14. Mitmita is an orange-red powdered seasoning mix used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. And ‘Mita’ is also the name of my friend in India. Now that’s what adding a little spice to your life, is indeed! It is used to season kitfo, a raw beef dish. Mitmita is also used as a condiment, which can be sprinkled onto other foods.

 

The base ingredients are:

· ground African birdseye

· chili peppers

· cardamom seeds

· cloves

· salt

 

Occasionally it may include other spices, but not limited to:

· cinnamon

· cumin

· ginger

 

15. Berbere serves as a key ingredient in the cuisines of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Its constituent elements usually include:

· chili peppers

· garlic

· ginger

· dried basil

· korarima

· rue

· ajwain

· radhuni

· nigella

· fenugreek

 

16. Hawaij is a ground spice mixture, they are of two types, one is used primarily for soups and the other for coffee. It is extensively used by Yemenite Jews in Israeli cuisine. There is a basic mixture for soup which is also used in stews, curry-style dishes, rice and vegetables dishes and even as a barbecue rub.

 

The soup mixture is made from:

· cumin

· black pepper

· turmeric

· cardamom

 

For coffee, the mixture is primarily used for brewing it, but it can also be used in desserts, cakes and slow-cooked meat dishes.

 

The coffee mixture is made from:

· aniseed

· fennel seeds

· ginger

· cardamom

 

17. Khmeli suneli is a popular spice mix from Georgia and the Caucasus region. They use this mixture in traditional dishes and sauces like Satsivi. I have heard people’s names in India that sound like the spice, they were the names of characters in Indian films, Kareena Kapoor was in the film Chameli, as Chameli and Aishwarya Rai was in Dhoom 2 as Sunheri. Let’s give some khmeli suneli to Chameli Sunheri!

 

The herbs and spices used in khmeli suneli are all dry grinded together, they are:

· coriander

· dill

· basil

· bay leaf

· marjoram

· blue fenugreek

· parsley

· safflower

· saffron

· black pepper

· celery

· thyme

· hyssopmint

· hot pepper

 

18. Mulling Spices is a spice mixture used in drink recipes. Mulled drinks are liquids that are heated with these spices and drained. These spices are also added to the brewing process to make spiced beer.

 

The combination of spices varies, but it usually consists of:

· cinnamon

· cloves

· allspice

· nutmeg

 

It also usually includes dried fruit such as:

· raisins

· apples

· orange rind

 

And less frequently:

· star anise

· peppercorn

· cardamon

 

19. Herbes de Provence is a mixture of dried herbs typical of Provence. It was never a standard mixture of herbs, any herb used from the Provence was an herb of that Provence, but in the 1970s standard mixtures were formulated by spice wholesalers, including notably Ducros in France (now part of McCormick & Company).

 

These mixtures typically contain:

· savory

· marjoram

· rosemary

· thyme

· oregano

 

Although lavender is not used in traditional southern French cooking, for the American markets, lavender leaves are added to the above.

 

20. Quatre epices is not only used in French kitchens, but also sometimes in Middle Eastern kitchens. The French use it a lot in soups, pot-cooked dishes and in charcuterie, such as pâté, sausage and terrine.

 

The name means ‘four spices’, which are:

· ground pepper (white, black, or both)

· cloves

· nutmeg

· ginger

 

Some variants may use allspice instead of pepper or cinnamon in place of ginger.

 

Has anyone had or heard of any Middle Eastern dish made with Quatre epices?

 

21. Fines herbes is a combination of herbs that forms a mainstay of French cuisine. It is often used in vinaigrettes for simple summer salads or for sandwiches mixed with butter. In cooking, the herbs are added toward the end so they are just barely heated and the flavor is still fresh and bright.

 

The ingredients of fines herbes are all fresh:

· parsley

· Chives

· Tarragon

· Chervil

 

22. Vadouvan aka French Curry Masala has an interesting history behind it. It is a French spice mix, but originated from the Indian spice mix, Vadavam. Now how did that happen? You know history and food sort of go hand in hand, they both have made history what it is. This spice is thought to have originated due to the French colonial influence in the Puducherry region now called Pondicherry in India.

