Everyday use: spices that mark them

The spices of the working kitchen, reached for every day.

Daily cooking is the main home of spice, with a few trusted spices used every day in every kitchen, such as turmeric, cumin and chilli in India, pepper in Europe, and cinnamon and allspice in the Caribbean.

The everyday spice rack

Most households use between five and fifteen spices regularly. A typical Indian kitchen has a masala dabba, a tin holding mustard seed, cumin, turmeric, coriander, chilli and one or two others. A European kitchen has pepper, paprika, bay, thyme and cinnamon.

How skill is passed on

Families learn the proportions by watching, and the same spices can taste different in each house. Many cooks toast and grind small batches weekly.

Keeping it simple

Few spices are needed to start. Learn a handful well, buy whole where possible, and keep jars fresh.

Everyday use 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

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreCardamom Aromatic seeds from spindle-shaped pods used in sweet and savory dishes across Asia and the Middle East.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced

🇱🇾 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

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreCommon prickly ash An aromatic North American tree whose bark and berries give a sharp, numbing biteBark · Bitter · Numbing and tingling

🇮🇳 IndiaKairकैर The spicy pink berry and flower bud of a drought-hardy desert bushFruit · Sharp and pungent

🇭🇹 HaitiEpis A blended flavor base of peppers, garlic, and herbs essential to Haitian cookingHot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreCalifornian white sage An aromatic desert shrub whose seeds flavour maize foods and roots make tonic teaSeed · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent

🇧🇷 Brazil and 5 moreMalagueta peppermalagueta A small, fiery chili from Capsicum frutescens used across Portuguese-speaking regions.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇷 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

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇳 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

🇨🇳 ChinaMala麻辣 A fiery, tongue-numbing Chinese seasoning of Sichuan pepper and chilliesPaste · Hot and fiery · Numbing and tingling

🇺🇸 United StatesKosher salt Coarse edible salt used for dry brining and general cooking, typically free of iodine.Sharp and pungent

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreMixed spice A British blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice for sweet bakingBlend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow

🇬🇭 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

🇹🇷 TurkeyUrfa biber A sun-dried and night-wrapped chili from Turkey with a smoky, raisin-like taste.Chilli · Smoky · Sweet and mellow

🇮🇹 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

🇮🇳 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 🇮🇩 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

🇫🇷 FranceSel gris A coarse, moist sea salt harvested from the bottom of French salt pans.Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep

🇺🇸 United StatesCreole mustard A grainy paste of brown mustard seeds, vinegar, and horseradish from Louisiana.Paste · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart

🇲🇽 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

🇨🇳 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

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

🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreBay Laurelδάφνη The dried leaf of a Mediterranean evergreen, used to infuse slow-cooked dishes with herbal depth.Sharp and pungent · Bitter

🇯🇵 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

🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau and 5 moreCalabash nutmeg The dried seed of a West African tree, used as a local substitute for nutmeg.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCulantroជីរបន្លា A tropical herb with serrated leaves, offering a deep and pungent coriander flavour.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGarden cress A fast-growing edible herb with peppery leaves and seeds used in salads and traditional medicine.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart

🇬🇳 Guinea and 5 moreGrains of paradise The pungent, citrus-tinged seeds of a West African ginger relative.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery

🇵🇪 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornmulli The dried pink drupes of the Schinus molle tree, sold as a peppery alternative to black pepper.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright

🇮🇩 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

🇬🇪 GeorgiaSvan saltსვანური მარილი A moist, aromatic spice blend from the Georgian mountains, combining herbs with salt.Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep

🇭🇺 Hungary and 5 moreHorseradish A pungent root vegetable from Southeastern Europe used as a spicy condiment.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreBlack pepper The dried fruit of a climbing vine, the world's most traded spice.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery

🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreCaper The pickled flower buds of a drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrub.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart

🇨🇳 China and 1 moreChenpi陳皮 Sun-dried mandarin orange peel aged for use in Chinese cooking and medicineFruit · Sweet and mellow · Sharp and pungent

🇻🇳 Vietnam and 4 moreHouttuynia折耳根 A heart-shaped herb with a sharp fishy taste used in salads and teas across Asia.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreKencur沙姜 A stemless ginger-family rhizome with a peppery, camphorous biteRoot · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreBlack pepper The dried fruit of a climbing vine, the world's most traded spice.Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreGinger The pungent rhizome of a flowering plant, widely used as a spice and folk medicine.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇯🇵 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

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreMustard seed Tiny seeds from three Brassica plants that create pungent condiments and cooking oil.Seed · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

Photo credits on this page

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

Houttuynia: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Pápalo: Wibowo Djatmiko ( Wie146 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Garlic powder: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Red Sulmona Garlic: Marica Massaro, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Chenpi: Dboxes, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Black pepper: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Berbere: Badagnani, CC BY 3.0, source
Caper: IssamBarhoumi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Turmeric: J.M.Garg, CC BY 3.0, source
Parsley: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Horseradish: Pethan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Kōrēgusu: ayustety, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Epis: LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kencur: Hariadhi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Cumin: Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Mixed spice: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Pilpelchuma: מאור עטיה, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Pink peppercorn: Charles Gadbois, CC BY 3.0, source
Asafoetida: Toyah, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Shiso: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Serrano pepper: Cindy, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Malagueta pepper: Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil, CC BY 2.0, source
Californian white sage: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
New Mexico chile: vxla, CC BY 2.0, source
Sel gris: Stéphane Gourichon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Creole mustard: Mwaters1120, Public domain, source
Mustard seed: Novalis at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Mala: Theorb, Public domain, source
Ginger: Venkatx5, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Svan salt: Jelger Groeneveld, CC BY 2.0, source
Kair: T. R. Shankar Raman, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Cardamom: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Black pepper: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Common prickly ash: A. Barra, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bay Laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
Sansho: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Calabash nutmeg: Samuel Curtis and William Jackson Hooker, Public domain, source
Culantro: Maxintaft, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Garden cress: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Kosher salt: Lexlex, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Shito: Flixtey, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Grains of paradise: Lemmikkipuu, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Herbes de Provence: Unknown author, CC BY 2.0, source
Mustard seed: Pancrat, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Urfa biber: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ginger: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source
Black salt: Jellyboots ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source