|
NAME |
DESCRIPTION |
USES |
FLAVOR |
|
Adobo |
Mexican spice mixture |
chicken, beef, pork chops, ribs or
cutlets, burritos or spice up a mild salsa |
spicy |
|
Ajowon |
resembles celery seed; related to
caraway and cumin. Also called Ajwain, Carom &
Lovage |
Asian cooking, breads & savory pastries
& biscuits, used in many bean dishes |
flavor similar to Thyme |
|
Alkenet Root |
comes from a wild plant with yellow
flowers |
widely used in dishes which need a deep
red color |
no flavor; used as a food coloring |
|
Annato Seed |
good substitution for the color of
saffron but does not duplicate Saffron's flavor |
used primarily in Mexican and Caribbean
cooking, imparts a rich yellow/orange color |
seeds can also be ground with garlic
and any variety of chili peppers for Adobo
paste |
|
Allspice |
pea-size berries from the evergreen
pimento tree, dark brown in color |
breads, cakes, cookies, fruit sauce
recipes |
aromatic, sweet mixture of cinnamon,
clove and nutmeg |
|
Amchoor |
made from sour, sliced green mangoes,
dried in the sun |
souring agent in Indian food |
sour, pungent flavor |
|
Anise Seed |
small green-brown seeds, member of the
parsley family |
breads, cakes, candies, cookies, fruit
sauces, some Asian recipes |
sweet licorice flavor |
|
Baharat |
salt-free blend |
used in the Persian Gulf area to add
spice and heat to ground meat dishes, vegetables, vegetable stuffing |
spicy-hot |
|
Caraway Seed |
dried whole seeds, from an herb in the
parsley family |
breads, cheese spreads, pickling,
vegetables, & German, Austrian & Hungarian recipes |
nutty, licorice flavor |
|
Cardamom |
seeds are in pods the size of a
cranberry, member of the ginger family |
cakes, cookies, curries, fruits, Indian
recipes, Scandinavian breads |
spicy-sweet, pungent aroma |
|
Cayenne |
powdered seasoning made from a variety
of tropical chilies, including red cayenne peppers |
eggs, cheese, Cajun recipes |
very hot and spicy; use with caution |
|
Celery Seed |
seeds from wild Indian celery
Lovage |
used sparingly for pickling, salads
(potato and coleslaw), soups, stuffing |
slightly bitter, celery flavor |
|
Chili Powder |
blend made from ground dried chiles,
coriander, cumin, garlic, oregano & other herbs & spices |
chili, eggs and cheese, soups, stews |
mild to hot |
|
Chilies |
blend made from whole dried chiles,
coriander, cumin, garlic, oregano & other herbs & spices |
chili, eggs and cheese, soups, stews,
Latin American and Mexican recipes |
mild to hot |
|
Cinnamon |
bark from the Ceylon (buff-colored) or
Cassia tree (dark reddish-brown) |
cakes, cookies, hot drinks, pies,
vegetables (carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes) |
aromatic, pungent, sweet, often added
as sticks to dishes during cooking (sticks are not meant to be
eaten) |
|
Clove |
nail-shaped buds from tropical
evergreen clove tree; reddish-brown in color |
baked beans, fruit pies, ham, pickling,
sauces, spice cakes and cookies |
aromatic, pungent, sweet, use with care
as the flavor of cloves can overwhelm |
|
Coriander |
seeds from the coriander plant, related
to the parsley family (see
Cilantro) |
baking, pickling, Mexican & Spanish
recipes |
mixtof lemon, sage & caraway flavors;
soapy |
|
Cumin |
dried fruit from plant in parsley
family |
chili and curry powder blends, fish,
lamb, pickling, sausages; Middle Eastern, Asian & Mediterranean
recipes |
somewhat bitter, pungent, nutty, hot |
|
Dill Seed |
dried seed from the dill plant |
meats, salads, sauces, vegetables |
tangy, caraway flavor |
|
Fennel Seeds |
oval, greenish-brown seeds from the
fennel plant |
breads, fish, sauces, sausage, soups,
Italian recipes |
slight licorice flavor |
|
Ginger |
gnarled & bumpy root from ginger plant |
cakes, cookies, marinades; Chinese,
Jamaican & German recipes; not advisable to substitute dry
ginger powder for recipes specifying fresh ginger |
peppery, slightly sweet with a pungent
