Spices and Herbs (Anise/Aniseed)

Anise or Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum)
Anise is a flowering plant, native to the eastern Mediterranean region and southwest Asia. Anise has a licorice-like taste, is sweet and very aromatic. It is popular in many confections like British Aniseed balls, Aniseed wheels in New Zealand, Italian pizzelles, German pfeffernusse, Knotts in Norway and South African mosbolletjies(must buns) and aniseed biscuits/rusks. The French like it with carrots. Anise is frequently used in Scandinavian breads, East Indian curries, and Hispanic stews. The seed enhances cooked fruit dishes, eggs and cheese, spinach and many baked goods. Anise is used to make the dough when preparing the famous Peruvian dessert, Picarones.
Aniseed is also used to make the Mexican drink, atole de anís or champurrado, which is similar to hot chocolate, the Turkish alcoholic drink, Raki, the Italian Sambuca, Arabic Arak and Greek Ouzo.
Anise (Aniseed) is often confused with Star Anise. These are two different species of plant, but the one is sometimes substituted for the other.

See also "Spices and Herbs (Star Anise)"

spice anise aniseed

Spices and Herbs (Star Anise)

Star anise (Illicium verum)
Star anise is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from the star-shaped pericarp of a small native evergreen tree of southwest China. The star shaped fruits are harvested just before ripening. It is widely used in Chinese cuisine, in Indian cuisine where it is an ingredient of garam masala, and in Malay/Indonesian cuisine. It is widely grown for commercial use in China, India, and most other countries in Asia. Star anise is also an ingredient of the traditional Chinese five-spice powder and ensures an authentic touch in the preparation of certain Chinese dishes.
It contributes to meat and poultry dishes, combining especially well with pork and duck. In Chinese cooking, where the ingredients are simmered for a lengthy period in dark soy sauce, star anise is nearly always added to beef and chicken dishes. Chinese stocks and soups very often contain the spice.
It is used as a spice in preparation of Biryani in Andhra Pradesh, a south Indian State. Star anise could be used as an addition to meat dishes, like bolognaise, as it enhances the flavour of the meat. The whole stars can be added directly to the cooking pot. Small amounts are used, as the spice is powerful. Stored whole in airtight containers, it keeps for well over a year.
In the West, star anise is added in fruit compotes and jams, and in the manufacture of anise-flavoured liqueurs such as anisette.
Star Anise is often confused with aniseed(anise). These are two different species of plant, but the one is sometimes substituted for the other.

See also "Spices and Herbs (Anise/Aniseed)"

spice star anise anise

Spices and Herbs (Bay Leaves / Laurel)

Bay leaves (Laurus nobilis)
Bay leaves, native to the Mediterranean area, are the aromatic leaves of several species of the Laurel family, Laurus nobilus, being the most common and widely used variety. Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance. The leaves are light green in color and brittle when dried. They have a distinctively strong, aromatic, spicy flavor. Bay Leaves is the approved term for this spice, but the name "laurel" is still used frequently. The herb is often used to flavor soups, stews, meat and vegetable dishes and pâtés in Mediterranean Cuisine. The leaves also flavor classic French dishes such as bouillabaise and bouillon. Bay leaves are most often used whole (sometimes in a bouquet garni), and removed before serving. In Indian, Moroccan and Turkish cuisine, bay leaves are commonly used in spicy preparations like biryani, curries and pickles.
The fresh leaves are very mild and do not develop their full flavor until several weeks after picking and drying.

spice herb bay leaves laurel

Spices and Herbs (Chervil)

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
Chervil is an annual herb related to parsley. It is used to season mild-flavoured dishes and is a constituent of the French herb mixture fines herbes. More delicate than parsley, it's taste has a hint of liquorice. Sometimes referred to as "gourmet's parsley", chervil is used to season poultry, seafood, and vegetables. It is particularly popular in France, where it is added to omelettes, salads and soups and adds a nice flavor to white wine vinegar. Finely chopped chervil enhances the flavor of chicken, fish, herb butter, vegetables, cottage cheese, salads and egg dishes. The leaves can be added to creamy soups as an aromatic garnish. Chervil should be used fresh. The leaves will quickly lose their flavor and should be added to a dish just prior to serving.

herb chervil

Spices and Herbs (Capers)

