🌶️Culinary Guide

The Spice Route

Explore our collection of 30 spices from around the world. Discover their origins, flavors and culinary uses.

How to use The Spice Route?

The Spice Route is your complete guide to mastering the art of spices in cooking. Each detailed entry gives you:

  • Geographic origin and history of the spice
  • Taste profile with intensity and heat level
  • Perfect pairings with meats, fish and vegetables
  • Usage tips and mistakes to avoid
  • Substitutions if you don't have the spice

30 spices found

A
2 spices
🌿

Ajowan

Common in India and the Middle East, ajwain tastes like thyme with a peppery edge.

Inde, Moyen-Orient
légumineuses
🌿

Dried resin of Ferula assa-foetida, asafoetida has a very strong, unpleasant raw odor that transforms into subtle garlic and onion flavor when cooked.

Inde, Asie
viandespoissons
B
6 spices
🌿

Graines de basilic

Inde, Asie
viandespoissons
🌿

Cumin noir

Black cumin, or nigella, has been used since antiquity in the Middle East and Asia.

Inde, Asie
viandeslégumes
🌿

Graines de cumin noir

Black cumin has been used since antiquity in the Middle East and Asia.

Inde, Asie
légumes
🌿

Graines de moutarde noire

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Common in Indian cooking (tempering) and pickling, black mustard seeds are stronger than yellow mustard seeds.

Inde
choux
🌿

Poivre noir

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Native to India's Malabar Coast, black pepper has been one of the most traded spices in history, adding warmth and aromatic heat.

Inde
viandespoissons
🌿

Curcuma noir

Black turmeric is a rare variety traditionally used in India for its deep aroma.

Inde
légumes
C
4 spices
🌿

Coriandre (graines)

Coriander has been grown since ancient times. The seeds taste warmer and more citrusy than the fresh leaves.

Inde, Moyen-Orient
légumes rôtislégumes rôtis
🌿

Cumin is an ancient spice widely used across the Middle East, North Africa, India, and Mexico. Its flavor is warm and earthy.

Inde, Moyen-Orient
légumes
🌿

Herbe à curry

Curry herb is a Mediterranean aromatic plant whose aroma recalls curry.

Inde, Méditerranée
viandeslégumes
🌿

Arbre à curry (graines)

Seeds associated with the curry tree are linked to South Asian culinary traditions and should not be confused with curry powder blends.

Inde, Asie
lentilles
D
3 spices
🌿

Fleur de bananier séchée

Used in Southeast Asian and Indian cuisines, banana blossom adds unique texture to salads and curries.

Asie, Inde
salades
🌿

Caloupilé séché

Curry leaves are a cornerstone of South Indian and Sri Lankan cooking, used for centuries to flavor dishes.

Inde, Sri Lanka
lentilles
🌿

Amchoor is made from dried unripe mango and is used in Indian cooking to add tangy acidity.

Inde
légumes
F
2 spices
🌿

Fenugrec

Fenugreek has been used since antiquity in the Middle East and India. The seeds taste warm, slightly bitter, and nutty.

Inde, Méditerranée
légumes
🌿

Curcuma fermenté

Fermented turmeric comes from a traditional process that develops deeper, more complex flavors.

Inde
légumes
G
4 spices
🌿
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Garam masala is an Indian spice blend that varies by region and family, usually added toward the end of cooking.

Inde
viandeslégumes
🌿

Cumin vert

Inde
viandespoissons
🌿

Kaloupilé moulu

Curry leaf is essential in South Indian cuisine.

Inde
légumineuses
🌿

Nigelle moulue

Nigella has been used in the Middle East and India for millennia.

Moyen-Orient, Inde
légumes
H
1 spice
🌿

Basilic sacré (Tulsi)

Tulsi is a sacred plant in India, used for centuries in infusions and Ayurvedic cooking.

Inde
légumes
L
1 spice
🌿

Poivre long

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Used in Europe before black pepper, long pepper originates from India and provides gentle, complex heat.

Inde
viandeslégumes
R
1 spice
🌿

Cumin royal

Royal cumin is a selected variety known for its superior aromatic intensity.

Inde
viandeslégumes
S
2 spices
🌿

Curcuma fumé

Smoked turmeric is made by smoking the root, adding a distinctive woody character.

Inde
légumes rôtislégumes rôtis
🌿

Fenugrec germé séché

Sprouted fenugreek is a traditional Indian ingredient, where germination enhances flavor and nutrients.

Inde, Méditerranée
légumineuses
T
2 spices
🌿
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Indian blend for tandoor marinades, colored with paprika and chili. Perfect for chicken, lamb and grilled vegetables.

Inde
viandespoissons
🌿

Curcuma

Native to South Asia, turmeric is a rhizome used for centuries in Indian and other Asian cuisines.

Inde, Asie
légumes
W
2 spices
🌿

Cumin blanc

White cumin has been used for millennia in the Middle East, India, and North Africa.

Inde, Moyen-Orient
viandeslégumineuses
🌿

Curcuma blanc

White turmeric is a lighter-colored variety used in Asia for its gentler, more herbal aroma.

Inde, Asie
légumes