A Brief Description of Our Herbs and Spices and their uses.
Allspice - Jamaica Pepper or Pimento. Similar to cloves, but more pungent and deeply flavoured. Used in spice mixes such as Jamaican Jerk, and the berries make an interesting addition to Peppermill Blends. Available in whole or ground. (See also: Allspice Whole.)
Amchur - “Amchoor”. A powder made from green mango and used as a souring agent in cooking and chutneys.
Aniseed - Anise, sweet cumin. Liquorice and fennel flavours. Used in biscuits and cakes, and complements seafood dishes and vegetable curries. Available in whole or ground. (See also: Aniseed Ground.)
Asafoetida - Used in Indian cooking. Asafoetida has a strong odour that mellows into a garlic-onion flavour, and brings out the flavour of vegetables in curries. Our yellow asafoetida powder is ground with rice flour so it is gluten free.
Basil - Dried basil leaves can be used in any Italian savoury dish, such as bolognese or soups.
Bay Leaf - Adds a woodsy background note to soups and sauces. Available as whole leaf or ground. (See also: Bay Leaf Ground.)
Capsicum Flakes (Red Bell Pepper) - Dehydrated red capsicum. Add to soups and savoury dishes.
Caraway Seed - “Royal Cumin”. These anise-tasting seeds are essential for soda bread, sauerkraut and potato salad, and are used in meat dishes including the famous Hungarian Goulash. Available in whole or ground. (See also: Caraway Ground.)
Cardamom - Cardamom is a warm, aromatic spice used in Indian cooking and in baked goods with cloves and cinnamon. Available as whole green pods, ground cardamom, or dark seeds removed from the pods. (See also: Cardamom Ground, Cardamom Seeds (from Green Pods).)
Cassia Bark - See cinnamon.
Cayenne Pepper - Made from dried and ground red chilli peppers. Adds a sweet heat to soups, braises and spice mixes.
Celery Seed - Used in soups, stews, pickles and chutneys. Available in whole or ground. (See also: Celery Seed Ground.)
Chilli Powder - Ranging in heat from mild to fiery hot bird’s eye chilli. Also available: chilli flakes, whole dried chillies, in hot and medium heat. The Kashmiri chilli has a wonderful colour and is a little milder than Indian chillies. American chilli powder is a blend of chilli and spices. (See also: Chilli Flakes, Chilli Whole Dried Hot (Birdseye), Chilli Whole Dried Medium, Chilli Powder Kashmiri, Chilli Powder (American Style).)
Chinese 5 Spice - Star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, cassia and clove. Adds sweetness and depth to savoury dishes, especially beef, duck and pork.
Chipotle Chilli Powder - Smoked, dried jalapeño with a smoky, mildly hot flavour. Used in Mexican dishes, marinades and rubs.
Cinnamon - Cassia, baker’s cinnamon. Found in almost every world cuisine, and used as a spice in both sweet and savoury dishes. Available as powder, cinnamon sticks or cassia bark. (See also: Cinnamon Sticks (Cassia).)
Cinnamon Ceylon - Also known as True Cinnamon. Superior quality, slightly paler and sweeter than cassia. Used in cooking, often mixed with honey. (See also: Cinnamon Quills Ceylon (Sri Lankan).)
Cloves - Sweet and warming spice, used most often in baking, but also good with braised meat. Available in whole or ground. (See also: Cloves Ground.)
Coriander Seed - Used in curries and spice blends, often roasted before grinding to bring out the flavour. Available as whole seeds or ground. (See also: Coriander Ground, Coriander Seed Cracked, Coriander Ground & Roasted.)
Cumin - Smoky and earthy. Used in a lot of south-western US and Mexican cuisine, as well as North African, Middle Eastern and Indian. Available in whole or ground. (See also: Cumin Ground.)
Curry Leaf - Dried curry leaves make a great alternative when fresh are unavailable.
Dill Seed - Used widely for pickling.
Fennel Seed - Lightly sweet and liquorice-flavoured. Excellent with meat dishes. Available in whole or ground. (See also: Fennel Ground.)
Fenugreek Seed - Although this herb smells like maple syrup while cooking, it has a rather bitter flavour. Found in many Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Available in whole or ground. (See also: Fenugreek Ground.)
Galangal - Laos powder, a member of the ginger family, used in Thai soups and Asian curries.
Garam Masala - Includes cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, nutmeg and pepper. Sweeter than curry powder. Also used to season curry sauces. (Indian)
Garlic Granules - Made from dehydrated garlic. Available in fine or medium grind.
