Spices That Few People Have Heard Of

According to legends, the Pharisees paid their tithe with cumin. And in the 14th century in Germany, one pound of nutmeg could be exchanged for the fat of 7 oxen. Today in supermarkets you can find everything from nutmeg from Indonesia to exotic vanilla from Tahiti. And few of us have thought about where such common spices as pepper in many variations, saffron, basil and others come from. But today let's talk about such spices , about which few people have heard or even suspected their existence.

Asafoetida powder is one of the main spices in Indian vegetarian cooking.

It is produced from the roots and stems of a variety of dill. One of the main distinguishing features of asafetida is a very powerful and not very pleasant smell.

Fortunately, after cooking the spice , the smell weakens, and the silky taste of this plant resembles a mixture of garlic, onion and leek, although the taste of prepared asafoetida is much milder than the onion-garlic mix.

A small seed of a tree that grows in America. This spice is most common in Mexico and the Philippines. In Venezuela, annatto is even used to prepare the traditional Christmas dish - challah.

Due to the red color of the seeds, the spice is often used to color foods such as turkey, cheese, and various beverages. This is especially often used by the French. Also, the spice is added to the water for cooking rice, in order to get a nice orange shade later.

By the way, annatto is used not only in cooking, but also in medicine, in particular for the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, kidneys, respiratory organs, skin inflammations, and headaches. And annatto has an antipyretic effect and is used for poisoning.

Tulasi is often confused with fragrant basil, but it differs in appearance, taste and aroma. Tulisi leaves are covered with hairs, while sweet basil leaves are completely smooth and the spice does not have as strong a licorice or anise aroma as sweet basil, and its taste is similar to cloves.

Holy basil is one of the most famous plants in Ayurveda. It is also widely used in Thai cooking. The most famous dish with this spice is fried holy basil with meat or seafood, served with boiled rice. The spiciness tastes good with fish and meat dishes, and in salads, sauces and marinades.

Also, it is said that holy basil tea is simply an effective antidepressant and a great rejuvenator.

This spice is very similar to pepper, but the taste of "grains of paradise" is quite unusual: it is similar to pepper, but at the same time has fruity and floral notes, as well as slightly reminiscent of coriander and cardamom.

This spice comes from West Africa. Unlike ordinary pepper, the fruits are not dried, but only the seeds are collected.

Many centuries ago, "grains of paradise" were used as a cheap substitute for black pepper, but today it is a rarer and more valuable spice .

In the Middle East and the Mediterranean countries, this spice is added to bread, cakes and cookies.

Mahlab has a deep and unique taste of cherry, but at the same time has notes of rose, almond and vanilla. Spice is produced from the seeds of wild Magaleb cherry.

You can try to find this spice in the form of seeds, but more often it is sold already in the form of a powder.

This tiny black seed is used in India and the Middle East as a seasoning for vegetables, legumes, salads and even bread.

In addition, the spice is one of the ingredients of the Bengali spice mix Panch Foran. The taste of kalinji spice can be described as bitter-spicy.

Usually, the seeds are roasted before use, although you can also use them raw.

Bright red berries are collected from sumac bushes, dried and crushed to obtain this spice .

Sumach is most often used in Middle Eastern cuisine, where it is used as an acidulant.

The spice itself has a sharp and sour taste, and due to its bright color, it is added to marinades, rice dishes, salads, sauces and other dishes.

In Australia, there is a spice with the interesting name "wattleseed".

These are Australian acacia seeds. Oddly enough, after roasting on medium heat , the spice takes on notes of coffee, chocolate and hazelnut.

Very often, the spice is used to flavor ice cream, whipped cream, sprinkle cookies and prepare other desserts.

Fenugreek, shambala, fenugreek are all different names for the same plant of the legume family. The homeland of the spice is Asia.

Fenugreek is part of the more well-known spices - curry, heli-suneli. The spice is famous for its bitter taste, which is slightly nutty. Also, very often the spice is used as a thickener, it is added to various soups, thanks to which they become thicker and acquire a special nutty aroma. 

Young green plants are added to salads or eaten by themselves.