Whole Spices

The dried white fruit with greyish brown colour of a small slender herb, the aromatic seed like fruit is elongated, ovoid, slightly bitter and with a warm flavour. The flowers are often white or rose coloured in small umbels. Indigenous to North Egypt, Syria, the Mediterranean region, Iran and India, it is also cultivated in Mexico, China Sicily and Malta.

Cumin is a tropical plant and is cultivated as a rabi crop in areas where atmospheric humidity during February-March is low. Although they have an aromatic and bitter taste, it is often used as a condiment and is an ingredient in curry powders, seasonings of breads, cakes and cheese.

In medicine, it is used as a stimulant, carminative, stomachic and astringent. Cumin seed oil is also used in perfumery and for flavoring liquors and cordials.

Chilli is the dried ripe fruit of the genus capsicum. Capsicum annum is an annual subshrub, the flowers of which are borne singly and fruits usually pendent, which provide red peppers, cayenne, paprika, and chilies and sweet pepper (bell pepper) a mild form with large in flated fruits. The Capsicum fruit scene is a perennial chilly with small-sized pods which are highly pungent. It is commonly known as 'bird chilly' and 'Tabasco'. Chilli is reported to be a native of South America and is widely distributed in all tropical and sub‐tropical countries including India. It was first introduced in India by the Portuguese towards the end of the 15th Century. Now it is grown all over the world except in colder parts.

Dry chili is extensively used as a spice in curried dishes. It is also used as an ingredient in curry powder and seasonings. Bird chilly is used in making hot sauces such as pepper sauce and Tabasco sauce.

Paprika, Byadgichilly, Warangal chapatti, and similar high colorless pungent varieties are widely used for color extraction. This color is highly popular among food and beverage processors for its use as a colorant since this is a' natural plant color'.

As a medicine, it is used as a counter-irritant in Lumbago, Neuralgia, and Rheumatic disorders. Capsicum has a tonic and carminative action. Taken inordinately it may cause gastro‐enteritis. The enzyme isolated from chilly is used in the treatment of certain types of cancers. Oleoresin capsicum is used in pain balms and VapoRub. They dated green chilly is a good source of vitamin 'C'.

Turmeric is the boiled, dried, cleaned, and polished rhizomes of curcuma longa. The plant is an herbaceous perennial, 60 – 90 cm high, with a short stem and tufted leaf. This plant is a native of India. However, apart from India, it is also cultivated in Pakistan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Korea, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal, East/West Africa, and many other countries in the west. In India, turmeric is cultivated in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. It is a tropical crop that grows in light black, black clayey and red soils in irrigated and rainfed conditions. The crop cannot stand water logging or alkalinity.

Often used to flavour and colour foodstuffs, it is a principal ingredient in curry powder. Turmeric oleoresin is used in brine pickles and to some extent in mayonnaise and relish formulations, non-alcoholic beverages, gelatins, butter, and cheese, etc. The colour curcumin extracted from turmeric is used as a colorant.

Turmeric is also used as a dye in textile industry. Often used in preparation of medical oils, ointments, and poultice; it is a stomachic, carminative, tonic, blood purifier and an antiseptic. It is used in cosmetics and the aqueous extracts has biopesticide properties.

Coriander is an important spice crop having a prime position in flavoring food. The plant is a thin stemmed, small, bushy herb, 25 – 50 cm in height with many branches and umbels. Leaves are alternate, compound. The whole plant has a pleasant aroma.

It is a native of Mediterranean and commercially produced in India, Morocco, Russia, France, Central America, USA, Mexico, and various other Eastern European nations. This tropical crop can be successfully cultivated as a rabi season crop in an area free from severe frost during February when the crop flowers and sets it seeds.

The youngest plant is used for flavoring and garnishing curries as well as soups. The seeds of this plant are widely used as condiments with or without roasting in the preparation of curry powders, sausages, and seasonings. It is an important ingredient in the manufacture of food flavorings, bakery products, meat products, sodas and syrups, puddings, candy preserves and liquors.

