Za'atar

A group of herbs and a Middle Eastern spice blend, containing sumac, sesame seeds and the herb za'atar itself. The fresh herbs are available only around the Mediterranean. Local Lebanese and Middle Eastern shops sell the spice blend, which is sprinkled on bread before baking. Good with barbecued meat.

Turmeric

Curcuma longa. Available as a whole root, the dried and ground aromatic rhizome is sometimes referred to as 'Indian saffron', but there is no comparison. Used to color butter, cheese and mustard. Buy ground and keep in a cool, dark place. Cook a little with rice for a golden color.

Sumac

Rhus coriaria. The dried berries of this Mediterranean shrub are ground into a reddish-purplish powder. Available in local Lebanese and Middle Eastern food stores, sumac is used to infuse a dish with lemon flavor, without adding any liquid and is sprinkled on fattoush.

Wasabi

The root of a native Japanese plant, eaten freshly grated or made into a paste. A green, powdered form is available, which is mixed into a paste with water. Used with sashimi and sushi, this hot condiment is mixed with soy sauce for dipping.

Tamarind

Tamarindus indica. Available as pulp, paste or assam powder, this substance adds a sour flavor. Used in Indian curries. To use the pulp, soak in hot water, stand 20 minutes, then extract liquid from the pulp. Use paste and powder after dissolving.

Star Anise

Illicium verum. This fruit of an evergreen tree has a aniseed flavor. Buy whole or ground and use to flavor Asian dishes, such as stir-fries, pork, veal and duck, and biryani rice. Also used in liqueurs and to disguise medicinal flavors.

Vanilla

Vanilla planifolia. This spice originates from the orchid family. The pods are harvested while immature, so they don't burst. Use to flavor sweet dishes, such as ice creams, puddings, cakes and pies, especially those containing chocolate. Also in liquid form.

Sunflower Seed

Helianthus annuus. Native to Peru, the dried seeds of the sunflower plant are extensively used in the manufacture of oil. When roasted, they are eaten as a healthy snack or sprinkled over salads.

Sesame Seed

Sesamum indicum. Native to India, the dried fruits of the sesame plant are frequently used to flavor and garnish breads, and to make oil. Available in black and white varieties. Ground sesame seeds are the main ingredients in tahini and halva.

Sichuan or Chinese Pepper

Xanthoxylum piperitum. Like sansho powder, these berries come from the prickly ash and are not related to the peppercorn. They have a distinctive and intense flavor. Buy whole or ground; dry-roast the whole berries for best results.

Saffron

Crocus sativus. The dried stigmas of 200,000 mauve, autumn-flowering crocus flowers are needed to obtain 1kg of saffron, so it is not difficult to imagine why it is so costly. Use threads in paella, bouillabaisse, risotto Milanese and saffron cakes. Keep refrigerated.

Pepper

Piper nigrum. When ripe, pepper berries are red. Black peppercorns are the dried, unriped berry used whole or freshly ground. White peppercorns are riper berries, de-husked and dried. They are hotter and less aromatic than black. Green peppercorns are the fresh, unripe berries.

Sansho Powder

Used in Japanese cooking, this powder is made from the dried and ground leaves of the prickly ash and has a peppery, lemon-like flavor. Must be used sparingly.

Poppy Seed

Papaver somniferum. Used frequently in Indian cooking, primarily as a thickener, this seed from the poppy flower is available in two varieties: black/blue and white. Also used extensively in Middle Eastern and Middle European cuisines.

Paprika

Capsicum tetragonum. Hungarian goulash would not exist without this ingredient. Used in soups, sauces, salads, spreads, sausages, and salamis, a host of meat, poultry and fish dishes, and in ketchup. Made from finely ground, dried, red capsicum.

Salt

Sodium chloride. Added to most food, even sweet dishes, to bring out the flavor. Don't add much in the beginning, you can always add more later. Varieties: coarse, coarse curing, cooking, fine, rock, sea, table, flavored, seasoned.

