A free world guide to spices and blends

Every spice in the world, from every kitchen.

Pepper and turmeric, saffron and sumac, garam masala and ras el hanout: what each one is, where it grows, how it is used at every meal, how it is held sacred, and the days that call for it.

Browse the spices Blends, step by step Surprise me

306: spices so far
67: blends, drawn
97: spice cities and markets
394: on our list to write

Spice of the day, Monday 5 OctoberMitmitaA fiery Ethiopian spice blend of bird's eye chilies, cardamom, and cloves.🇪🇹 Ethiopia, heat 4 of 5

Naga Mircha Pandan Habanaga pepper Korean brining salt Penja white pepper Hoja santa Hawaij Advieh Carolina Reaper Mugwort Piri piri Black salt Vanilla Florina pepper Mustard seed Capsicum annuum Greek sage Capsicum flexuosum Malagueta pepper Aleppo pepper Curry paste Ogiri Rocoto Amchoor Tarragon Common sage Thai basil Indonesian bay leaf Sumac Choricero peppers Garlic powder Hilbeh Chimayó pepper Chenpi Blue fenugreek Dijon mustard Habanero Guntur Sannam Indian bay leaf Ailanthus-like prickly ash Yuzu koshō Galangal Black pepper Rock samphire Mahleb Piquillo pepper Chaat masala Syrian oregano Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Mrs. Burns' Lemon Basil Black cumin Capsicum chacoense Benzoin resin Black Pearl pepper Cardamom Madame Jeanette Fish pepper Yongfeng chili sauce Creole mustard Serrano pepper Harmal chilli Wild turmeric Cumin Mustard Kashmiri red chilli Lolot pepper Bay Laurel Guajillo chili Shishito pepper Star anise Naga Mircha Pandan Habanaga pepper Korean brining salt Penja white pepper Hoja santa Hawaij Advieh Carolina Reaper Mugwort Piri piri Black salt Vanilla Florina pepper Mustard seed Capsicum annuum Greek sage Capsicum flexuosum Malagueta pepper Aleppo pepper Curry paste Ogiri Rocoto Amchoor Tarragon Common sage Thai basil Indonesian bay leaf Sumac Choricero peppers Garlic powder Hilbeh Chimayó pepper Chenpi Blue fenugreek Dijon mustard Habanero Guntur Sannam Indian bay leaf Ailanthus-like prickly ash Yuzu koshō Galangal Black pepper Rock samphire Mahleb Piquillo pepper Chaat masala Syrian oregano Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Mrs. Burns' Lemon Basil Black cumin Capsicum chacoense Benzoin resin Black Pearl pepper Cardamom Madame Jeanette Fish pepper Yongfeng chili sauce Creole mustard Serrano pepper Harmal chilli Wild turmeric Cumin Mustard Kashmiri red chilli Lolot pepper Bay Laurel Guajillo chili Shishito pepper Star anise

Live, Monday 5 October

What is cooking, by meal

Pick a meal: the spices reached for at breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper and snack time. Opens at the meal nearest your clock.

All meals

Spiced porridges, eggs, chai, upma and the first meal of the day. All breakfast spices

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreCardamom Aromatic seeds from spindle-shaped pods used in sweet and savory dishes across Asia and the Middle East.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreBlack pepper The dried fruit of a climbing vine, the world's most traded spice.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Hot and fiery

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka and 5 moreCinnamon The dried inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, prized for its sweet warmth and essential oil.Bark · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow

🇦🇹 Austria and 5 moreCaraway The crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family herb, used to flavour breads and spirits.Seed · Anise and liquorice · Sharp and pungent

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreNutmeg The dried seed of a tropical evergreen tree, prized for its warm, pungent flavor.Seed · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow

🇦🇺 AustraliaWattleseed The edible seed of Australian Acacia trees, traditionally ground into flour by Aboriginal Australians.Seed · Sweet and mellow · Earthy and deep

On now and next

The days that call for spice

Harvests, festivals, feasts and fasts, with the spices each one needs. Today is also Monday.

The full picture for today

In 3 days, about 8 Oct 2026MehreganThe autumn festival of friendship and harvest, with saffron rice, barberry and pomegranate.

In 6 days, 11 to 19 Oct 2026Navratri fasting foodNine nights of fasting, when rock salt, cumin, green chilli and black pepper replace the usual spice box.

In 6 days, 11 to 25 Oct 2026DashainNepal's biggest festival: tika, family reunions and goat curry thick with ginger, garlic and timur.

In 10 days, about 15 Oct to 11 Feb 2027Zanzibar clove harvestFrom July to December, Pemba and Unguja pick the flower buds of the clove tree, climbing tall trees by hand.