The plant is also known to come with medicinal values with being used as a carminative, refrigerant, diuretic, and aphrodisiac. In household medicines, it is used against seasonal fever, stomach disorders and nausea. Coriander oil and oleoresins are primarily used in seasonings for sausages and other meat products.

Ginger as a plant is refreshingly aromatic and the underground rhizome, whether raw or processed, is valued as a spice in India. It is a tropical plant with the center of origin in India and Malaysia. However, now it is widely cultivated in India, Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Malaysia, Southern China, and Japan. The plant requires warm and humid climate and thrives well from sea level to an altitude of 1500 mtrs above. A well-distributed rainfall (150-300cm) during growing season and dry spells during land preparation and harvesting are required for the crop.

Fresh Ginger, Dry Ginger Powder, Oleoresin, and oil are used in food processing. It is an indispensable ingredient in the manufacture of gingerbread, confectionary, ginger ale, curry powders, certain curried meats, table sauces, in pickling and in the manufacture of certain cordials, ginger cocktail, carbonate drinks, liquors, etc.

In medicine, Ginger is used as a carminative and stimulant. It has wider application in indigenous medicines. The ginger oil is used as a food flavourant in soft drinks.

It is a biennial, aromatic, stout, glabrous, and 1.5–1.8 m high. The ripe fruit (seed) is small, oblong, cylindrical, 6.8mm long, straight, or slightly curved, greenish-yellow, deeply furrowed, 5 ridged, and has an agreeable aroma. A native of Europe and Asia Minor, Fennel is cultivated extensively in Northern India as a cold-weather crop. It comes up well in a fairly mild climate. The dry and cold weather favors high seed production. Prolonged cloudy weather at this time of year is conducive to diseases and pests.

Fennel leaves are used for garnishing. Leaves and stalks are used in salads. It is an essential ingredient in Italian sausages, widely used to sprinkle on pizza. Dried fruits have a fragrant odor and pleasant aromatic taste and are therefore used as a masticatory. They are also used for flavouring soups, meat dishes, sauces, pastries, confectionaries, and liquors. The fruits are aromatic, stimulant and carminative.

Ripe fruit of an annual herb, this robust herb has light green leaves, is 30 – 60 cm long, and produces slender, beaked pods, 10 – 15 cm long, each pod contains 10-20 small hard yellowish-brown seeds, which are smooth and oblong, about 3mm long, each grooved across one corner, giving them a hooked appearance.

Fenugreek is a native of South-Eastern Europe and West Asia, now cultivated in India, Argentina, Egypt, and Mediterranean countries. In India, it is grown extensively in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab. It is a cold season crop and is fairly tolerant to frost and very low temperatures. Best suited to tracts of moderate to low rainfall, Fenugreek is often sown in all types of soil but performs better in loam and clayey loam with proper drainage. It can also be grown on black cotton soils.

Fenugreek is used both as a food and food additive as well as in medicines. Fresh tender pods, leaves, and shoot saree Atenas curried vegetables. As a spice, it flavours food. Powder of dried leave sisal so used for garnishing and flavouring a variety of foods.

Fenugreek extract is used as a flavoring agent of imitation. It is one of the principal constituents of curry powder. These are used in cases of colitis, dysentery, diarrhea, chronic cough, enlargement of the liver and spleen, rickets, gout, and diabetes. It is also used as an acarminative, tonic, and aphrodisiac. Fenugreek oil is used in the manufacture of hair tonics.

An erect, glabrous, or minutely pubescent, branched annual. The stems are striate; the leaves are rather distant, 2‐3‐pinnately divided, the segments linear. The flowers occur in terminal or seemingly lateral pedunculate, compound umbels, white and small; the fruits are ovoid, muricate, aromatic cremo carps, greyish brown; the mericarps, which are the components of the fruit, are compressed, with distinct ridges and tubercular surface, 1‐seeded.

