When we talk about spices and herbs, we mean a certain set - from the simplest (pepper or bay leaf) to the less popular, but long known to everyone (saffron or anise). Today we want to tell you about spices that are unlikely to be found in your home, but which you definitely need to try at least once in your life.

Ajwan (Ajgon)
It sounds exotic, but these are just wild celery seeds. This spice is a powerful stimulant of the main systems - respiratory, digestive, and nervous. Ajwain has a pungent, warm taste. In India it is used in soups and salads.

Grains of Paradise
Grains of paradise are used in the cuisine of West and North Africa. They successfully replace black pepper. Ground grains are sprinkled on meat, pasta and vegetables.

Sumac
The berries of the wild sumac bush are very popular in the Middle East. In Lebanon and Syria, sumac is added to fish, in Iraq and Turkey - to vegetables. In Greek cuisine, the berries are used as a seasoning for grilled meats, stews, rice, vegetable dishes and kebabs.

Nigella
In our country this name sounds more prosaic - “nigella sativa”. There are other synonyms: karinji, black cumin, Roman coriander and others. This spice is loved in India and the Middle East; it is added to stewed lamb, vegetable dishes, and chutney sauce. Nigella is also part of the famous seasonings: garam masala and panch poron.

Fenugreek (fengurek)
This spice has been known to people since time immemorial. It is also called Greek hay. The seeds of this herb are good as a seasoning: to release the aroma, they should be fried in a dry, hot frying pan. Make sure they don't turn red or they will become too bitter.

Asafoetida resin
It is sometimes called "devil's dung" because it is famous for its caustic, unpleasant smell and bitter taste. For Indians, this seasoning is a flavor enhancer for any dish. The seasoning is prepared from the juice of the ferula plant. If the resin is fried in oil, its taste becomes pleasant. In this form it is added to food. The taste of this seasoning is reminiscent of the familiar garlic and onions.

Kalinji
The coal-black, pyramid-shaped seeds reveal their aroma only when cooked. But the lack of aroma is compensated by a nutmeg-spicy aftertaste with a slight bitterness. This spice can replace black pepper; it is often sprinkled on unsweetened baked goods and used for pickling.

About food 09/02/2015

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Our heart works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How can we help it work as long as possible? Stress, poor nutrition, poor environment - all this negatively affects our heart. And exactly proper nutrition You can help your heart. Today we will talk about the most healthy products for heart health. Back in the mid-50s, scientists Ansel and Margaret Case, the founders of...

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About food 07/04/2015

Nutrition rules: quotes from famous people

Today we decided to make a selection of sayings famous personalities about food and nutrition rules. But whether to follow their advice or not is everyone’s personal choice. Let's start with quotes from the famous ancient Greek healer and doctor - Hippocrates. It is not for nothing that he went down in history as the “father of medicine.” Of course, among his statements about doctors and medicine, there were smart thoughts about healthy eating. Let your food become...

10 Rarest Spices in the World

They were used by doctors for medicine.

Entire expeditions to the ends of the world were sent for them.

Without them we don't see cooking.

We use spices every day.

1. Saffron is the most expensive spice

This spice is native to India and is extracted from the stamens of Crocus sativus flowers.

Saffron is sold both in powder form and in natural form (brown threads).

1 kg of saffron costs 6 thousand dollars.

This is due to the fact that collection is done manually,

and to obtain 0.5 kg of saffron you need 35-100 thousand flowers,

Each flower has 3 stamens.

2. Vanilla. The fragrant seeds of this spice are contained in vanilla orchid pods.

The pods will appear three years after the plant is planted.

During growth, the plant is bent towards the ground so that it is not excessively tall.

This flower opens for pollination once a year for a few hours,

and pollination is done by hand.

The smell of vanilla promotes the production of serotonin, the pleasure hormone.

3. Nutmeg color. It is extracted from the fruit of the muscadine tree.

This is the amniotic membrane of red color, it is removed from the fetus and dried

under the sun on layers of bamboo. Nutmeg color is sold as whole

films and in powder form.