 

There is a spice mix called Vadavam in Puducherry, it is used for tempering dishes like traditional brinjal and avarakkai poriyal (broad bean stir fry) in particular and all sorts of kuzhambus (curries) in general.

 

Vadouvan contains:

· Onions

· Shallots

· Garlic cloves

· Vegetable oil

· Fenugreek Seeds

· Fresh curry leaves

· Ground cumin

· Ground cardamom

· Brown mustard seeds

· Tumeric

· Grated nutmeg

· Paprika

· Ground cloves

 

23. Vadavam consists of:

· Small onions

· Garlic

· Cumin

· Mustard seeds

· Methi/fenugreek seeds

· Gingely/sesame oil

· Castor oil

· Salt

· Turmeric

 

See the similarity in ingredients, there’s onions, garlic, oil, cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and turmeric in both, and then Vadouvan has a lot more, I wish it didn’t have nutmeg, I don’t much care for nutmeg, there is nothing wrong with nutmeg, I know people swear by its taste, its just that I haven’t developed a taste for it, even after trying it so many times, so I have given up on it. But anyway, I love it when different regions get influenced by the cooking styles of other regions, and make it their own. And I love to find out how it all happened. It’s all history baby and history contains some amazing ‘story’s.

 

24. Shichimi tōgarashi or simply Shichimi is a common Japanese spice mixture. Most of the things associated with Japanese cooking are ancient and traditional, that is what intrigues me most about Japan, and that is why it is my dream ‘DISHtination’! Japan has so much history, and I love history, if I ever were to study further, I would study history, especially through the history of food.

 

Shichimi dates back to the 17th century, when it was produced by herb dealers in Edo, current day Tokyo. It is often used in soups and on noodles and gyūdon. Some rice products such as rice cakes, agemochi and roasted rice crackers also use it for seasoning.

 

It contains seven ingredients:

· coarsely ground red chili pepper (the main ingredient)

· ground sanshō

· roasted orange peel

· black sesame seed

· white sesame seed

· hemp seed

· ground ginger

· nori or aonori

 

25. GomasioIt is often used in Japanese cuisine, such as a topping for sekihan. It is also sometimes sprinkled over plain rice or onigiri. Some commercially sold gomashio also has sugar mixed in with the salt.

 

It is a simple blend of:

· Roasted and ground sesame seed with salt.

 

26. Jamaican Jerk Spice: Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meat is dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a very hot spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice. The term jerk is said to come from the word charqui, a Spanish term of Quechua origin for jerked or dried meat, which eventually became jerky in English. Do you eat beef? Have you tasted beef jerky? I quiet like Jack Link’s peppered beef jerky.

 

Jerk seasoning is traditionally applied to pork and chicken. Modern recipes also apply jerk spice mixes to fish, shrimp, shellfish, beef, sausage, lamb, and tofu.

 

Jerk seasoning principally relies upon two items:

· allspice (called "pimento" in Jamaica)

· Scotch bonnet peppers

 

Other ingredients include:

· cloves

· cinnamon

· scallions

· nutmeg

· thyme

· garlic

· salt

 

27. Dry Rub / Spice rub is any mixture of ground spices that is made for the purpose of being rubbed on raw food before the food is cooked, especially before grilling or barbecuing it. There is no standard dry rub recipe, most restaurants and people will have their own mixtures. I want to go to Texas and have baby back ribs with such rubs! Drooooooool :P Which is your favourite steak place?

 

28. Espresso Rub or coffee rub, can be used along with spice rubs to barbecue beef, pork and other strongly flavored cuts of meat. Espresso rubs are a blend of spices, herbs and salt, with the addition of finely-ground, dark roasted coffee beans, as typically used to make espresso drinks. The darkly roasted coffee adds a smoky flavor and a dark caramelized crust to the surface of the food.

 

Hope this article added some spice to your life?! Please do let us know of any other spice-mix that you know of?

 

Do check the pots, pans section, to see ways to store your spices, and keep them fresh!