An erect, glabrous, or minutely pubescent, branched annual. The stems are striate; the leaves are rather distant, 2‐3‐pinnately divided, the segments linear. The flowers occur in terminal or seemingly lateral pedunculate, compound umbels, white and small; the fruits are ovoid, muricate, aromatic cremo carps, greyish brown; the mericarps, which are the components of the fruit, are compressed, with distinct ridges and tubercular surface, 1‐seeded.

Star Anise is the dried, star-shaped fruit of Illiciumverum. It is an evergreen tree attaining a height of 8‐15 meters and a diameter of 25cm. The leaves are entire, 10‐15 cm long, 2.5 – 5 cm broad, elliptic,flowersaresolitary, white to red in color. Fruits are star-shaped, reddish-brown consisting of 6-8 carpels arranged in a whorl. Each carpel is 10 mm long, boat-shaped, hard and wrinkled containing a seed. Seeds are brown, compressed, ovoid, smooth, shiny and brittle.

Star an iseisindigeno us to Southeastern China. Commercial production is limited to China and Vietnam. India, it is produced to a small extent in Arunachal Pradesh. The crop requires specific agro-climatic conditions available only in the traditional growing areas, which has prevented repeated attempts of other countries to grow star anise. However, it prefers woodlands, sunny edges, and dappled shade. The plant grows well in humus-rich, mildly acidic to neutral soils, which are light to medium and have good drainage. It tolerates temperatures down to–10 degrees C.

Star Anise is one of the signature flavours of Chinese savory cooking. The five‐spice powder mix common in China contains star anise. It is used toflavourvegetables, meat, and to marinate meat. It is used as a condiment for flavouring curries, confectionaries, spirits, and pickling. It is also used in perfumery. The essential oil of star anise is used to flavour soft drinks, bakery products and liquors. Thefruitisanti‐bacterial, carminative, diuretic and stomachic. It is considered useful in flatulence and spasmodic.

Black Pepper is the dried mature berry of Pipernigrum, a climbing, perennial shrub mostly found in the hot, moist region of Southern India. The climbing woody stems have swollen nods with clinging roots at each node, which helps in anchoring the vine to the support trees(standards). It has a straight upward growing main stem and has lateral shoots from the axils of the leaves having shorter inter nodes without adventitious roots. In such branches, the terminal buds get modified into inflorescence (spike) and the auxiliary buds continue further growth.

Pepper is considered originated in the hills of the southwestern Ghats of India. It is now grown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brazil, Mexico, and Guatemala, apart from its country of origin. Pepper requires a hot and humid climate and grows between 20 degrees north and south latitudes, from sea level to up to 1500 meters above MSL. The crop tolerates temperatures between 10 degrees and 40 degrees C. Well-distributed annual rainfall of 125 to 200 cm is considered ideal for pepper.

Pepper is largely used by meat packers and in canning, pickling, baking, considering its preservative value. It has the ability to correct the seasoning of dishes, therefore used as a final dash at the end of cooking to effectively adjust the flavor. It is an important component of culinary seasoning of universal use and is an essential ingredient of numerous commercial foodstuffs. It is also used as an ingredient in spice mixes. White pepper is used in products like mayonnaise, where black specks of black pepper are not liked. Other products in use are pepper oil, oleoresin, micro encapsulated pepper, green pepper in brine, dehydrated green pepper, frozen pepper, etc.

Black pepper is an essential ingredient in the Indian system of medicine. Piperine, the pungent principle in pepper oleoresin, helps to enhance bioavailability and is therefore used in pharmaceuticals. The major functional properties of pepper are analgesic, antipyretic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial.

Nutmeg & Mace are two distinctly different spices produced from a fruit of an evergreen tree usually 9‐12 mtr high. Mace is the dried reticulated 'aril' of the fruit and nutmeg is the dried seed kernel of the fruit. The trees are normally unisexual, bearing either male or femaleflowers. The male flowers are born in clusters, whereas female flowersareoftensolitary. Fruitisafleshydrupe, spherical in shape, pale yellow in color with a longitudinal groove in the center. When the fruit matures it burst open along the groove exposing the bright attractive mace, covering the hard black, shiny shell of the seed called nutmeg.

