Spice mixes are blended

spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spice ...

s or herbs. When a certain combination of herbs or spices is called for in a recipe, it is convenient to blend these ingredients beforehand. Blends such as

chili powder Chili powder (also spelled chile, chilli, or, alternatively, powdered chili) is the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices (in which case it is also sometimes known as chili p ...

curry powder Curry powder is a spice mix originating from the Indian subcontinent where it is typically called garam masala. History Key ingredients of curry powder consist of ginger, garlic, fennel, mace, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric ...

herbes de Provence (; oc, label= Provençal, èrbas de Provença) is a mixture of dried herbs considered typical of the Provence region of southeastern France. Formerly simply a descriptive term, commercial blends started to be sold under this name in the 1970s. T ...

garlic salt Garlic salt is a seasoned salt made of a mixture of dried, ground garlic and table salt with an anti-caking agent (e.g. calcium silicate Calcium silicate is the chemical compound Ca2SiO4, also known as calcium orthosilicate and is sometimes ...

, and other

seasoned salt Seasoned salt is a blend of table salt, herbs, spices, other flavourings, and sometimes monosodium glutamate (MSG). It is sold in supermarkets and is commonly used in fish and chip shops and other take-away food shops. Seasoned salt is often th ...

s are traditionally sold pre-made by grocers, and sometimes baking blends such as

pumpkin pie spice Pumpkin pie spice, also known as pumpkin spice, is an American spice mix commonly used as a flavoring for pumpkin pie, but does not include pumpkin as an ingredient. Pumpkin pie spice is similar to the British and Commonwealth mixed spice. It is ...

are also available. These spice mixes are also easily made by the home cook for later use.

Masala

Masala (from

Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

''masalih''). is a term from the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

for a spice mix. A masala can be either a combination of dried (and usually dry-roasted) spices, or a paste (such as

vindaloo Vindaloo or vindalho is an Indian curry dish, which is originally from Goa, based on the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d'alhos. It is known globally in its British Indian form as a staple of curry house and Indian restaurant menus, and is ofte ...

masala) made from a mixture of spices and other ingredients—often garlic, ginger, onions, chilli paste and tomato. Masalas are used extensively in

Indian cuisine Indian cuisine consists of a variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to India. Given the diversity in soil, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary substantially and use locally available spices, he ...

to add spice and flavour, most familiarly to Western cuisine in

chicken tikka masala Chicken tikka masala is a South Asian dish consisting of roasted marinated chicken chunks ( chicken tikka) in a spiced sauce. The sauce is usually creamy and orange-coloured. The dish was popularised by cooks from South Asia living in Great B ...

and chicken

curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in trad ...

, or in

masala chai Masala chai (, ; Urdu: مصالحہ چائے, Hindi: मसाला चाय) is an Indian tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices. Originating in India the beverage has gained worl ...

. Other

South Asian cuisine South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

s including Bangladeshi, Nepali, Pakistani and Sri Lankan,

Southeast Asian cuisine This is a list of Asian cuisines, by region. A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, usually associated with a specific culture or region. Asia, being the largest, most populous and culturally diverse continent, ...

such as Burmese and

the Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

regularly use spice mixes.

Notable spice mixes by region

Americas

* Jerk, a spicy Jamaican dry-rub for meat primarily made with allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers * Montreal steak spice, a seasoning mix for steaks and grilled meats *

Old Bay Seasoning Old Bay Seasoning is a blend of herbs and spices that is marketed in the United States by McCormick & Company and originally created in Baltimore, Maryland. The seasoning is a mix of celery salt (salt, celery seed), spices (including red pep ...

, a seasoning mix of celery salt,

black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in dia ...

, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika originally created in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

and regionally popular in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

as well as Mid-Atlantic and Southern States, parts of

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...

, and the

Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coast, coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states that have a shor ...

Pumpkin pie spice Pumpkin pie spice, also known as pumpkin spice, is an American spice mix commonly used as a flavoring for pumpkin pie, but does not include pumpkin as an ingredient. Pumpkin pie spice is similar to the British and Commonwealth mixed spice. It is ...

, a North American blend of cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice * Italian seasoning, a blend of rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano * Tajín, a Mexican blend of

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

, and dehydrated

lime juice A lime (from French ''lime'', from Arabic ''līma'', from Persian ''līmū'', "lemon") is a citrus fruit, which is typically round, green in color, in diameter, and contains acidic juice vesicles. There are several species of citrus trees ...