By region

Eleven regions of the world, from the Malabar coast to the Spice Islands, the souks of the Maghreb and the markets of Oaxaca.

All regions

South AsiaThe great spice garden: pepper and cardamom from the Malabar coast, chilli, turmeric and the masalas that hold a thousand kitchens together.75 spices Southeast AsiaThe Spice Islands of cloves and nutmeg, and the pastes of lemongrass, galangal, chilli and shrimp that anchor the cooking of the region.35 spices East AsiaSichuan pepper, star anise and five-spice, gochugaru, shichimi and wasabi: seasoning built on pastes, ferments and the numbing peppercorn.34 spices Central Asia and the CaucasusCaravan country: cumin and barberry in the plov of Uzbekistan, and the walnut, coriander and marigold blends of Georgia.5 spices Middle EastSumac, za'atar, baharat, saffron and dried lime: the old crossroads where Asian spices met the Mediterranean.30 spices North AfricaRas el hanout, harissa, preserved lemon and the souks of Marrakech, Tunis and Cairo.4 spices Sub-Saharan AfricaBerbere and mitmita, grains of paradise, uziza, suya spice, Zanzibar cloves and Madagascar vanilla.14 spices EuropePaprika and caraway, herbes de Provence, mulled-wine and gingerbread spices, and the ports that once ran the spice trade.28 spices North AmericaOld Bay, Cajun and Creole seasoning, barbecue rubs, pumpkin spice and the native herbs and berries of the continent.24 spices Latin America and the CaribbeanThe home of chilli, vanilla, allspice and annatto: mole, jerk, adobo, aji and the pimento islands.52 spices OceaniaWattleseed, lemon myrtle, native pepperberry and kawakawa, with vanilla and the Pacific kitchen.5 spices

Kerala 5 Manipur 5 Goa 4 Nagaland 4 Java 3 Maluku Islands 3 Sichuan 3 Veracruz 3 Assam 2 Bombay 2 Calicut 2 California 2 Chihuahua 2 Chimayó 2 All spice cities

See a few

A different handful every few minutes.

All spices, A to Z

🇳🇵 Nepal and 5 moreTimurटिमुर The dried fruit of a Himalayan shrub, prized for its citrus aroma and numbing tingle.Citrus and bright · Numbing and tingling 🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 moreCapsicum parvifolium A small-leaved wild chili shrub from northern South AmericaChilli · Hot and fiery

🇪🇹 Ethiopia and 1 moreBerbereበርበሬ (bärbäre) A complex Ethiopian spice blend built on chili peppers, coriander, and ginger.Hot and fiery · Warm and sweet-spiced

🇻🇳 Vietnam and 4 moreHouttuynia折耳根 A heart-shaped herb with a sharp fishy taste used in salads and teas across Asia.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright

🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreCaper The pickled flower buds of a drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrub.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart 🇮🇳 IndiaGuntur Sannam A long, thick-skinned red chilli from Andhra Pradesh known for its heat and colour.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreFresno chile A medium-sized Capsicum annuum cultivar with a conical shape and bright red skin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

🇮🇳 India and 3 moreLong pepperpippali The dried fruit spike of a climbing vine, once the world's most prized spice.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow

Blends, step by step

A masala is a mixture. Each blend is drawn as a ring of its parts, and made in frames: toast, grind, blend, temper, store.

All 67 blends

🇮🇳 🇵🇰 Regional blendsTandoori masalaA red marinade blend for food cooked in a clay oven, bright with paprika or Kashmiri chilli.🇳🇬 🇬🇭 🇳🇪 Rubs and barbecueSuya spice (yaji)The groundnut and chilli rub of Hausa suya, the roadside grilled meat of northern Nigeria.🇺🇸 Rubs and barbecueCajun seasoningA Louisiana blend of paprika, cayenne, garlic, onion and oregano.🇵🇷 🇩🇴 🇨🇺 Rubs and barbecueAdobo seasoningA Caribbean and Latin American all-purpose dry rub of garlic, oregano and pepper.🇳🇱 🇧🇪 🇩🇪 Sweet and baking blendsSpeculaas spice (speculoos)The Dutch and Belgian biscuit blend of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and white pepper.🇩🇪 Sweet and baking blendsLebkuchen spice (Lebkuchengewuerz)The German gingerbread blend of cinnamon, clove, coriander, anise and cardamom.🇮🇳 🇵🇰 🇧🇩 Regional blendsGaram masalaThe 'warming' finishing blend of the north, built on cardamom, cinnamon, clove and cumin.🇮🇳 🇵🇰 Regional blendsChaat masalaA tart, salty, savoury powder built on amchur and black salt, shaken over snacks and fruit.

By part of the plant

Seed, bark, root, flower, pod or leaf: what is dried for the jar.