It is added to almost all dishes (except fish and mushrooms.)

4. Pink pepper.

Grows on a tree.

In appearance, the berries are similar to ordinary peppers, they are also very aromatic,

but at the same time sweeter and not at all spicy.

The berries are dried by freezing, then pickled or salted.

Pink pepper is heated, ground and added to the finished dish just before serving.

Most often they season fish and seafood with it.

5. Kalgan.

The root of a plant in the ginger family, it is more aromatic than ginger.

The taste of galangal is bitter and sharply spicy.

By its red-brown color, galangal is easily distinguished from ginger.

The root of the plant is peeled, cut into pieces 5-8 cm long,

dried, after which it becomes hard, with a wrinkled surface.

6. Juniper The fruits of a coniferous bush are considered a spice.

They are collected and dried, after which they must be selected,

shiny, black-brown color.

It is not the fruits specifically that are used as a seasoning, but the sauce/marinade to which they are added.

It is also used for soaking meat, after which it acquires the taste of real game.

In large quantities, juniper is very dangerous!!!

5-6 berries per 1 kg of meat is enough.

7. Asafoetida (hing, asmargok)

This spice smells and tastes like a mixture of onion and garlic.

And if you fry it in oil, the smell will become very pleasant,

and the taste of food with this spice will bring a lot of pleasure.

8. Iowan (azhgon)

The ripened fruits of this plant contain two seeds, sharp,

bitter and with a spicy aroma similar to thyme.

Usually used in the production of sausages from lamb and horse meat,

add them to dough and lentil dishes.

9. Wild ginseng root

This spice is grown exclusively in one of the mountainous regions

China in Jilin Province. Many people believe in the healing power of ginseng.

This plant is included in the International Red Book.

10. Cardamom

Cardamom has a eucalyptus aroma with lemon and camphor undertones.

Cardamom is extracted from the seeds of a plant similar to ginger.

It is advisable to buy cardamom boxes in whole form,

otherwise they quickly lose their flavor.

You travel outside the borders of the Fatherland, and it’s not that you set yourself the goal of going to spice shops, but you go, right? And you go to the oriental market not to buy fruits and vegetables, but to buy spices. And it doesn’t help that much international language, much less the fact that spices in the Russian language often retain Turkic (or Arabic?) names. If you say “zira”, the answer will be “yeah, yeah, dzirah!” "Rayhon, Regan?" "yeah, rayhon." Well, a dictionary for spices "celery, garlic, parsley...".
But still, a certain (I think a large) amount of spices remains “overboard”. It's not a big problem, but maybe it will help someone? “Accomplices” from Europe, America, Asia have been spotted in the community, or they travel there and also wander around “the spices.”

Iowan (azhgon)
(Trachyspermum ammi Sprague)

It can be found under the names Egyptian anise, Coptic cumin, Egyptian black cumin. Iowan seeds are used, which are similar in appearance to caraway seeds.

The taste is reminiscent of thyme, but not as subtle.

Not used often, mainly in Central Asia and Northern India. The aroma intensifies when fried and goes well with potatoes and fish. In India it is added to beans. Ajovane's aromatic compounds are lipophilic and are often used to flavor fats used in cooking.

Abraham's tree (common twig, sacred vitex)
(Vitex agnus-castus L.)

Dried fruits can be used as a substitute for allspice; the taste is weaker. The aroma is weak, the taste is spicy with bitterness. They are used as part of spices for barbecue and fried meat, added to cutlets, some boiled and semi-smoked sausages.

Annato
(Bixa orellana L.)
English - lipstick tree.