Capers (Capparis spinosa, Capparis rupestris)
The caper plant is a perennial spiny shrub that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and big white to pinkish-white flowers. The plant is best known for the edible bud and fruit (caper berry) which are usually consumed pickled. Capers are immature flower buds which have been pickled in vinegar or preserved in granular salt and are used as a condiment. The buds, when ready to pick, are a dark olive green and range in size from about 7mm - 14+mm. When picked, they are pickled in salt, or a salt and vinegar solution. The bush is native to the Mediterranean region, growing wild in mainly rocky coastal areas. Capers have a sharp piquant flavor and add pungency, peculiar aroma and saltiness to pasta sauces, pizza, fish, meats and salads. They are an important ingredient in Sicilian and southern Italian cooking, used in dishes like chicken piccata and salsa puttanesca and are often served with cold smoked salmon or cured salmon dishes. Tender young shoots including immature small leaves may also be eaten as a vegetable, or pickled.
Unripe nasturtium seeds can be substituted for capers; they have a very similar texture and flavour when pickled.

spice caper berries capers

Spices and Herbs (Chives)

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Chives, native to Europe, Asia and North America, are perennial evergreen plants and keep their leaves in most, except the harhest, winters. They are referred to only in the plural, because they grow in clumps rather than as individual plants. A member of the onion family, the leaves can be used in salads and are frequently used as flavouring in savoury dishes. Culinary uses for chives include shredding its leaves for use as condiment for fish, potatoes and soups. Because of this, it is a common household herb, frequent in gardens as well as in grocery stores. The flowers may also be used to garnish dishes.

Chives are one of the "fines herbes" of French cuisine, which also include tarragon, chervil and/or parsley. They have insect-repelling properties which can be used in gardens to control pests. Chives will grow in almost all soils, the ideal one being well-dug with the addition of well-rotted compost or organic material. Chives are very similar to onions, they have a bulbous root and green leaves. The bulbs multiply quickly over a few years and this provides the easiest method of propagation. In colder winters, the leaves may die back completely, but don't despair - their roots are still alive and they will begin new growth next spring.

herb chives

Spices and Herbs (Caraway)

Caraway (Carum carvi)

Caraway, also known as Persian cumin, is a biennial plant which is native to Europe and western Asia. The plant is similar in appearance to a carrot plant. The fruits (sometimes called seeds), usually used whole, have a pungent, anise-like flavour. They are used as a spice in breads especially rye bread, which is denser because of the yeast-killing properties of the essential oil, limonene. Caraway is also used in liquors, casseroles, and other foods, especially in Central European and Scandinavian cuisine (eg. Sauerkraut). Although caraway has an affinity for cabbage, you can use it in savory or sweet dishes. Add near the end of cooking, the last 15 minutes when possible, to prevent a bitter flavor. It is also used to add flavor to cheeses such as havarti. Akvavit and several liqueurs are also made with caraway. The roots may be cooked as a root vegetable like parsnips or carrots.

spice caraway

Spices and Herbs (Curry Leaves)

Curry Leaves (Murraya koenigii, Bergera koenigii, Chalcas koenigii)

The Curry-leaf tree which is native to India, grows to between 4 and 6 metres. The small black, shiny berries of the tree are edible, but their seeds are poisonous. Most Indian cuisine contains the subtle flavouring of this highly aromatic leafy spice. They are commonly used as seasoning in Indian and Sri Lankan cooking, much like bay leaves and especially in curries with fish or coconut milk. Curry leaves are particularly used in South India cooking to provide a flavouring for curries, vegetable, fish and meat dishes, soups, pickles, butter milk preparations, chutneys, scrambled eggs and curry powder blends. For some recipes, the leaves are oven-dried or toasted immediately before use. Another common technique is frying them in butter or oil. They are best used in their fresh form and although available dried, the aroma is clearly inferior.

spice curry leaves

Spices and Herbs (Cloves)

Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)

Also known by the botanical name of Eugenia aromaticum or Eugenia caryophyllata, cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of an evergreen tree that may grow from 10 - 20m tall, and is native to the Indonesia and the Philippines. It is used as a spice in cuisine all over the world. Cloves are harvested primarily in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Indonesia and Madagascar and is also grown in Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka. Cloves, along with nutmeg and pepper, were highly prized in Roman times.
Cloves can be used in cooking either whole or in a ground form, but as they are extremely strong, they are used sparingly. Cloves have historically been used in Indian cuisine as well as in Mexican cuisine, where it is often paired together with cumin and canela (cinnamon). In the south Indian cuisine, it finds extensive use in the biryani dish and is normally added whole to enhance the presentation and flavor of the rice. Cloves are also commonly paired with citrus flavors and in Western cuisine it is traditionally used when cooking the Christmas Ham.

