Asian Spices

Despite its name, Sichuan pepper is actually not a pepper, but dried berry of a type of ash shrub that has a unique peppery and lemony aroma. It is characterized by its mouth-numbing properties, typical for numerous dishes from the Sichua... READ MORE

Sansho pepper is a Japanese spice characterized by its prized aromatic peppercorns, green color, and a floral, tangy, lemon-like flavor. It is a part of the famous seven Japanese spices and is closely related to Sichuan pepper. T... READ MORE

Galangal is a ginger-like root that is widely used in Thai and Indonesian cuisine as a flavoring or a spice, characterized by its pungent aroma. There are two varieties of galangal: greater galangal, which is lighter in color and... READ MORE

Asafoetida is a dried gum resin obtained from the taproot or rhizome of giant fennels, particularly Ferula assafoetida. The plants used to produce the spice are native to Iran and Afghanistan. The resinous juice starts to coagula... READ MORE

Ceylon cinnamon is traditionally harvested from a tree that is native to Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, hence the botanical name of this health-beneficial spice. This cinnamon type is sweeter and more delicate than cinnamon cass... READ MORE

Amchur is a spice and condiment originating from India, but it's also often used in Pakistan. It's made from unripe mangoes that have been sliced, dried in the sun, then ground into a powder. The resulting powder has an intense aroma and tangy fla... READ MORE

Fingerroot, known scientifically as Boesenbergia rotunda, is a type of rhizome that is native to China and Southeast Asia. It belongs to the ginger family and is widely used in the culinary traditions of countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and Mal... READ MORE

Saigon cinnamon or Vietnamese cinnamon is a type of cinnamon coming from the Cinnamomum loureiroi tree. This type of cinnamon has the strongest flavor of them all, and it's the essential oils in the bark that give it its unique aroma and flavor. H... READ MORE

Kampot pepper or poivre de Kampot is pepper from two berry varieties, the Kamchay and the Lampong, of the species Piper nigrum L. grown in the provinces of Kampot and Kep in southern Cambodia. There are... READ MORE

Urfa biber is a traditional dried chili pepper originating from the city of Urfa. These peppers are distinguished by their dark burgundy color, flakes of irregular sizes, and a flavor that's best described as sweet, salty, sour, and smoky. Urfa pe... READ MORE

Cubeb is a complex pepper variety native to Java, Indonesia. The pepper starts out as the immature fruit of a tropical climbing vine that sometimes grows in coffee plantations. The vines produce small flowers that turn into berries, which are gath... READ MORE

Mahleb or mahlepi is a unique spice made from the seed kernels of the Prunus mahaleb (mahaleb cherry) tree, native to the Middle East and Southeastern Mediterran... READ MORE

Khao khua is ground roasted rice powder made from a particular rice variety called sticky rice, popular in Northern Thailand and Laos. The recipe is very straightforward - sticky rice (or glutinous rice, as it is also kn... READ MORE

This Vietnamese pepper originates from the island of Phú Quốc, which produces over 1000 tons of it annually. The pepper is well-known for its strong aroma, pungency, and heat. The red pepper has an especially strong aroma and a sweet, citru... READ MORE

Al-Samh seeds, derived from the Mesembryanthemum plant, from the Al-Jawf region in northern Saudi Arabia, are deeply rooted in Saudi Arabian tradition. These annual seeds, renowned for their nutritional value, have been utilized for generations. H... READ MORE

In the Malaysian state of Sarawak, more precisely near the river Rimbàs, a local variety of black pepper known as Kuching is cultivated by the Ibans native group. The rows in small pepper fields are arranged on a slight slope in or... READ MORE