Spices of East Asia

Sichuan pepper, star anise and five-spice, gochugaru, shichimi and wasabi: seasoning built on pastes, ferments and the numbing peppercorn. 34 spices on EveryMasala so far.

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

🇯🇵 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

🇨🇳 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

🇨🇳 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

🇯🇵 JapanGariガリ Thinly sliced young ginger pickled in sweet vinegar, served with sushi.Sweet and mellow · Sour and tart

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

🇨🇳 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

🇨🇳 China and 1 moreGarlic powder A dry, savory spice made from dehydrated and ground garlic cloves.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep

🇰🇷 South KoreaKorean brining salt왕소금 A coarse, minimally processed salt used for fermenting kimchi in Korea.Seasoning · Sour and tart 🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreMugwort艾草 (ài cǎo) Aromatic leaves from the Artemisia genus used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine.Leaf · Bitter · Herbal and green

🇨🇳 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

🇨🇳 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

🇨🇳 China and 5 moreGarlic chives韭菜 A flat-leaved Allium with a garlic scent, used across Asia as a herb and vegetable.Leaf · Sweet and mellow

🇯🇵 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

🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreWasabiわさび The pungent rhizome of a stream-side plant, grated fresh for sushi.Paste · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery 🇨🇳 ChinaXiao Mi La Pepper小米辣 A wild Capsicum frutescens cultivar from southern China, prized for intense heat in spicy regional dishes.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreLesser galangal高良薑 An aromatic Asian rhizome with orange flesh and a sweet, gentle spiceRoot · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced

🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreKorean mint배초향 An anise-scented Asian mint leaf used in Korean stews and herbal traditionsLeaf · Anise and liquorice · Herbal and green

🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreMyoga茗荷 The edible flower buds and shoots of a woodland ginger native to East Asia.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright

🇨🇳 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

🇯🇵 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

Photo credits on this page

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

Karashi: yoppy, CC BY 2.0, source
Garlic powder: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Chenpi: Dboxes, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Gari: DoWhile, Public domain, source
Yongfeng chili sauce: Elena0100, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Sichuan pepper: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kōrēgusu: ayustety, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Myoga: Mariko GODA, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Shiso: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Yuzu koshō: njt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wasabi: Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Korean brining salt: 국립국어원, CC BY-SA 2.0 kr, source
Chili oil: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Mala: Theorb, Public domain, source
Korean mint: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Shichimi: http://www.recipelab.jp/sozai/detail/1779/, CC0, source
Garlic chives: Kurt Stüber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Sansho: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Er jing tiao: Borshingwoods, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Spices of East Asia

Spice cities, markets and growing areas

Blends of the region

Countries

Photo credits on this page

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