The nutmeg tree is indigenous to the Moluccas. The major nutmeg growing areas are Indonesia and Granada. It has also grown smaller scale in Sri Lanka, India, China, Malaysia, Zanzibar, Mauritius, and Solomon Island. Nutmeg thrives well in places with warm humid climates from sea level up to 600 meters MSL. It grows on a variety of soils from sandy to clayey loams and red laterite soils with good drainage. A well‐distributed annual rainfall of 250 cm is ideal for the crop.

Both nutmeg and mace are used as condiments, particularly in sweet foods. The spice in the ground form is mainly used in the food processing industry, especially as a standard seasoning in many Dutch dishes. Nutmeg oleoresin is used in the preparation of meat products, soups, sauces, baked foods, confectionaries, puddings, seasoning of meat and vegetable, etc. The fleshy outer cover of the fruit is crystallized or pickled or made into jellies. Mace is used in savory dishes. It is used as a drug in Eastern countries because of its stimulant, carminative, astringent, and aphrodisiac properties. Excessive doses have narcotic effects. Nutmeg oil is used in cosmetics and toiletries.

Garlic is a hardy, bulbous, rooted, perennial plant with arrow flat leaves and bears small white flowers and bulbils. The compound bulb consists of 6 to 34 bulblets called 'cloves which are surrounded by a common, thin, white, or pinkish papery sheet. Garlic has a strong flavor and taste. Garlic is a native of West Asia and the Mediterranean area. China, Korea, India, USA, Spain, Argentina, and Egypt are the major garlic-growing countries. Garlic prefers cool weather and grows in a well‐drained, moderately clay loam at higher elevations (900 to 1200 meters).

Garlic is used for flavoring various dishes practically all over the world. In the United States, almost half of the produce is dehydrated for use in mayonnaise products, salad dressings, and several meat preparations. Raw garlic is used in the preparation of garlic powder, garlic salt, garlic vinegar, garlic cheese croutons, garlicked potato chips, garlic bread, garlic red bacon, etc. Spray-dried garlic products, liquid garlic preparation sare other products. In India and other Asian and Middle-east countries, garlic is used in pickles, curry powders, curried vegetables, meat preparations, etc. Oil of garlic is used as a flavor in agents in soups, canned foods, sauces, etc.

The other properties are anti‐bacterial, fungicidal, and insecticidal. In the area of medicine, it is used for various ailments of stomach and skin diseases. It has wider applications in indigenous medicine and is also considered highly nutritive.

Dill is a herbaceous annual with pinnately divided leaves. The ripe, light brown seeds emit an aromatic odour. The leaves have a pleasant aroma and a warm taste. Both seeds and leaves are valued as spices. European dill (Anetheumgraveolens) is native to Europe and is grown in England, Germany, Romania, Turkey, the United States, and Russia. The Indianandill (Anetheumsowa), which is native to Northern India, is larger than the European dill. It is cultivated as a cold-weather crop in many parts of India.

Dill seed is used both whole and ground as a condiment in soups, salads, processed meats, sausages, and pickling. Dill stems and blossom heads are used for dill pickles. The essential oil is used in the manufacture of soaps. Both seeds and oil are used in traditional medicinal preparations. The emulsion of Dill oil in water is an aromatic carminative.

The clove of commerce is an unopened air-dried flower bud obtained from an evergreen medium-sized tree. It grows to a height of 10–12 m and blooms after about 7 years. It continues to produce flower buds for 80 or more years. It is available. Cloveclusters are hand-picked when the buds are fully developed with a pronounced pink flush and then dried over several days in the sun. unopened flower buds, leaves, and stalks. Yield essential oil. The plant is indigenous to the North Molucca Islands of Indonesia. It is also grown in Zanzibar, Madagascar, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and India. The tree prefers well-drained, rich soil with sufficient soil moisture throughout the year. High atmospheric temperatures (25 to 35 degrees Celsius) with abundant sunlight, adequate and evenly distributed rainfall (above 150 cm), and high humidity (above 70%) are preferred.