Pickling Spice

Used in preserved and pickled vegetables, vinegars and chutneys, this mixture consists of dried bay leaves, red chillies, mustard and coriander seeds, allspice, cloves, ginger and mace.

Panch Phora

An Indian seasoning mix of cumin, black mustard, nigella, fenugreek and fennel seeds. Added to the cooking oil, it imparts a typically Indian flavor to food. Not to be confused with the Chinese Five Spice mix.

Nutmeg

Myristica fragrans. Buy whole and grate as needed. Used to flavor soups, vegetables, breads and cakes. A true Bolognese sauce is not complete without grated nutmeg.

Mace

Myristica fragrans. The outer, lacy covering of the nutmeg kernel, flattened and dried in the sun. Available in strips or ground, mostly used in curry mixtures, pickles, as a flavoring for corned beef, soups and sausages.

Horseradish

Armoracia rusticana. The dried root of the horseradish plant is ground into a powder, then mixed with water to make a paste or cream to accompany meat or fish.

Mustard Seed

fam. Brassica. White mustard seeds are used in Asian cooking, pickling, in marinades, to flavor sausages, and in 'prepared' mustard. Black seeds are used in spicy dishes and to make oil. Mustard powder is a mixture of both.

Liquorice

Glycyrrihiza glabra. The extract from dried and ground liquorice roots is widely used to make the hard or pliable black confectionery some love, others hate, as an expectorant, and to disguise the unpleasant tasted of many medicines.

Ginger-Powdered

Zingiber officinale. Powdered ginger is mostly used in jams, cakes, pies and biscuits, and for flavoring drinks. Also used in savory dishes, curry mixtures and as a seasoning in ketchup.

Mixed Dried Herbs

Used to flavor savory dishes, this aromatic mixture consists of basil, marjoram, thyme, parsley and rosemary. May be added directly to the dish during cooking or used indirectly, e.g., in marinades.

Juniper Berry

Juniperus communis. Use whole or crushed, especially with game, and in marinades for a gamy flavor. Sauerkraut is much improved by adding a few crushed berries. Also used in English gin and a number of schnapps and brandies.

Ginger-Fresh

Zingiber officinale. Asian cuisine is not the same without ginger, the root of which is finely chopped or grated, and together with onion and garlic is the basis of many a stir-fry or curry. Look for firm and shiny ginger, avoiding the gnarly.

Garam Masala

There are many versions of this spice mixture used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines and its exact composition is often kept a secret by cooks. Common components are cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and pepper. For a powerful flavor-boost, add the mixture in the last minutes of cooking.

Fenugreek

Trigonella foenum-graceum. The seeds have a sweet, curry-like aroma when roasted; consequently this spice is found in most curry powders, and spicy vegetable and pulse dishes. Also in pickles and chutneys, spiced vinegar, and in halva, a sesame-based sweetmeat.

Dill Seed

Anethum graveolens. Used in soups and stews, for pickling, and, particularly in Scandinavia, in the preparation of salmon and crayfish. Said to have a generally soothing effect, dill is an important ingredient in infants' gripe water given to relieve colic.

Galangal

Languas galanga. A member of the ginger family, but different in flavor when dried, the powdered form of this root is also sold in local Asian markets as laos. Use in Indonesian hot and spicy dishes and Malaysian fish and seafood dishes.

Fennel Seed

Foeniculum vulgare. Used in pickling, in Indian cookery, as a flavoring for bread, and in the pharmaceutical industry for gargles. The seeds, which have a slight aniseed flavor, are also used in certain liqueurs.

Curry Powder

Curry powder may contain any of the following: ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, cardamom, chilli, fennel seeds, cloves, fenugreek, tamarind, poppy seeds, saffron, pepper, nutmeg, mace, curry leaves, garlic and ginger.

Five Spice Powder

Used in Chinese cuisine, especially with meat, poultry or fish dishes, this is a mixture of Sichuan pepper, star anise, fennel, cloves and cinnamon.

