Spice news
TradeSpice market update: limited cardamom suppliesHarvestKashmir to New Jersey: Saffron Takes Root in Central JerseyTradeBehind Every Pod: The Invisible Women Who Power India’s Cardamom EconomyHarvestTurmeric Prices Fall On Profit Booking Despite Drought-Hit Crops In Karnataka By Kedia AdvisoryChilliFour Bucks County Sauce Makers Bring Smoke, Fruit, and Heat to Local ShelvesHarvestEssex town whose origins can be traced back to a very lucrative spice tradeHarvestEssex town whose origins can be traced back to a very lucrative spice tradeMarketsUS traders bat for tariff exemptions on spicesMarketsUS traders bat for tariff exemptions on spicesMarketsUS spice traders seek tariff exemptions for Indian spices under potential trade dealTradeSpice market update: limited cardamom suppliesHarvestKashmir to New Jersey: Saffron Takes Root in Central JerseyTradeBehind Every Pod: The Invisible Women Who Power India’s Cardamom EconomyHarvestTurmeric Prices Fall On Profit Booking Despite Drought-Hit Crops In Karnataka By Kedia AdvisoryChilliFour Bucks County Sauce Makers Bring Smoke, Fruit, and Heat to Local ShelvesHarvestEssex town whose origins can be traced back to a very lucrative spice tradeHarvestEssex town whose origins can be traced back to a very lucrative spice tradeMarketsUS traders bat for tariff exemptions on spicesMarketsUS traders bat for tariff exemptions on spicesMarketsUS spice traders seek tariff exemptions for Indian spices under potential trade deal
EveryMasala

All spices

306 spices so far, best known first. 88 more are on the list to be written.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
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
🇻🇳 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 🇲🇦 Morocco and 2 morePeppermint A hybrid mint with a sharp cooling taste, used in teas, oils, and flavourings.Leaf 🇻🇳 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 🇰🇷 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 🇱🇾 Libya and 5 moreWhorled savoryza'atar rumi; za'atar franji A pungent Mediterranean shrub with dark leaves and pink flowers, used in ancient cooking and modern herbal teas.Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇲🇽 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 5 moreSesame The drought-hardy seed of a flowering plant, prized for its oil and nutty taste.Seed · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇯🇵 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 🇨🇳 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 🇨🇴 Colombia and 2 moreTolu balsam A South American tree resin prized for its warm scent and historical medicinal role.Resin · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 2 moreDundicut A small, round, dark red chili cultivar from South Asia with moderate heat.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 🇵🇪 PeruLemon Drop pepperají limón A bright yellow, citrus-flavored chilli from Peru's highlands.Hot and fiery · Citrus and bright 🇨🇳 ChinaSha ren砂仁 The dried fruit of a ginger-family plant, used in Chinese cooking and medicineSharp 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 🇪🇸 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 🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreCommon sage The gray-green leaves of a Mediterranean perennial used in European roasts and traditional remedies.Leaf · Herbal and green 🇬🇪 Georgia and 1 moreBlue fenugreekუცხო სუნელი The blue-flowered annual herb that seasons Georgian stews and Swiss cheeseSeed · Earthy and deep · Bitter 🇰🇷 South KoreaCheongyang chili pepper청양고추 A medium-sized Korean cultivar of Capsicum annuum with 10,000 Scoville heat units.Chilli · Hot and fiery 🇮🇳 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 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreZedoarytemu putih A bitter rhizome from the ginger family, once common in Austronesian kitchens.Root · Bitter · Sharp and pungent 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreRoselle The deep red calyx of a hibiscus plant, steeped into a tart drink or cooked as a leafy green.Fruit · Sour and tart · Citrus and bright 🇻🇳 VietnamHúng lìu A Vietnamese spice blend of cinnamon, star anise, and clove for roasted meatsWarm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreFenugreekحلبة (hilba) The cuboid seed of an annual legume, prized for its bitter warmth and maple aroma.Seed · Bitter · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇮🇹 ItalyCommon thyme A woody Mediterranean herb with small grey-green leaves and a sharp, spicy-sweet flavour.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Sweet and mellow 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreCubeb The dried fruit of a climbing vine, known for its long tail and sharp taste.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇬🇳 Guinea and 5 moreGrains of paradise The pungent, citrus-tinged seeds of a West African ginger relative.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreTrinidad Scorpion Butch T A hybrid Capsicum chinense pepper that held the Guinness World Record for heat in 2011.Chilli · Hot and fiery 🇮🇳 IndiaSirarakhong Hathei chilli A long, bitter chilli from Manipur, India, protected by a geographical indication tag.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Bitter 🇵🇹 Portugal and 4 moreRosemary A fragrant Mediterranean shrub with needle-like leaves used for seasoning and remembranceHerbal and green 🇸🇩 Sudan and 5 moreTamarind The sweet and sour pulp of a tropical tree pod used in sauces and drinks.Fruit · Sweet and mellow · Sour and tart 🇮🇱 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 🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreKaffir limeมะกรูด The bumpy-skinned citrus fruit and double-leafed shrub of Southeast AsiaFruit · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 moreKesum An aromatic herb from Southeast Asia, used fresh in salads and soups.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇪🇬 Egypt and 3 moreAnise The sweet, licorice-flavored seed of an annual herb from the Mediterranean basin.Seed · Sweet and mellow · Anise and liquorice 🇨🇳 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 🇮🇳 IndiaWild cinnamon The aromatic leaves and bark of a Western Ghats tree, once known as malabathrum.Leaf · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇮🇳 IndiaBlack turmeric A blue-skinned rhizome from northeast India, boiled and dried for its camphor scent.Root · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇸🇷 SurinameMadame Jeanette A fruity, very hot chili cultivar from Suriname with a reddish-yellow skin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreAndaliman A citrus-scented, tongue-numbing seed husk related to Sichuan pepperFruit · Numbing and tingling · Citrus and bright 🇵🇪 Peru and 3 moreBlack mintHuacatay A South American marigold herb used as a paste or dried seasoning in Andean cookingLeaf · Herbal and green · 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 🇮🇩 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 🇦🇺 AustraliaDorrigo pepper The wild-harvested berry and leaf of an Australian shrub, known for its peppery heat.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇮🇳 IndiaKashmiri red chilliकश्मीरी लाल मिर्च A mild Capsicum annuum cultivar prized for its deep red colour and low heat.Chilli · Earthy and deep
PreviousMore spices

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.