Spice Cuisine: Middle Eastern Spices and Seasonings
Middle Eastern cooking traditionally uses a vast array of spices, from staples like cumin, coriander, turmeric and mint to exotic blends like Ras el Hanout and Za'atar. Arab spice traders once controlled nearly all movement of spices between Asia (including the famous Spice Islands), India, Africa, and Europe, so almost every spice in existence has found a place in Middle Eastern cuisine. The list below includes those spices that are particularly common in Middle Eastern recipes, or particularly uncommon anywhere else.
Aleppo Pepper, Crushed
Aleppo chili pepper comes to us from northern Syria, near the town of Aleppo, which is considered one of the culinary meccas of the Mediterranean. It…
Baharat Salt Free Seasoning
Baharat means spices in Arabic, and this wonderfully complex blend has a unique balance of spicy flavors. Savory and slightly sweet, with a lingerin…
Chai Spices with Vanilla
Recently the Eastern spiced tea known as Chai has become very popular in the US, and for good reason! “Chai” is simply the word for tea in Sout…
Cinnamon, True, Ceylon Whole Soft Stick Or Ground
Cinnamomum Zeylanicum These tightly-rolled quills are very delicate. They feel like parchment paper, which you can break apart with your fingertips…
Coriander Seeds, Whole Or Ground
Coriander is a pleasantly sweet spice with a lemony top note. It is commonly used in chili and curry dishes. The coriander plant produces both a spic…
Cumin Seed, Whole Or Ground
Cumin is just starting to be recognized in this country as an important spice -- the rest of the world is way ahead of us in this instance. Cumin has…
Fenugreek Seeds, Indian, Whole Or Ground
Fenugreek seeds are used mainly in Middle Eastern cooking. It is an ingredient in most curries and chutneys. Like fennel, fenugreek has been culti…
Preserved Lemons
Preserved or pickled lemons are cured in a brine of salt water and lemon juice. They are mildly tart and intensely lemony, with a salty tang that ca…
Mint Leaves, Spearmint, Dehydrated
Spearmint is the most popular mint used for cooking. Mint has been a valued plant since the ancient world. In mythology, a nymph named Mentha caugh…
Moroccan Spice Mixture
Moroccan Spice Mixture is an authentic blend of spices from the sunny Mediterranean. Made at the special request of Chicago's Field Museum of Natura…
Orange Flower Water
Orange flower water is used in many Mediterranean dessert dishes. Oranges proliferate in Mediterranean countries. They are enjoyed as is, or in an a…
Paprika, Spanish Smoked Sweet, Pimenton de la Vera Dulce
Spanish Smoked Sweet Paprika ia also known as Pimenton de la Vera, Dulce. It is a popular ingredient in many Mediterranean recipes. Anyone from Spai…
Pomegranate Molasses
Pomegranate molasses is used primarily in Mediterranean cooking. It is also called pomegranate syrup, because of it's consistency. This is a 100% n…
Ras El Hanout
Ras El Hanout translates to "top of the shop", and represents the best blend a spice merchant has to offer. This is a traditional Arabic blend, commo…
Rose Water
Rose water is currently enjoying a surge in popularity. It is used in many Mediterranean and Indian dessert dishes. This rose water is called for in…
Saffron, Powdered Spanish Superior Grade
The reason saffron is the highest-priced of spices is because of the intensive hand labor required to cultivate and harvest it. It is the stamen of a…
Sumac, Powdered
Sumac has a tart flavor that is very nice sprinkled on fish, chicken, over salad dressings, rice pilaf, or over raw onions. Try substituting in any d…
Tahini
Tahini is sesame seed butter. This product is the equivalent of peanut butter, only it is made from 100% crushed sesame seeds. It can be used as a s…
Za'atar
Za'atar (zaatar) is a mixture of sumac, sesame seed and herbs frequently used in the Middle East and Mediterranean areas. It is often mixed with ol…
