India and Vietnam.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Numbing and tingling

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreRock samphire A coastal succulent with peppery leaves and carrot-scented roots, used fresh or pickled.Leaf · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇱🇾 Libya and 1 morePilpelchumaפלפלצ'ומה A spicy garlic paste made from steamed peppers and olive oil, rooted in Libyan Jewish tradition.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreZhugسحوق A Yemeni hot sauce of crushed chilies, garlic, and corianderHot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇯🇵 JapanYuzu koshō柚子胡椒 A fermented Japanese paste of chili peppers and yuzu citrus peel.Paste · Hot and fiery · Citrus and bright

🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreShishito pepper獅子唐辛子 A slender East Asian chili that is mostly mild with occasional heat burstsChilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇨🇱 ChileMerkénmezkeñ A traditional Mapuche smoked chili condiment from Chile, often mixed with coriander.Blend · Smoky · Hot and fiery

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreJalapeño A medium-sized Capsicum annuum cultivar from Mexico known for its green pods and moderate heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreGreater galangalข่า The pungent rhizome of a ginger relative, essential in Southeast Asian soups and curries.Root · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright

🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSichuan pepper花椒 (huājiāo) The dried husk of Zanthoxylum fruit, prized for its citrus scent and electric numbness.Fruit · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent

🇱🇧 Lebanon and 5 moreZa'atarزَعْتَر A Levantine blend of dried herbs, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt used in breads and dips.Blend · Earthy and deep · Citrus and bright

🇲🇦 Morocco and 2 moreRas el hanoutرأس الحانوت A complex Maghrebi spice blend meaning 'head of the shop', used in savory dishes across North Africa.Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep

🇲🇽 Mexico and 3 moreBird's eye chiliพริกขี้หนู A small, intensely hot cultivar of Capsicum annuum native to Mexico and widely grown in Southeast Asia.Chilli · Hot and fiery

🇯🇵 JapanShichimi七味唐辛子 A Japanese seven-ingredient spice blend for finishing soups and noodlesBlend · Hot and fiery · Citrus and bright

🇮🇳 IndiaChaat masala A tangy Indian spice blend for savory snacks and fruit saladsBlend · Sour and tart · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇳 India and 3 moreBlack saltकाला नमक A kiln-fired rock salt with a sulphurous aroma used in South Asian cooking and Ayurveda.Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart 🇯🇴 Jordan and 5 moreBaharatبهارات A versatile Middle Eastern spice blend used to season meats and soups.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent

🇹🇭 Thailand and 3 moreThai basilโหระพา A Southeast Asian herb with purple stems and anise notes, used in curries and soups.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Hot and fiery

🇨🇳 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

🇸🇾 Syria and 1 moreAleppo pepperفلفل حلبي A moderately spicy, fruity flake from Syria and Turkey, named for the city of Aleppo.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇨🇳 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

🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreRecado rojo A red-orange paste of annatto and spices used to marinate meats in Yucatán cuisine.Earthy and deep · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇹 ItalyPeperoncino A hot Italian chili pepper used in southern cuisine, dried and crushed for heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · 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

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreNew Mexico chilechile de Nuevo México A cultivar group of Capsicum annuum from New Mexico, valued for its smoky flavor and range of heat levels.Sharp and pungent · Sweet and mellow

🇵🇭 PhilippinesSiling haba A long, bright green chili from the Philippines, prized for moderate heat in sour and savory stews.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇻🇪 Venezuela and 5 moreAjí dulce A mild, sweet perennial pepper from the Caribbean and Latin America, used as a seasoning base.Chilli · Smoky · 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

🇲🇽 MexicoSerrano pepper A hot Mexican chili from mountain regions, used fresh in salsas and sauces.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇲🇽 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

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreGinger The pungent rhizome of a flowering perennial, one of the world's most traded spices.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent 🇺🇸 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 1 moreDatil pepper A very hot, sweet-sour cultivar of Capsicum chinense grown mainly in FloridaChilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇮🇳 IndiaByadagi chilliಬ್ಯಾಡಗಿ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ A deep red, mild cultivar from Karnataka prized for its colour and oleoresin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreLemongrasssereh; tanglad; takhrai; sera A tropical grass with citrus-scented stalks used in Asian soups and herbal teasLeaf · Citrus and bright · Sweet and mellow

🇻🇳 Vietnam and 4 moreLolot pepperlá lốt The heart-shaped leaf of a creeping vine, used to wrap and flavor grilled meats in Southeast Asia.Smoky · Herbal and green

🇻🇳 Vietnam and 1 moreRice paddy herbngò ôm A tropical aquatic herb with lemon-cumin notes, native to Southeast Asian rice fields.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇵🇪 PeruAjí amarillo A golden-orange Peruvian chili with fruity notes and moderate heatChilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇲🇽 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

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Rock samphire: User:Jymm, Public domain, source
Shatta: 2kbfloppadisk, CC0, source
Garlic powder: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Chili pepper: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Peperoncino: Ramac, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ras el hanout: Sarefo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Yongfeng chili sauce: Elena0100, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Sichuan pepper: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Salsa macha: BurseraLinanoe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Jalapeño: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Recado rojo: Paul Goyette, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Indian prickly ash: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Ají dulce: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Hawaij: Mx. Granger, CC0, source
Capsicum annuum: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain, source
Pilpelchuma: מאור עטיה, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Serrano pepper: Cindy, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Zhug: DonIncognito, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Mustard: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Merkén: Jorge Barrios, Public domain, source
Chipotle: User:Carstor, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Thai basil: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Shishito pepper: Sotaque, CC0, source
New Mexico chile: vxla, CC BY 2.0, source
Chaat masala: Khurram Shehzad / Flickr user: Lekum's ( https://www.flickr.com/photos, CC BY 2.0, source
Siling haba: Bagoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Yuzu koshō: njt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Chili oil: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Mala: Theorb, Public domain, source
Mexican oregano: Dick Culbert, CC BY 2.0, source
Ginger: Venkatx5, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Greater galangal: Raffi Kojian, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Datil pepper: Paullassiter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Byadagi chilli: Msclrfl22, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lemongrass: Unknown author, CC BY 2.0, source
Lolot pepper: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Rice paddy herb: Emilia Murray, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Aleppo pepper: Badagnani, CC BY 3.0, source
Shichimi: http://www.recipelab.jp/sozai/detail/1779/, CC0, source
Ají panca: MiguelAlanCS, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Za'atar: Sjschen, CC BY 3.0, source
Bird's eye chili: Daniel Risacher, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Shito: Flixtey, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Black salt: Jellyboots ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Yaji: Salma kyari, CC BY-SA 4.0, source