The use of clove in whole or ground for mismainly for culinary purposes and as a flavouring agent in food industry. Its flavour blends well with both sweet and savory dishes. It is highly valued in medicine as a carminative, aromatic, and stimulant. In Indonesia, the lion's share of production is consumed in the production of kretek cigarettes.

The antiseptic and antibiotic properties of clove oil are used in medicine especially in dentistry, oral and pharyngeal treatments. It has wider applications in the preparations of toothpaste and mouthwashes, soaps, and perfumes. It is also reported to help diabetics in sugar assimilation.

Cinnamomum cassia is the dried bark of cassia, which is a small, bushy, evergreen tea, 18-20 meters high and 40 – 60 cm diameter with a straight and cylindrical trunk and grey-brown bark, 13 – 15 mm thick when mature. Cassia occurs mainly in South China, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. In India, only a few plants are available. Cassia is a light-demanding tree, slightly shade-tolerant when young, preferring cool and wet conditions.

Dried Cassia bark is the spice. The essential oil is called cassia cinnamon oil. Apart from its use as a spice, it is a well-known medicine reinforcing ‘yang’, the body fire. ‘Guizhi’ (dried twig of cassia cinnamon) is collected in spring and summer and dried in the sum or in the shade used in decoctions, has analgesic and antipyretic properties.

The "True Cinnamon", or Sri Lankan Cinnamon, is the dried inner stem bark of Cinnamomum Verum. Cinnamon plants are grown as bushes. When the plants are two years of age, they typically measure about 2 meters high and 8–12 cm at the base. It is at this stage that they are ready for harvesting. Cinnamomum Verum is mostly cultivated in Sri Lanka, the Malagasy Republic, and Seychelles. It originated in the central hills of Sri Lanka. It is grown in one or two locations in Kerala. Cinnamon is a hardy plant that grows in a range of conditions in Sri Lanka, from semi-dry to wet. The ideal temperature for growing cinnamon is 20–30 °C, and the ideal rainfall is 1250–2500 mm. It thrives well as a forest treat at 300–350 meters above MSL.

Cinnamomum verum is mostly cultivated in Sri Lanka, the Malagasy Republic, and Seychelles. It originated in the central hills of Sri Lanka. It is grown in one or two locations in Kerala. Cinnamon is a hardy perennial grown in Sri Lanka under a variety of conditions ranging from semi-dry to wet zones. The ideal temperature for growing cinnamon is 20–30 °C, and the ideal rainfall is 1250–2500 mm. It thrives well as a forest tree 300–350 meters above MSL.

The commercial products of cinnamon are quills, quillings, featherings, chips, cinnamon bark oil, and cinnamon leaf oil. "Quills" are scraped peels of the inner bark of the mature cinnamon shoots, joined together with overlapping tubes, the hollow of which has been filled with smaller pieces of cinnamon peels, which are dried first in the sun and thereafter in the shade. "Quillings' are broken pieces and splits of all grades of cinnamon quills. 'Featherings' are featherlike pieces of inner bark consisting of shavings and small pieces of bark left over. Cinnamon 'chips' are rough, unpeelable barks scraped off thicker stems. Cinnamon leaf and bark oil are obtained by distilling the leaves and bark separately. Cinnamon bark is a popular spice with a delicate fragrance and a warm, agreeable taste. It is used in the form of small pieces or powder. It is widely used in flavoring confectionery, liquors, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. It is found to help diabetics in the digestion of sugar. It has astringent, stimulant, and carminative properties and can prevent nausea and vomiting. Cinnamon bark oil is antifungal, and cinnamon leaf oil is widely used in perfumery and cosmetics.

