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.
🇲🇽 MexicoSerrano pepper
A hot Mexican chili from mountain regions, used fresh in salsas and sauces.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇵🇭 PhilippinesSiling labuyo
The tiny, erect-fruited wild chili of the Philippines, known for intense heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇸🇾 Syria and 5 moreSumac
A tart, crimson spice made from ground berries of the Rhus coriaria shrub.Seed · Sour and tart · Citrus and bright
🇮🇩 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
🇵🇪 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
🇵🇪 Peru and 4 moreRocoto
A hairy-leaved Andean pepper with black seeds and a distinct cucumber aroma.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇮🇩 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 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
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 moreKesum
An aromatic herb from Southeast Asia, used fresh in salads and soups.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green
🇨🇳 China and 3 moreStar anise八角 (bājiǎo)
The reddish-brown star-shaped fruit of a Chinese evergreen tree, used for its licorice-like flavor.Fruit · Sweet and mellow · Anise and liquorice
🇸🇷 SurinameMadame Jeanette
A fruity, very hot chili cultivar from Suriname with a reddish-yellow skin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇲🇽 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
🇪🇸 SpainPiquillo pepperpimientos del piquillo
A sweet, mild red chili cultivar from Northern Spain, prized for its thick flesh and gentle heat.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇱🇦 Laos and 5 moreLemon basil
A hybrid herb with a bright citrus scent, used across Southeast Asia and Africa.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Herbal and green
🇮🇱 Israel and 5 moreCoriander
The leaves and dried seeds of an annual Mediterranean herb used in cuisines worldwide.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreEpazoteepazōtl
A pungent leafy herb from the Americas, traditionally used to flavor beans and stews.Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreTorch gingerkecombrang
The edible pink flower bud of a rhizomatous plant, used for sourness in Southeast Asian cooking.Flower · Sour and tart · Sharp and pungent
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreBlack pepper
The dried fruit of a climbing vine, the world's most traded spice.Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery
🇯🇵 JapanKōrēgusuコーレーグス
A Ryukyuan chili sauce made by soaking hot peppers in Awamori rice spirit.Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇲🇽 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
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Black pepper: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Jalapeño: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kōrēgusu: ayustety, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Sicilian sumac: Dedda71, CC BY-SA 3.0, 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
- Torch ginger: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Serrano pepper: Cindy, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Mexican oregano: Dick Culbert, CC BY 2.0, source
- Siling labuyo: Obsidian Soul, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ginger: Venkatx5, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Datil pepper: Paullassiter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Byadagi chilli: Msclrfl22, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Piquillo pepper: sindändùne -, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Lemon basil: Kembangraps, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Coriander: Thamizhpparithi Maari, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Epazote: Francisco Manuel Blanco (O.S.A.), Public domain, source
- Kesum: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Star anise: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Madame Jeanette: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0, source