spice cloves

Spices and Herbs (Basil)

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Basil, having highly aromatic leaves that has a pleasant spicy odor, is also known as Sweet Basil. It is a tender low-growing herb that is grown in warm, tropical climates. Basil is originally native to India and other tropical regions of Asia. It is prominently featured in varied cuisines throughout the world including Italian, Thai and Vietnamese. The plant tastes somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, sweet smell. While most common varieties are treated as annuals, some are perennial, including African Blue and Holy Thai basil.
Basil is best used fresh - in cooked recipes it is generally added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the taste.
Genovese basil is frequently combined with tomato in Italian cuisine. It is one of the main ingredients in pesto, a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce, its other two main ingredients being olive oil and pine nuts. The Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh basil leaves into thick soups. They also eat fried chicken with deep-fried basil leaves.
Like many herbs, basil has many reputed medicinal properties, such as the ability to draw out poison from insect bites, as a sedative, for treating digestive disorders, soothing pain, promoting perspiration, and promoting production of breast milk in nursing mothers.

herb basil cooking

Spices and Herbs (Cumin)

Cumin(Cuminum cyminum)

The plant Cuminum cyminum is a member of the parsley family and is native to the Mediterranean regions, north Africa and east India. Cumin is the dried fruit of this small herbaceous plant and is a typical spice used in Indian cuisine. It is an ingredient of most curry powders and savoury spice mixtures, and is used in gravies, grills and chicken dishes. Roasting the whole seeds in a dry skillet enhances the flavor.
Other than it's usage as a cooking ingredient. cumin seeds are a very good source of iron and have also traditionally been noted as being beneficial to the digestive system and are also considered to have anti-carcinogenic properties. This earthy, strong flavored spice can be used interchangeably in the seed or powdered form.
India is considered to be the major exporter of cumin and this spice can be found in the cuisines of many other countries including Indonesia, Thailand, Cuba, China Morocco and Mexico.
Cumin has been in use since ancient times. Originally cultivated in Iran and the Mediterranean region, cumin is mentioned in the Bible in both the Old Testament (Isaiah 28:27) and the New Testament (Matthew 23:23).
Black Cumin (Cuminum nigrum), also known as Kala jeera, is prized for its exotic floral flavor in the countries where it grows, North India, Kashmir, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Black cumin is less bitter than and more peppery than regular cumin. It is a common ingredient in the seasoning blend garam masala.

spice cumin jeera curry

Spices and Herbs (Coriander / Cilantro / Dhania)

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

Coriander, also commonly called cilantro or dhania, is an annual herb. The plant is native to southwestern Asia west to north Africa. All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the most commonly used in cooking. Coriander is commonly used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, Southeast Asian, Latin American, Chinese and African cuisine. The leaves, and especially the stems, have a very different taste from the seeds, similar to parsley but with citrus-like overtones. The fresh leaves and stems are an essential ingredient in many Vietnamese foods, Asian chutneys, Mexican salsas and guacamole, and occasionally is used in sushi rolls.

Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such curries. As heat diminishes their flavour quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish right before serving.
The dried fruits are known as coriander seeds. The dried seeds have a spicy, nutty, citrus flavour when crushed. Most commonly, it is

bought as whole dried seeds, but can also be purchased in ground form. Coriander seed is a key spice in garam masala and Indian curries, which often contain a generous amount of the crushed seeds together with cumin.
Coriander seed is also an important spice in the making of sausages in Germany and South African boerewors.

spice herb coriander cilantro dhania

Spices and Herbs (Cinnamon and Cassia)

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamon zeylanicum)