The seeds have a sweetish-pepper taste and a spicy aroma with hints of nutmeg. Annatto seeds are used in Central and South America as a flavoring and food coloring. In Caribbean cuisine, the seeds are fried in vegetable or animal fats, and after the seeds are removed from the fat, the golden-yellow oil is used to fry vegetables and meats. In Mexico they use annatto paste with vinegar (achiote), this paste completely dissolves in hot fat, is easy to use and can be added to marinades and sauces
The Aztecs drank cocoa with the addition of annatto seeds; in 17th century Europe, annatto was used to give a rich color to chocolate. Annatto is now used to give butter and cheese a deep yellow color. In Mexico they use a spicy mixture to marinate meat, recado, yellow which is given by annatto. The seeds are used as powder or in the form of annatto oil.
Annatto seeds are stored in a sealed container in a dark place. They can be added directly during cooking, or they can be soaked in hot water and then used to color broths and rice. Usually the seeds are fried in oil (at the rate of 1 teaspoon of seeds to 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil), then the seeds are removed and colored oil is used.

Asafoetida
(Ferula assa-foetida L.)
Teufelsdreck, merde du diable, devil's shit

The milky juice obtained from the roots of the plant is used. As the juice hardens, it turns into a sticky mass. Used in pure form (rubber-like mass) or in powder or powder containing rice flour and gum arabic
Ready-made asafoetida is almond-shaped “grains” of resin glued together. They are yellowish on the outside and milky white with pinkish veins in the cross section. In air, the cut surface becomes purple-red, then red-brown. The best quality asafoetida is resin in large, elastic, bright pieces. At elevated temperatures it looks like wax; in the cold it crumbles easily.

In Asia, asafoetida is divided into two trade categories - hing and hingra. Hing can be Iranian and Pathan (Afghan), and Iranian varieties are valued higher. The highest grade among hing is khalda, which is considered to be the purest and most aromatic. Medium varieties are shabandi and kabulidana. Hingra is the lowest category of asafoetida; it is not divided into varieties.
Asafoetida is widely used as a spice in Central Asia and India, mainly in vegetarian cuisine.

The use of asafoetida resin differs from the use of the powder form. A small piece of resin is quickly heated in hot oil to flavor the oil and then use it. Powdered asafoetida is less intense and can be used without roasting. Powdered asafoetida loses its aroma after a few years

Asafoetida can serve as an alternative to onions and garlic. In Turkmenistan, asafoetida is used to make a special seasoning - alaju. Asafoetida is also used in this way: at the bottom of the cauldron, draw one or two lines with a piece of asafoetida, and then add vegetables, meat or other products. This is enough for the whole dish to acquire a garlic-onion smell.

In modern Iranian, Afghan, Kurdish cuisine, asafoetida is used in fried and stewed meat dishes ah, mostly lamb. In Indian and Javanese cuisine, asafoetida is used, on the contrary, in non-meat dishes, mainly in rice and vegetable dishes. Asafoetida is especially widely used with rice, either alone or in combination with other spices. At the same time, the harshness and unpleasant shades of the odor of asafoetida are significantly softened.

Not to be confused with asafoetida is galbacum, or the royal resin, which is obtained from other types of ferula and is often passed off as asafoetida. In appearance, these grains are dirty brown in color, the size of a pea, dry to the touch, sometimes stuck together, sometimes separate. The taste is bitter, unpleasant, similar to musty onions, but sharper and more repulsive. The smell when rubbed resembles that of fresh rubber. Galbanum should not be used as a spice. It is used only as a medical remedy

Chinese basil (Perilla frutescens) Britton
(akajiso, perilla, shiso, suza)

There is perilla basil, with green leaves and a lemon-basil scent. Perilla Nanjing - with purple leaves and an aniseed flavor with a hint of licorice. There are varieties with curly and variegated leaves.
Vietnamese chefs use perilla leaves in spicy mixtures for soups, rice, noodles, fried meat and seafood. Koreans ferment and wrap gimbap in them - rice rolls with vegetables (they do the same with sesame leaves, so even in Korea they are often confused). Gimbap is a Korean version of Japanese rolls. Steamed rice with soy sauce and sesame oil is placed on perilla leaves, then the filling is added (finely chopped spinach, cucumber, carrots, pickled radish, daikon, fried eggs etc.) and wrapped like rolls or mini cabbage rolls. This dish is served with sauce (4 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. l. rice vinegar, 1 tbsp. l. rice wine, 1 tsp. sesame salt, crushed clove of garlic and a little leek).
Perilla is also widely used in Japanese cuisine. The red variety is called akajiso, the green variety is called aojiso, and the salad variety is called both. Aojiso is softer and more tender, so it is often eaten fresh - in salads, as an aromatic and flavoring additive in meat and fish dishes, tempura. Akajiso is tougher, so only young shoots or buds and flowers are added to salads. Red perilla is also used in marinades and pickles (including ginger and umeboshi marinades), and is added to vinegar for flavoring and coloring. In traditional Japanese cuisine, there is a dish called shiso no gohan - rice balls with perilla, decorated with red caviar.