All forms

SeedsCumin, coriander, mustard, fennel, nigella and sesame: small and hard, toasted whole or ground fresh.41 BarksCinnamon and cassia, rolled and dried from the inner bark of tropical trees.9 Roots and rhizomesTurmeric, ginger, galangal and horseradish: dug, boiled, dried and ground, or used fresh.22 Flowers and budsCloves, capers, saffron's crocus, rose and lavender: picked as buds or blooms and dried.8 Fruits and berriesBlack pepper, allspice, star anise, juniper, sumac and tamarind: dried fruit that carries the flavour.40 Chillies and podsCapsicum in every heat and colour, and the pods of cardamom and vanilla.63

By flavour

Hot, warm, citrus, smoky, floral, numbing and more.

All flavours

Hot and fieryChilli heat that builds and lingers: capsaicin in its many strengths.119 Warm and sweet-spicedCinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice: the warmth of baking and mulled drinks.72 Sweet and mellowVanilla, liquorice, paprika and fennel: soft, round and gentle.86 Earthy and deepCumin, turmeric and fenugreek: the low, savoury base of a curry.70 Citrus and brightCoriander seed, sumac, lemongrass and lime leaf: lemony and lifted.54 Sharp and pungentMustard, horseradish, wasabi and black pepper: the bite that reaches the nose.146

Sacred and celebrated

Spice in worship, weddings, births, harvests and the new year.

Spiritual use

Hindu 22 Buddhist 7 Jain 4 Muslim 12 Jewish 20 Christian 13 Sikh 3 Zoroastrian 4 Shinto and Taoist 3 Indigenous and folk 15 Ayurveda and traditional medicine 25 Other traditions 3

Weddings 5 Festivals 20 Birth and childhood 5 Funerals and remembrance 5 Harvest and trade 1 New year 4 Hospitality 13 Everyday use 80

The words

221 terms in plain language.

Concepts

Haldi Ajwain Mahleb Galangal Chipotle Sambar powder Tadka Spice grinder Spice oil Smoke flavour Cinnamaldehyde Oleoresin Cleaning and grading Spice route

Spice news

More headlines

Chicago-Area Brand The Spice Drops Launches a Concentrated Chili Oil That Makes Food Spicy Without Changing the FlavorNosh.com, Chilli
Saffron In The Cold Desert? Ladakh Is Putting 90,000 Iranian Corms To The TestNDTV Profit, Harvest
Uttar Pradesh Gears Up To Become Global Hub For Spice Processing & ExportsFree Press Journal, Markets
Why 100 UP Farmers Are Growing Turmeric to Reduce Elephant Crop RaidsThe Better India, Harvest
Kashmir Squanders SaffronKashmir Observer, Harvest
Chesapeake Chili Crisp? A DC-Area Chef Is Putting Unexpected Spins on the Condiment.Washingtonian, Chilli
Red Gold In Cold Desert: Iranian Corms Take Root As Ladakh Begins Saffron Farming Under 'Him Sarovar'ETV Bharat, Harvest

The world map

Spice cities, markets, ports and growing areas, marked on the world.

Open the map

Market Port Growing area City Spice centre

Newly added

See what is new

🇩🇪 Germany and 4 moreHops The green female flower cones of a climbing vine, used to bitter and flavour beer.Flower · Bitter · Sharp and pungent

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreJalapeño A medium-sized Capsicum annuum cultivar from Mexico known for its green pods and moderate heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreMustard seed Tiny seeds from three Brassica plants that create pungent condiments and cooking oil.Seed · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇸🇻 El Salvador and 1 moreBalsam of Peru A dark, sweet resin from a Central American tree, used for flavoring and fragrance.Resin · Sweet and mellow

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Clove: Bayu Nugroho, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Chili pepper: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Long pepper: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Jalapeño: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Berbere: Badagnani, CC BY 3.0, source
Fresno chile: Nadiatalent, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Caper: IssamBarhoumi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Balsam of Peru: Maša Sinreih in Valentina Vivod, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Caraway: Slick, CC0, source
Sicilian sumac: Dedda71, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Houttuynia: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Mustard seed: Novalis at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Hops: LuckyStarr, CC BY 2.5, source
Wattleseed: division, CSIRO, CC BY 3.0, source
Mitmita: Caffe Vita, CC BY 2.0, source
Sel gris: Stéphane Gourichon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Timur: Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Cardamom: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Basil: Castielli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Black pepper: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Nutmeg: Herusutimbul, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Saffron: Hubertl, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lovage: 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bay Laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
Navratri Vrat Food: Mukerjee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dashain Nepal: Unknown author, CC0, source
Mehregan: PersianDutchNetwork, CC BY-SA 3.0, source