Asafoetida (Asafetida) | Often used in Indian cuisine, this is used as a garlicky flavour. Also good for low-FODMAP diet. Strong smell that mellows out into a garlicky-oniony flavour. |
Achiote Paste and Powder | Reddish-brown paste or powder ground from annatto seeds, with earthy flavour. Often used in Mexican food. |
Allspice | Like clove, pungent, deeply flavored. Used in spice mixes. |
Annatto Seeds | Tough reddish-brown seed, woodsy scent, earthy flavor. Achiote Paste when ground. |
Bay Leaf (Indian Bay Leaf) | Woodsy backdrop in soups and sauces. |
Carraway Seed | These anise-like seeds are used for soda bread, sauerkraut, and potato salad. |
Cardamom | Widely used in Indian cuisine for its warm, aromatic qualities. Used in baking with clove and cinnamon. |
Cayenne Pepper | Dried and ground red chilii peppers - used for sweet heat in soups, braises, and spice mixes. |
Chia Seeds | Flavourless, ground into smoothies, cereals, and baked goods for extra nutrition and texture, or even used as a vegan egg substitute for its use as a binder. |
Cinnamon (Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon) | Cinnamon is a spice in sweet and savoury dishes. |
Cloves | Sweet and warming spice, used in baking and meat. |
Coriander Seed | Earthy, lemon taste, commonly used in Mexican and Indian cuisine. |
Cumin | Smoky, earthy, popular in Southwestern U.S., Mexican, North African, Middle Eastern, and Indian cuisines. |
Fennel Seed | Light, sweet, licorice flavour. Used in meat dishes, and chewed on its own as a breath freshener and digestion aid. |
Fenugreek | Bitter, burnt-sugar flavour often found in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. |
Garlic Powder | Garlic powder is ground deydrated garlic, and offers sweeter, softer garlic tones. |
Ginger | Ground ginger is made from dehydrated fresh ginger and has a spicy, zesty bite. |
Gochugaru | This Korean red pepper spice is hot, sweet, and slightly smokey. |
Grains of Paradise | A cross between cardamom, citrus, and black pepper, adds warming notes to North African dishes. |
Kaffir Lime Leaves | Added to curry for flavour in many Thai dishes. Fresh, dry, or frozen. |
Loomi (Black Lime) | Ground from dried limes to add sourness to Middle Eastern dishes. |
Mace | Like nutmeg, but more subtle and delicate. Used in savoury dishes like stews. |
Mahlab | Ground from sour cherry pits, nutty and sour flavor. Used in sweet breads in the Middle East. |
Nutmeg | Sweet, warming and pungent, often found in baking. |
Nutritional Yeast | Nutty, cheesy, savoury flavor often used in place of cheeses. |
Oregano | Strong, lemony flavor, found often in Mexican and Mediterranean cooking. |
Paprika | Sweet and red, used in stews and spice blends. The spicy version is called hot paprika. |
Peppercorns | Peppercorns can be black, white, pink, and green, with a pungent flavour and mild heat. |
Rosemary | Strong, piney flavour, goes well with beans, eggs, potatoes, meats. |
Saffron | Floral, bright yellow, expensive as it is hand-picked and processed. |
Sage | Pine flavours - lemony, eucalptus, popular in nothern Italian food. |
Smoked Paprika | Sweet, smokey, red |
Star Anise | Sweet licorice flavours for sauces and soups. |
Sumac | Zingy, lemony, a Middle Eastern spice used in marinades and spice rubs. |
Turmeric | Yellow, mild, woodsy, can be used instead of saffron in an emergency. |
Thyme | Pungent, woodsy, good all-rounder. |
Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon (Cinnamon) | Sweet and spicy, used in sweet baking and for depth in savoury dishes. |