boldo leaves
(Peumus boldus Molina)

Boldo leaves are almost unknown and the flavor is described as warm and spicy.
A good substitute for Indian laurel, it can be used to prepare garam masala, but because... boldo leaves are stronger - the amount must be reduced.
In Western cuisine, bay leaves can be substituted; the dose should be clarified. They are optimal for fish, like savory they are good with mushrooms and can be used in marinades.

Chinese ginger
(Boesenbergia pandurata (Roxb.) Schltr.)

Fingerroot English name optimally describes this spice, which has become famous in last years. In China, the root is used for medicine rather than cooking, and is a rare spice in the cuisines of Vietnam and Indonesia. But in Thai cuisine the root is widely used. Not as widely used as ginger and galangal, it is often used in curries, especially fish curries, fish soups(together with kaffir lime. In Chinese, ginger is grated or cut into slices.
The root powder is not used if fresh root is available. To dry the root, wash it and grind it into a paste.

Indonesian laurel
(Eugenia polyantha Wight.

A spice difficult to obtain in the West. Fresh and dried leaves are used in the cuisines of Sumatra, Java and Bali. Used with meat dishes, less widely with vegetables. To more fully reveal the taste, it is necessary to use it when frying or during long-term cooking.

Indian laurel
(Cinnamomum tamala Nees et Eberm.)

Indian laurel is a tree closely related to cinnamon. It was well known in the cuisine of Rome and the Middle Ages, but is now undeservedly forgotten.
The taste of Indian laurel does not fully match the taste of laurel, it is weaker. Indian laurel leaves can be replaced with cork leaves or fresh cardamom leaves, or boldo leaves will also work. Suitable substitutes include a piece of cinnamon and allspice berries.

Cardamom
(Elettaria cardamomum White et Mason)

Black cardamom
(Amomum subulatum Roxb.)

Black cardamom is described as an inferior substitute for green cardamom. In India, black cardamom is more often used in hot, spicy dishes, while green cardamom is favored in imperial (Mughal) cuisine with its blends of sweet flavors.
Black cardamom is used in arbitrary quantities, up to several grains per serving. The smoky aroma inherent in pure spice is indistinguishable in the final dish; black cardamom does not dominate the dish, it enhances the taste of other ingredients. The shells should be slightly broken before use, but so that the grains cannot be released. They can be removed before serving, and if you don't remove them, warn guests about the black, woody, intensely flavored bits in the sauce.
Black cardamom takes some time to develop its flavor in a dish and is often used in dishes that take a long time to cook.

Dry curry leaves lose their flavor within a few days. In Indian cuisine, curry leaves are used fresh; in some recipes, the leaves are oven-dried or dried just before use. Sometimes the leaves are behind a short time fried in butter or vegetable oil. The curry can be stored in the refrigerator for a while or even frozen.

Vietnamese coriander
(Polygonum odoratum Lour.)

The herb smells like coriander with a distinct lemony note, and the pungency that dominates the closely related water pepper is present.

Coriander long
(Eryngium foetidum L.)

Strong aroma very similar to coriander leaves, taste similar but stronger.

Cinnamon
(Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume)

Indonesian cinnamon
(Cinnamomum burmannii Blume)

Strong aroma, similar to Ceylon cinnamon

Vietnamese cinnamon
(Cinnamomum loureiroi Nees.)
The quality of Vietnamese cinnamon is quite low

Cherry mahaleb
(Prunus mahaleb L.)

