Spice news
ChilliChicago-Area Brand The Spice Drops Launches a Concentrated Chili Oil That Makes Food Spicy Without Changing the FlavorHarvestSaffron In The Cold Desert? Ladakh Is Putting 90,000 Iranian Corms To The TestMarketsUttar Pradesh Gears Up To Become Global Hub For Spice Processing & ExportsHarvestWhy 100 UP Farmers Are Growing Turmeric to Reduce Elephant Crop RaidsHarvestKashmir Squanders SaffronChilliChesapeake Chili Crisp? A DC-Area Chef Is Putting Unexpected Spins on the Condiment.HarvestRed Gold In Cold Desert: Iranian Corms Take Root As Ladakh Begins Saffron Farming Under 'Him Sarovar'TradeSpice market update: cumin continues its upward trendHarvestOyster Mushroom Cultivation Using Large Cardamom Residue: A Waste to Wealth Innovation by KVK AnjawFoodde' tandoor: Chinese ex-property agent turned hawker now serves masala rendang mutton & Indian mee siamChilliChicago-Area Brand The Spice Drops Launches a Concentrated Chili Oil That Makes Food Spicy Without Changing the FlavorHarvestSaffron In The Cold Desert? Ladakh Is Putting 90,000 Iranian Corms To The TestMarketsUttar Pradesh Gears Up To Become Global Hub For Spice Processing & ExportsHarvestWhy 100 UP Farmers Are Growing Turmeric to Reduce Elephant Crop RaidsHarvestKashmir Squanders SaffronChilliChesapeake Chili Crisp? A DC-Area Chef Is Putting Unexpected Spins on the Condiment.HarvestRed Gold In Cold Desert: Iranian Corms Take Root As Ladakh Begins Saffron Farming Under 'Him Sarovar'TradeSpice market update: cumin continues its upward trendHarvestOyster Mushroom Cultivation Using Large Cardamom Residue: A Waste to Wealth Innovation by KVK AnjawFoodde' tandoor: Chinese ex-property agent turned hawker now serves masala rendang mutton & Indian mee siam
EveryMasala

New year: spices that mark them

Foods and spices that welcome a new year in the lunar, solar and religious calendars.

New Year celebrations have their own spiced dishes, from Persian Nowruz rice and herbs to the sweets and soups of Lunar New Year, Hogmanay black bun and Vishu in Kerala.

Spring new years

Nowruz, the Persian new year at the spring equinox, uses saffron and sabzi herbs in rice and fish. Songkran in Thailand, Vishu in Kerala, Baisakhi in the Punjab and Pohela Boishakh in Bengal also fall in spring, each with traditional foods.

Winter new years

Lunar New Year tables include dumplings, noodles and sweet rice cakes. Hogmanay in Scotland has black bun, a fruit cake with spices, and many European new year breads use anise, cinnamon or cardamom.

Luck and foods

Many new year dishes are chosen for good fortune, for example lentils in Italy, rice in Asia and spice cakes in Europe. Beliefs vary.

New year 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
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperSnacks and tea timeDrinksDesserts and sweetsStreet foodPickles and preservesFeasts and banquets
馃嚬馃嚪 Turkey and 2 moreMahleb A ground cherry seed used to sweeten Middle Eastern baked goods with an almond-cherry note.Seed 路 Sweet and mellow 路 Bitter 馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 2 moreMixed spice A British blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice for sweet bakingBlend 路 Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Sweet and mellow 馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreFenugreek丨賱亘丞 (hilba) The cuboid seed of an annual legume, prized for its bitter warmth and maple aroma.Seed 路 Bitter 路 Warm and sweet-spiced 馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 2 moreCommon sage The gray-green leaves of a Mediterranean perennial used in European roasts and traditional remedies.Leaf 路 Herbal and green

Photo credits on this page

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.