East and Southeast Asian

Five-spice powder Five-spice powder () is a spice mixture of five or more spices used predominantly in almost all branches of Chinese cuisine. It is also used in Hawaiian cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine. The five flavors of the spices (sweet, bitter, sour, sa ...

, a blend of cassia (Chinese cinnamon), star anise, cloves, and two other spices * , a Vietnamese blend *

Shichimi , also known as or simply ''shichimi'', is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients. Tōgarashi is the Japanese name for ''Capsicum annuum'', a red pepper native to Central and South America, and it is this ingredient tha ...

, a mix of ground red chili pepper, Japanese pepper, roasted orange peel, black and white sesame seed, hemp seed, ground ginger and nori

European

Adobo or (Spanish: marinade, sauce, or seasoning) is the immersion of cooked food in a stock (or sauce) composed variously of paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavor. The Portuguese variant is known as . ...

, a mix of spices used in Spain and Latin America *

Fines herbes Fines herbes () designates an important combination of herbs that forms a mainstay of French cuisine. The canonical ''fines herbes'' of French ''haute cuisine'' comprise finely chopped parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil. These are employed ...

, a French blend of parsley,

chives Chives, scientific name ''Allium schoenoprasum'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae that produces edible leaves and flowers. Their close relatives include the common onions, garlic, shallot, leek, scallion, and ...

tarragon Tarragon (''Artemisia dracunculus''), also known as estragon, is a species of perennial herb in the family Asteraceae. It is widespread in the wild across much of Eurasia and North America and is cultivated for culinary and medicinal purposes ...

, and

chervil Chervil (; ''Anthriscus cerefolium''), sometimes called French parsley or garden chervil (to distinguish it from similar plants also called chervil), is a delicate annual herb related to parsley. It was formerly called myrhis due to its volati ...

for seasoning delicate dishes * Beau monde seasoning, salt,

onion powder Onion powder is dehydrated, ground onion that is commonly used as a seasoning. It is a common ingredient in seasoned salt and spice mixes, such as beau monde seasoning. Some varieties are prepared using toasted onion. White, yellow and red onions ...

and celery powder - sometimes other ingredients *

Garlic salt Garlic salt is a seasoned salt made of a mixture of dried, ground garlic and table salt with an anti-caking agent (e.g. calcium silicate Calcium silicate is the chemical compound Ca2SiO4, also known as calcium orthosilicate and is sometimes ...

, a mixture of dried garlic and

table salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...

Herbes de Provence (; oc, label= Provençal, èrbas de Provença) is a mixture of dried herbs considered typical of the Provence region of southeastern France. Formerly simply a descriptive term, commercial blends started to be sold under this name in the 1970s. T ...

, a Provençal blend of thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, bay leaf, and sometimes lavender * Khmeli suneli, a blend used in Georgia and the Caucasus region * Lemon pepper, lemon zest, cracked black peppercorns, salt, and spices *

Mixed spice Mixed spice, also called pudding spice, is a British blend of sweet spices, similar to the pumpkin pie spice used in the United States. Cinnamon is the dominant flavour, with nutmeg and allspice. It is often used in baking, or to complement fruits ...

or pudding spice, a British blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and other spices * Mulling spices, a European spice mixture of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and dried fruit * Quatre épices, a French blend of ground pepper, cloves, nutmeg and ginger *

Seasoned salt Seasoned salt is a blend of table salt, herbs, spices, other flavourings, and sometimes monosodium glutamate (MSG). It is sold in supermarkets and is commonly used in fish and chip shops and other take-away food shops. Seasoned salt is often th ...

, a blend of table salt, herbs, spices, other flavourings * Sharena sol, a Bulgarian mixture of summer savoury, paprika and salt, with other optional ingredients * Vadouvan, French version of an Indian masala

Middle East and Africa

Advieh ''Advieh'' ( fa, ادویه) means spice in Persian language and it is a spice mixture used in Iranian cuisine. It is used in rice dishes, as well as in chicken and bean dishes. Although its specific composition varies from the Persian Gulf t ...

, a spice mixture used in Iranian cuisine and

Mesopotamian cuisine Iraqi cuisine (Arabic: المطبخ العراقي Kurdish: خواردنی عێراقی) or Mesopotamian cuisine is a Middle Eastern cuisine that has its origins from Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians and the other groups of the regi ...

* Afrinj, an

Ethiopian Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...

blend that is milder than berbere or mitmita * Baharat, used throughout the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...