Small fruits about 1 cm with a small amount of pulp. It has a delicate aroma, dominated by bitterness.
Used in baking similar to kernel.

Mexican pepper leaf
(Piper auritum Kunth)

The plant is not widely available outside its region.
A popular dish, Pescado en Hoja Santa, is fish wrapped in pepper leaves, baked and served with a spicy tomato sauce.
Used to make Mole verde (green mole), different from other types
mole using fresh leaves. It is prepared from several spices - cloves, cumin, green jalapeno, chili, savory, marjoram, parsley, tomatoes, corn starch, pepper leaves, a couple of sprigs of epazote (ambrosia pigweed). Mole verde is served with poultry; freshly prepared mole tastes best.

Mexican tarragon
(Mexican marigolds, marigolds)
(Tagetes lucida Cav.)

Mexican marigold is similar to tarragon, but stronger and coarser, better suited to spicy dishes. Good for bouquet garni, for flavoring butter and flavoring vinegar. Good for poultry.

Pandanus fragrant
(Pandanus odoratissimus L.)

In Southeast Asia, pandanus leaves are collected, and in South Asia, pandanus flowers are collected for use as a spice.

The flowers (kewra) have a sweet smell, similar to the smell of rose flowers, the smell is more fruity. Floral water (distillate) from male flowers is used to flavor sweets.

The aroma is reminiscent of nuts with a hint of fresh hay. Some varieties of rice in Southeast Asia have a similar flavor (Thai jasmine rice). The aroma appears on dried leaves; fresh leaves do not smell. Dry leaves lose their flavor.
Used in Sinhalese curry (Sri Lanka), often together with curry leaves.

grains of paradise
(Aframomum melegueta K. Schum.)

In the Middle Ages, grains of paradise were an important substitute for black pepper.
Spicy, pungent, slightly bitter seeds were used as a spice; the size and shape were approximately similar to cardamom seeds (3mm), but red-brown in color. Or light gray powder of them.
“When you bite into the grain of paradise, like a coriander seed, it releases a divine aroma that slowly increases in heat, like pepper. The taste appears as a trail with a decrease in pungency - pleasantly moderate, with aromas of jasmine, butter and lemon, with the oiliness of hazelnut ... "
Unknown author

Sassafras
(Sassafras albidum Nees)

Faint fresh aroma, similar to lemon.
Used in Creole cuisine.

Tonka beans
(Dipteryx odorata Willd.)

Strong smell of hay.
Used in baking. It is offered as a replacement for almonds, sometimes as an alternative to vanilla in homemade ice cream.

Epazote
(Chenopodium ambrosioides L.)

Leaves, flowers and unripe fruits are used.

Widely used in Mayan cuisine. Used for preparing soups, salads, meat dishes. Used in mole verde sauce. Commonly used in bean dishes in part because it reduces flatulence. Epazote can be replaced with cilantro, which it slightly resembles.

Frijoles Colados Y Refritos La Yucateca (Fried Black Beans)

1/2 kg black beans, 10 cups hot water, 1/4 coarsely chopped white onion, 5 tbsp. lard, 1 tbsp. salt, 2 large shoots of epazote, 1/4 coarsely chopped onion, 1 chili (habanero).
Rinse the beans and remove any stones. Place the beans in a saucepan and pour hot water. Add onion and 2 tbsp. lard Boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 hours or until beans are almost tender. Do not stir. Add salt and epazote and boil for another 30 minutes. Set aside and continue preparing the dish the next day. Set aside half of all the beans for another dish. Pass the remaining beans (about 3l/2-4 sakana) with bean broth, which should be quite a lot, through a meat grinder with medium-sized holes. Melt in large frying pan 3 tbsp. lard, add onion and sauté until soft. Add beans and chili. Cook over high heat for about 15 minutes.

I fully admit that there were errors in the information I presented. I would be very grateful for any competent comments.