Cinnamon comes from a small evergreen tree 10-15 meters tall and is native to Sri Lanka and South India. The bark is widely used as a spice due to its distinct odour and aromatic taste.
Cinnamon was imported to Egypt from China as early as 2000 BC, and is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 30:23, where Moses is commanded to use both sweet cinnamon and cassia, and in Proverbs 7:17-18, where the lover's bed is perfumed with myrrh, aloe and cinnamon. It was commonly used on funeral pyres in Rome, and the Emperor Nero is said to have burned a year's supply of cinnamon at the funeral for his wife Poppaea Sabina, in 65 AD.
Cassia ("Chinese cinnamon") is also commonly called (and sometimes sold as) cinnamon. True cinnamon, using only the thin inner bark, has a finer, less dense and more crumbly texture, and is considered to be less strong than cassia. Cassia is generally a medium to light reddish brown, is hard and woody in texture, and is thicker (2-3 mm thick), as all of the layers of bark are used. European health agencies have recently warned against consuming high amounts of cassia, due to a toxic component called coumarin. This is contained in much lower dosages in true (Ceylon) cinnamon. Coumarin is known to cause liver and kidney damage in high concentrations.
Cinnamon bark is widely used as a spice and is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavouring material, being largely used in the preparation of some kinds of desserts, chocolate, spicy candies, tea, hot cocoa and liqueurs. In the Middle East, it is often used in savoury dishes of chicken and lamb. Cinnamon and sugar are often used to flavour cereals, bread-based dishes, and fruits, especially apples; a cinnamon-sugar mixture is even sold separately for such purposes. Cinnamon can also be used in pickling.

spice cinnamon cassia

Spices and Herbs (Chillies)

Chilli pepper (genus - Capsicum)

The term chilli in most of the world refers exclusively to the smaller, hot types of capsicum and are rich in vitamin C. The mild larger types are called bell pepper or simply just pepper. Chilli peppers and their various cultivars originate in the Americas but are now grown around the world. Currently India is the largest producer of chillis.
The most common species of chili peppers are:
Capsicum annuum, which includes many common varieties such as bell peppers, paprika, cayenne, jalapeños, and the chiltepin
Capsicum frutescens, which includes the tabasco peppers
Capsicum chinense, which includes the hottest peppers such as the naga, habanero and Scotch bonnet
Capsicum pubescens, which includes the South American rocoto peppers
Capsicum baccatum, which includes the South American aji peppers

The substances that gives chillies their intensity when ingested or through topical application are called capsaicinoids. The degree of intensity is measured in Scoville units (SHU). The bell pepper is measured at 0 SHU, jalapeños at 3,000–6,000 SHU, habaneros at 300,000 SHU and the hottest chilli, the Naga Jolokia, measures over 1,000,000 SHU. By removing the seeds and inner membranes inside a chilli, reduces the heat of a pod.
Chilli peppers are used around the world to make a wide variety of sauces, known as hot sauce, chilli sauce, or pepper sauce. There are countless recipes. They are also dried and roasted for later use.
Chillies are very popular in food preparation and are used in many dishes to add spice and heat (eg. Indian Curries, Mexican Chili Con Carne, many of the Thai, Indonesian and Chinese traditional dishes)

spice chili pepper chilli

Spices and Herbs (Cardamom)

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)

Cardamom, also known as Elaichi and choti (Hindi), is a member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Cardamom is native to India and Sri Lanka where it occurs in the wild. It is now cultivated across most of tropical Asia.
Numerous flavorful little cardamom seeds are encased within a single cardamom pod which is green in color when fresh. Cardamom spice has an interesting flavor that can be described as slightly sweet, floral, and spicy with citric elements.
Cardamom spice is a highly aromatic spice which is most commonly used in Eastern, Arab, and some Scandinavian cuisines. It's unique slightly sweet and savory flavor allows it to be combined with both sweet and savory dishes. Cardamom seed's ability to enhance so many types of food is why it is combined with a wide range of other ingredients. From sea food to sauces, to meats, poultry, vegetables, and even desserts, pastries, and other baked delights.

cooking spice cardamom

Spices and Herbs (Allspice)

Allspice (Pimenta dioica)

These are the unripe and dried fruits of the plant. This spice is also sometimes referred to as pimento spice. It is strongly aromatic, like cloves with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg - the taste is similar, but with some peppery flavour. Jamaica is the main exporter but several other countries also produce this spice (eg. México, Honduras).
Allspice is used mainly as a flavorant for sausages, as part of the Jamaican jerk seasoning, as a pickling spice, used in stews and the finely ground berries are also used in cakes. The leaves of the plant are sometimes used as an alternative to bay leaves.

cooking spice allspice pimento