and spicy aroma |
|
Juniper Berries |
berries resembling the size and color
of blueberries |
gin-flavoring, marinades |
pungent, bitter when raw |
|
Lemon Peel |
yellow outer skin which is grated, also
called lemon zest |
spreads, relishes, fruit salads,
dressings, seafood, poultry, shellfish, breads, pastries, deserts,
sauces |
lemon flavor and fragrance |
|
Mace |
bright red outer covering of the nutmeg
seed that turns yellow-orange when dried |
custards, fruit desserts (peaches,
plums & apples), spice cakes & cookies, vegetables (carrots,
broccoli, Brussels sprouts & cauliflower) |
similar to nutmeg, but with a stronger
flavor and smell |
|
Mignonette Pepper |
salt-free blend |
used in traditional French-Canadian
cooking for large cuts of beef such as prime rib, lamb or poultry;
also good on pork, lamb or veal chops |
peppery, spicy |
|
Mixed Spice |
British blend containing cinnamon,
cloves, mace, nutmeg, coriander seeds, and allspice berries |
used in baking; especially breads; also
called "pudding spice" |
fragrant, spicy; can be substituted
with pumpkin pie spice or allspice |
|
Mustard Seed |
white (or yellow) and brown (or Asian)
seeds are common types |
meats, pickling, relishes; powdered
mustard (finely ground) is used in sauces |
hot, pungent |
|
Nutmeg |
oval seeds, gray-brown in color, from
the nutmeg tree; mace is the spice gleaned from
the membrane of the seeds |
beverages, cakes, cookies, sauces,
sweet potatoes |
nutty, warm, spicy, sweet |
|
Orange Peel |
orange outer-skin which is grated; also
called orange zest |
stuffing, marinades, relishes, fruit
salads, dressings, seafood, poultry, shellfish, breads, pastries,
deserts, sauces |
orange flavor and fragrance |
|
Paprika |
dried red peppers ground into a powder |
dips, fish, poultry, salads (potato &
egg), soups; necessary ingredient in goulash |
slightly bitter, ranging from sweet to
hot |
|
Peppercorn |
berries from the pepper plant that grow
in grape-like clusters; black, white & green peppercorns are three
types processed from the berries. For more about pepper,
click here |
enhances flavor of most meats, poultry
and sweet dishes |
hot, peppery |
|
Poppy Seeds |
tiny, blue-gray, white seeds from the
poppy plant |
breads, cakes, pastries, salad
dressings, vegetables, meat sauces |
crunchy texture, deep nutty flavor |
|
Red Pepper |
powdered seasoning made from a variety
of tropical chiles, including red cayenne peppers; also called
Cayenne Pepper |
eggs, cheese, Cajun recipes |
hot, pungent |
|
Saffron |
dried yellow-orange stigmas from the
crocus plant; whole threads or powdered |
rice, poultry, sauces, stews (bouillabaisse),
Spanish recipes (paella), Swedish cakes & breads |
pungent, aromatic |
|
Sesame Seed |
tiny, flat seeds pale grayish-ivory
(most common), brown, red or black |
breads, cakes, cookies, dips, poultry,
salad dressings, seafood |
nutty, slightly sweet |
|
Sumac |
mix similar to lemon juice or vinegar |
sprinkle on fish, chicken, over salad
dressings, rice pilaf, or over raw onions |
fruity-tart flavor, not quite as
overpowering as lemon |
|
Tahini |
made from crushed sesame seeds |
used as a sandwich spread; or mixed
with seasonings such as garlic, onion or cayenne pepper for a dip or
salad dressing; Tahini is a key ingredient in humus, the traditional
Middle Eastern chickpea spread |
equivalent of peanut butter, using
crushed sesame seeds |
|
Turmeric |
yellow-orange root of a tropical plant
related to ginger; used to flavor and color food; use carefully as
it can stain |
primary ingredient in American-style
mustard, curries, East Indian recipes |
slightly bitter, earthy flavor |
|
Za'atar |
mixture of Sumac,
sesame seed and herbs |
used in Middle East & Mediterranean
dishes; can be mixed with olive oil & spread on thinly-baked bread;
Za'atar also serves as a seasoning to sprinkle on vegetables,
salads, meatballs or kebabs |
slight taste of sesame; tart |