All photos are freely posted on the Internet

Spices are products of exclusively plant origin. They are mistakenly mixed with seasonings and flavorings, and for this reason many types of spices are sometimes used incorrectly. Spices give food an exquisite taste and a unique flavor accent; they are used only during the cooking process and in very small quantities and cannot be used as an independent dish. They have bactericidal properties and may have medicinal use. While seasonings (tomatoes, sweet peppers, barberries, pomegranate, lemon, salt, sugar, vinegar, etc.) and animal flavors (musk, amber, etc.) are used differently and do not have all the valuable properties of spices.
Spices are different parts of plants that have a specific aroma and taste. They are eaten in very small doses, contribute to longer preservation of dishes and stimulate the protective, metabolic and cleansing functions of the human body.
Spices can be classic (exotic) or local.
Classic spices are consumed in already processed, dry form, are well stored and distributed throughout the world. They can be considered international in application.
Local spices are used fresh, do not withstand long-distance transportation and long storage, therefore they are used in the places where they grow. They are divided into spicy vegetables and herbs.

EXOTIC SPICES

ASAFETIDA (ferula, stinking resin). This is a dried milky juice extracted from the roots of a perennial umbrella plant - asafoetida. In appearance, dried latex resembles grains, or “almonds,” of different shapes. The taste of asafoetida is considered “disgusting”, acrid. The smell is intrusive, like the smell of garlic, it can permeate the entire room. Asafoetida rarely appears on the European market, but in Asia it is very popular. It is used in lamb and rice dishes, and combined with other spices.

ANIMAL (Chinese anise, Indian anise, star anise). They use dried star anise fruits, shaped like dark brown stars. Star anise is more aromatic than anise and has a sweetish-bitter taste. In Russia, star anise has been used since ancient times in baking Russian gingerbread and gingerbread cookies. It was put into the dough during kneading. In addition, star anise is used in sweet dishes, jams and drinks. Kissels, compotes, sbitni, cherry jam, and curd masses acquire an exquisite aroma, and the jam is not candied for three years. Star anise is placed in boiling liquid 5 minutes before it is ready and allowed to brew. Another use of star anise is in the manufacture of marinades and pickles from berries and fruits, in combination with cloves and other spices. The bookmark rate is one pinch (or 1 clove from an asterisk) per liter of liquid.

VANILLA. These are the fruit-pods of a climbing plant of cultivated varieties. Vanilla is one of the most expensive spices, so an artificial substitute, vanillin, is widely used. When prepared, processed real vanilla pods (sticks) do not lose their properties for up to 30 years if stored properly! They are about 20 cm long, elastic, soft, oily, slightly curled, brown in color, sometimes covered with a light coating of whitish crystals. Vanilla is used in the confectionery industry for the most expensive varieties of chocolate, biscuits, fillings, and creams. For homemade puddings, curd masses, jams, and cookies, vanillin or vanilla sugar is most often used. You can cook the latter yourself. A piece of vanilla stick is ground in a mortar along with sugar, and then added to a large volume of sugar, mixed and sealed tightly. One vanilla stick is enough to prepare 0.5 kg of vanilla sugar. Or you can just store the vanilla stick tightly closed jar with granulated sugar.

CARNATION. This is a dried, unopened bud (bud) of a tree of the myrtle family. Cloves are an inexpensive and widely used spice. Clove oil is produced from it, used in perfumery and in the production of alcoholic beverages. This oil has a strong antimicrobial effect. In cooking, cloves are included in various marinades, minced sausages, sauces, and are also used in confectionery products (gingerbreads, gingerbread cookies, buns). Cloves are often combined with black pepper. At high temperatures, the aroma of cloves disappears, but the bitterness and brown color of liquids remains, so the cloves should be added shortly before readiness. The highest amount of cloves is in mushroom marinades: 3 grams per 10 liters of filling. In confectionery products, the dose is much smaller (4–5 buds of cloves per 1 kg of ingredients), otherwise the bitter taste of cloves will spoil the taste of the dish.