Asafoetida is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula (three of which grow in India), which is a perennial herb(1 to 1.5 mtr High). The species are distributed from the Mediterranean region to central Asia. In India, it is grown in Kashmir and in some parts of Punjab. The major supply of Asafoetida to India is from Afghanistan and Iran. There are two main varieties of Asafoetida ie. Hing Kabuli Sufaid (Milky white Asafoetida) and HingLal (Red Asafoetida). Asafoetida is acrid and bitter in taste and emits a strong disagreeable pungent odor due to the presence of Sulphur compounds therein.

The white or pale variety is water-soluble, whereas the dark or black variety, is oil soluble. Since pure Asafoetida is not preferred due to its strong flavour, it is mixed with starch and gum and sold as compounded Asafoetidamostly in bricked form. It is also available in free flowing (Powder form)printable forms. Asafoetida is extensively used for flavouring curries, sauces, and pickles. It is also used in medicines because of its antibiotic properties.

Cardamom of commerce is the dried ripe fruit (capsules of cardamom plant) often referred to as the “Queen of spices” because of its very pleasant aroma and taste. Cardamom is a perennial, herbaceous, rhizomatous plant. Based on the nature of panicles, three varieties are recognized viz. Malabar with prostrate panicle, Mysore with erect panicle, and Vazhukka with semi-erect panicle. Plants are of medium size (2 to 3 mtr height) with pubescent leaves(on the dorsal side)and fruits globose in the case of Malabar, whereas plants are robust(3 to 4 mtr height) with leaves glabrous on both sides with ovoid capsules in the case of Mysore. Vazhukka variety is a mix of the above in physical characteristics.

Indian cardamom is offered to the international markets in different grades: 'Alleppey Green Extra Bold' (AGEB), 'Alleppey Green Bold' (AGB), and 'Alleppey Green Superior' (AGS) are names that register instant appeal worldwide. Cardamom oil is a precious ingredient in food preparations, perfumery, health foods, medicines, and beverages. India is a traditional exporter of cardamom to the Middle East countries, where it goes mostly into the preparation of 'Gahwa"—a strong cardamom-infused coffee concoction without which no day is complete or no hospitality hearty for an Arab. Indian cardamom enjoys a premium preference in the Middle East, among Japanese and Russians. Whorelishit for its exceptional enriching properties.

Cultivation of cardamom is mostly concentrated in the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats in South India. Besides India, cardamom is grown as a commercial crop in Guatemala, on a small scale in Tanzania, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Honduras, and Papua and New Guinea. The optimum altitude for growing cardamom is 600 to 1500 m above MSL. The major use is for the preparation of gahwa—a strong cardamom coffee concoction that is a symbol of hospitality among Arabs. Aside from that, cardamom is widely used as a flavoring material, both whole and ground. In Asia, it can add a lingering sparkle to every kind of dish, both traditional and modern. In Scandinavian countries, it is used in baked goods and confectionery. In Europe and North America, it is an ingredient in curry powder and some sausage products. Cardamom oil and oleoresin are used to flavor processed foods, cordials, liquors, perfumery, and Ayurvedic medicines.

An erect, glabrous, or minutely pubescent, branching annual. The stems are striate, the leaves are distal and 23 pinnately divided, and the segments are linear. Flowers are white and small terminal or seemingly lateral pedunculate compound umbels; fruits are ovoid, muricate, aromatic cremo carps, greyish brown; fruit components, the mericarps, are compressed, with distinct ridges and tubercular surface, and 1 seeded.

Ajwain originated in the Middle East, possibly in Egypt and the Indian Subcontinent, but also in Iran, Egypt, and Afghanistan. In India, the major ajwain producing states are Rajasthan and Gujarat, where Rajasthan produces about 90% of India's total production. It is traditionally used as a digestive aid, relieving abdominal discomfort due to indigestion and acting as an antiseptic. In the southern parts of India, dry ajwain seeds are powdered and soaked in milk, which is then filtered and fed to babies. Many assume that it relieves colic in babies and that for kids it also improves digestion and appetite. Ajwain can be used as a digestive mixture in large animals. In the northern part of India, ajwain is often consumed after a heavy meal. It is commonly offered after dinner parties.