If you like to cook and you’re always looking for new flavors, consider adding a new spice or two to your old standbys. There is a whole world of spices out there commonly used in other parts of the world that are waiting to liven up your dinners.
Swipe through to learn about 7 spices that might be new to you.
This spice imparts a tangy, citrusy flavor. It comes from dried unripe mangoes that are pulverized into a fine powder. Also spelled “amchur,” the spice is popular in North Indian cuisine, such as samosas, chutneys and pickles. At home, you can sprinkle it into stir fried dishes.
Photography: Pinterest/Spice it UPP
Grains of paradise looks like peppercorns but taste like cardamom, coriander, citrus, nutmeg, juniper and ginger. The West African spice imparts a peppery taste and can be used in place of black pepper. It’s a seed that comes from the plant aframonum melegueta — a relative of ginger.
Photography: Pinterest/Etsy
Tart and lemony sumac is commonly used to season dishes throughout the Middle East. The spice is made from the dried berries of the sumac plant, and adds a bit of fruity sweetness in addition to the tartness.
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Japanese sansho is less spicy than its cousin, the Sichuan peppercorn from China, but sansho imparts a stronger citrusy flavor that goes well with seafood and pork. Many describe sansho’s sensation on the tongue as “tingly.”
Photography: Pinterest/The Spice House
You might be familiar with fennel seeds, but have you heard of fennel pollen? It’s the actual flower pollen of the same plant that produces the seeds. Fennel pollen is a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way. Sprinkle it on pasta dishes or pork chops.
Photography: Pinterest/Bon Appetit Magazine
Blade mace is the dried covering of the nutmeg pod. Typically used in Northern European and Middle Eastern cooking, it has a softer flavor than nutmeg. The whole form of the spice (the blade) can be used in soups as you would use a bay leaf. You can also grind the mace and use it in sweet or savory dishes.
Photography: Pinterest/Old Town Spice Shop
Also known as Kalonji, these tiny seeds from the Nigella sativa plant add a subtle earthy flavor that’s a mix of cumin and thyme. It’s used on Middle Eastern breads and crackers and sprinkled into Indian vegetable dishes.
Photography: Pinterest/VestaMarket