Dukkah

A Middle Eastern spice mix, usually consisting of coriander, cumin, sesame seeds and hazelnuts. These are all roasted before being coarsely ground and seasoned with salt. Use as a dip for fresh bread with olive oil, and sprinkle on fattoush--the Lebanese bread--cucumber and tomato salad.

Curry Leaf

Chalcas koenigii. Related to the lemon tree, the fresh or dried leaves of the curry plant are added to curries. Curry powders and pastes may contain an amount of ground curry leaves.

Cumin

Cuminum cyminum. Without it, Middle Eastern and Latin American food would be dull. It is a popular flavoring in Indonesian cuisine and is nearly always in curry powder. The whole seeds are present in Dutch Leyden cheese. Roasted cumin is a great addition when sprinkled over fresh fruit.

Cinnamon

Cinnamomum zelanicum. The dried bark of the cinnamon tree is curled into quills and cut to equal lengths. Use broken into smaller pieces in curries and compotes, together with lemon zest and cloves in mulled wine, and ground into a powder in puddings and cakes.

Cassia

Cinnamomum cassia. Also known as cassia bark or bastard cinnamon, the flavor is much the same as cinnamon. Use whole in meat dishes, curries, and coffee, and the ground cassia in cakes and pastries or to enhance the flavor of chocolate and fruit dishes.

Coriander

Coriandrum sativum. Always grind coriander yourself after briefly dry-roasting; the store-bought, ground product loses its vibrancy quickly. Widely used in curries, Middle Eastern spice mixes and pickling mixtures.

Chilli Pepper

Capsicum annuum, var. frutescens. Chilli or cayenne pepper is the dried, ground fruit of the various capsicum plants. Buy dried chillies whole, in flakes or as a powder. Use in curry pastes, Thai soups and South American dishes, such as chilli con carne, as a fiery flavoring.

Carom

Carum ajowan. This celery-seed look-alike is closely related to cumin; the seeds, with their thyme-like flavor are mostly used in Indian cuisine to flavor curries, chutneys and pappadams.

Clove

Eugenia aromatica. A clove loses its potency after prolonged storage. Test in water; if fresh, it will sink or float upright; stale ones lie on the surface. Use whole or ground in meat and marainated fish dishes, pastries and mulled wine.

Celery Seed

Apium graveolens. The celery plant is a native of Italy. Its rather bitter seeds are dried and mostly used in casseroles and soups. Also used to make celery salt, which may include some of the leaves and roots of celery.

Celery Seed

Apium graveolens. The celery plant is a native of Italy. Its rather bitter seeds are dried and mostly used in casseroles and soups. Also used to make celery salt, which may include some of the leaves and roots of celery.

Celery Seed

Apium graveolens. The celery plant is a native of Italy. Its rather bitter seeds are dried and mostly used in casseroles and soups. Also used to make celery salt, which may include some of the leaves and roots of celery.

Cardamom

Elettaria cardamomum. Sold as seeds or pods. Colors vary from black to green to white. Remove seeds from the pods before using. most common in Indian and Sri Lankan curries. Good with vegetables, fruit pies and meat dishes.

Caraway

Carum carvi. These brown, oblong seeds are crucial ingredients in seed cakes and sauerkraut, and are commonly used on breads, in spreads, such as Liptauer cheese, with potatoes, goose, duck and pork. Widely used in making liqueurs.

Black Cumin

Cuminum cyminum. Also known as royal cumin. Nigella, a small, triangular, jet black seed, is often wrongly called black cumin. Real black cumin is used less frequently than white cumin because it has a strong flavor.

Anise

Pimpinella anisum. A small, hard seed with a spicy, sweet taste. Used in baking, especially biscuits and cakes, in preserving, such as plums and gherkins, in anise-flavored liqueurs and drinks, and to mask the strong flavor of some cough medicines.