* Berbere, an Eritrean and Ethiopian blend *

Hawaij Hawaij ( ar, حوايج, he, חוויג'/חוואיג'), also spelled hawayej or hawayij (which simply just means “mixture” in Arabic), is a variety of Yemeni ground spice mixtures used primarily for soups and Yemeni coffee. The basic mixtu ...

, Yemenite ground spice mixtures used primarily for soups and coffee *

Mitmita ''Mitmita'' ( am, ሚጥሚጣ, ) is a powdered seasoning mix used in Ethiopia. It is orange-red in color and contains ground African bird's eye chili peppers, Ethiopian cardamom (korerima), cloves, and salt.Mesfin, D.J. ''Exotic Ethiopian Coo ...

, an Ethiopian blend of African birdseye chili peppers, cardamom, cloves and salt *

Ras el hanout ''Ras el hanout'' or ''rass el hanout'' ( ar, رأس الحانوت , ) is a spice mix found in varying forms in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The name in Arabic means "head of the shop" and implies a mixture of the best spices the seller has to ...

, a Maghrebi blend that includes cinnamon and cumin among other spices * Yaji, a

Hausa Hausa may refer to: * Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa * Hausa language, spoken in West Africa * Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states * Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse See also ...

spice mix for traditional suya and chichinga kebabs in sahelian

West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, M ...

. Made from cayenne, ginger, ground peanuts, dried onion, and chili *

Za'atar Za'atar ( ; ar, زَعْتَر, ) is a culinary herb or family of herbs. It is also the name of a spice mixture that includes the herb along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, often salt, as well as other spices. As a family of rela ...

, a Middle Eastern mix which is both an individual herb and a blend of that herb with

sesame seeds Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...

and sometimes dried

sumac Sumac ( or ), also spelled sumach, is any of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus ''Rhus'' and related genera in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae). Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, including Eas ...

South Asian

Bafat Bafat, also spelled bafad or baffat, is a type of spice mix, masala used in Mangalorean cuisine, Mangalorean and Goan cuisines, particularly in Mangalorean Catholics, Mangalorean Catholic and Goan Catholics, Goan Catholic cooking. It is commonly ma ...

, used in

Mangalorean cuisine Mangalorean cuisine is a collective name given to the cuisine of Mangalore. Since Mangalore is a coastal town, fish forms the staple diet of most people. Mangalorean Catholics' ''Sanna-Dukra Maas'' (''Sanna'' – idli fluffed with todd ...

Chaat masala Chaat masala, also spelled chat masala, is a powder spice mix, or masala, originating from South Asia, typically used to add flavor to chaat. It typically consists of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, coriander, dried ginger, salt (often blac ...

, ground spices used for flavouring

chaat Chaat, or chāt (IAST: ''cāṭ)'' () is a family of savoury snacks that originated in North India, typically served as an hors d'oeuvre or at roadside tracks from stalls or food carts across South Asia in North India, Pakistan, Nepal and B ...

Curry powder Curry powder is a spice mix originating from the Indian subcontinent where it is typically called garam masala. History Key ingredients of curry powder consist of ginger, garlic, fennel, mace, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric ...

, A blend of spices like coriander,

turmeric Turmeric () is a flowering plant, ''Curcuma longa'' (), of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast ...

, cumin, fenugreek, and

chili peppers Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for t ...

popular in India with many variations *

Garam masala Garam masala Hindustani_language.html"_;"title="rom_Hindustani_language">Hindustani_/_(''garm_masala'',_"hot_spices")is_a_Spice_mix.html" ;"title="Hindustani language">Hindustani / (''garm masala'', "hot spices")">Hindustani_language.html" ;"tit ...

, spice blend used in the Northern regions of the

Kaala masala Kaala masala is a spice mixture (masala) from the Maharashtra state of India. The Maharashtra region has a variety of masalas which distinguish Maharashtrian food from other aromas and flavours of India. Stronger and spicier flavours are significant ...

, black spice blend used in the Indian subcontinent *

Panch phoron Panch phoron, Panch Phodan or Pancha Phutana is a whole spice blend, originating from the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent and used especially in the cuisine of Eastern India and Northeastern India, especially in the cuisine of Bhojpur ...

, a five-spice blend of whole fenugreek, nigella, fennel, cumin, and mustard or radhuni seeds originating from the

* Tandoori masala, spice blend originating from the Indian subcontinent for tandoor-cooked meats * Thunapaha, a spice blend of coriander, cumin and fennel seed used in Sri Lankan traditional cuisine

References

External links

* {{Authority control