Garlic Powder - Garlic powder is made from dehydrated garlic cloves and can be used to give dishes a sweeter, softer garlic flavour. See also garlic granules fine and medium.
Ginger Powder - Used in cakes, biscuits, curries, stir-fries and spice blends.
Italian Herb Mix - A special blend of herbs for use in any Italian savoury dish and bolognese.
Juniper Berries - Used with game and pork dishes. Simply crush lightly and add to cooking or marinade. The distinctive flavour in gin comes from juniper berries.
Lemon Peel Granules - Dried lemon peel for citrus flavour in baking, marinades and tea.
Lemongrass Powder - Use in place of fresh lemongrass in Thai dishes and curries.
Marjoram - Used in mixed herb and Italian blends. Adds flavour to poultry stuffing, fish and egg dishes.
Mace - From the same plant as nutmeg, but more subtle and delicate. Great in savoury dishes, especially stews and homemade sausages.
Mint Leaves Dried - Add a little to soups and stews, or use to make mint sauce.
Mixed Herbs - Add to casseroles, stews and savoury dishes.
Mixed Spice (Pudding) - Smells like Christmas. A sweet spice blend for use in puddings.
Mustard Powder - Used for prepared mustard and mustard pickles, and as an addition to curry blends.
Mustard Seed - Yellow and black (brown). Used in pickles, curries and savoury dishes. (See also: Mustard Seed Yellow Whole.)
Nigella Seed - Kalonji. Sprinkled onto Turkish and Indian breads, and an essential ingredient in Panch Phoron, the Indian five spice blend for vegetables.
Nutmeg - Whole and ground. Used in puddings, savoury dishes and sauces. (See also: Nutmeg Ground.)
Onion Powder - Made from dehydrated onions. Used in soups, stews and spice blends. Also available as fine onion flakes. (See also: Onion Flakes Fine.)
Oregano - Robust, somewhat lemony flavour. Used in many Mexican and Mediterranean dishes. (See also: Oregano Ground.)
Paprika - Adds a sweet note and a red colour. Used in stews and spice blends. See also Smoked Spanish Paprika, used in savoury dishes, spice blends and Spanish paella. (See also: Paprika Hot.)
Parsley Flakes - Add to soups and stews. Useful when fresh parsley is not available.
Pickling Spice - Includes bay leaf, cinnamon stick, whole chilli, yellow mustard seeds, black peppercorns, allspice and coriander. Used for pickling vegetables in vinegar. Try a tablespoon when cooking corned meats.
Pepper and Peppercorns - Whole peppercorns (black, white, green and pink), and ground black and white pepper. (See also: Peppercorns White Whole, Peppercorns Green Whole, Peppercorns Pink (whole), Pepper Black Ground, Pepper White Ground.)
Poppy Seed - Blue poppy seeds are used in cakes, and as a topping for bagels and breads.
Rosemary - Great with eggs, beans and potatoes, as well as grilled meats and chicken. Available as whole dried leaves or ground. (See also: Rosemary Leaves Ground.)
Saffron Threads - Has a subtle but distinct floral flavour and aroma, and gives food a bright yellow colour. Used in rice dishes and desserts.
Sage - Pine-like flavour, with more lemony and eucalyptus notes than rosemary. Found in a lot of northern Italian cooking. (See also: Sage Leaves Ground.)
Sesame Seeds - Used in baking and Chinese dishes.
Star Anise - Whole star anise can be used to add a sweet liquorice flavour to sauces and soups, used in master stocks. Available as whole or ground. (See also: Star Anise Ground.)
Sumac - Lemony, citrus taste. A Middle Eastern spice that’s great in marinades and spice rubs, and sprinkled on salads and breads.
Tarragon - Has a delicate anise-like flavour. Used in French cooking with chicken, fish and egg dishes, and in sauces such as béarnaise. Available as dried leaves.
Tomato Flakes - Dehydrated tomato, used in salads, soups and savoury dishes.
Tomato Powder - Dehydrated tomato ground to a fine powder. Adds rich tomato flavour to soups, sauces, stews and spice blends.
Turmeric - Sometimes used more for its yellow colour than its flavour. Turmeric has a mild flavour. (See also: Turmeric Powder (Madras).)
Thyme - Adds a pungent flavour. Great as an all-purpose seasoning. (See also: Thyme Leaves Ground.)
Vanilla Bean - Used in ice cream, cakes, baking and sauces.