GINGER (white root). This is a perennial herbaceous plant from which a strangely shaped rhizome is used. It is used both fresh and in the form of a grayish-yellow powder. Ginger is part of curry - a mixture of Indian spices. Ginger is popular not only in Asia, but throughout the world. Gingerbread has been baked in Russia for a long time, and ginger beer was brewed in England. Candied ginger root and ginger jam are popular in China. In European and American cuisines, ginger is used in marinades and sauces for meat. The norm for adding ginger is up to 1 gram per kilogram of dough or meat.

CARDAMOM. These are the fruits of a herbaceous plant of the ginger family. The capsule capsules are white, with a slightly greenish tint, similar to a trihedron; inside each capsule there are 3 or 4 dark seeds. They are ground in a mortar and the shell is thrown away. Cardamom gives dishes a truly exquisite aroma. It is popular both in Russia and in Europe. Cardamom is included in many spice mixtures. It is most used in confectionery products (muffins, gingerbread cookies, gingerbread cookies, cakes), but is often used to flavor drinks, soups, marinades, minced meat and fish, and is especially good with fish. It is necessary to introduce this strong spice very carefully: three seeds, ground in a mortar, are enough for a kilogram of food, and even less should be added to liquid dishes. Add cardamom a few seconds before the dish is ready.

CINNAMON (cinnamon). This is the dried bark of cinnamon trees, most often found in ground form. However, if you have a choice, it is better to buy cinnamon in the form of pieces of bark and grind it in a mortar, since in this case you are guaranteed against fakes and impurities. Cinnamon is used in the confectionery industry; it is added to muffins, Easter cakes, apple pies, gingerbread cookies, as well as sweet dishes and marinades. In oriental cuisine, cinnamon is used in preparing dishes made from lamb, chicken, pork, and rice. Cinnamon should be added to taste; there is no standard.

TURMERIC (yellow root, zarchava). It is the dried and processed root of a plant from the ginger family. Turmeric powder has a bright orange-yellow color and intensely colors the dish. This is a very ancient oriental spice. It is included as the main component in Indian curry mixture. No Asian pilaf or sauce is complete without turmeric. Turmeric has a mildly pungent taste and delicate aroma, has bactericidal properties and contributes to the long-term preservation of the dish. In European cuisine, turmeric is traditionally used in the confectionery industry and as a natural coloring agent in the production of cheeses and butter. It is very popular in England, where it is used in a variety of dishes. Turmeric is added literally “at the tip of a knife” per kilogram of rice or other products.

LAUREL. These are fresh or dried leaves of an evergreen shrub of the laurel family (not to be confused with cherry laurel leaves, which are not a spice). In addition to leaves, laurel seeds, ground into powder, are sometimes used. In Russia, fresh branches of laurel are sometimes found in the markets of traders from the Caucasus; it is the best option to dry the leaves yourself and store them tightly sealed and compressed. Bay leaves are traditionally used to flavor soups, broths, sauces, stews and fish, when cooking dumplings, vegetables, especially potatoes. It is placed in marinades along with other spices. Bay leaf adds bitterness to the dish if it is not removed from the pan in time. Place 1 to 3 leaves 5–10 minutes before the dish is ready, and then remove.

NUTMEG. This spice is obtained from processed and ground nutmeg fruits. It is used in sweet dishes and dough products. In European cuisine, nutmeg is used much more widely than in Russia, and in vegetable dishes, both meat and fish, and in combination with mushrooms and pasta. This spice is very popular in German, French and Italian cuisines.

PEPPERS. There are a lot of plants of the pepper family, some of them are used as spices. These are liana shrubs, the fruits of which are collected in small clusters, like grapes, and after removing the pulp from them, you get grains and peas of black, white, gray and brown peppers. These are spices. They have a stuffy spicy aroma and a burning taste. Peppers are very widely used in cooking, in almost all cuisines and types of dishes. Red peppers - hot, mild and sweet - are not related to real peppers and belong to the nightshade family.

RED PEPPERS. There are also many types of them. For example, red peppers (paprika, chilli, Mexican, Spanish, Turkish, hot) grow in many countries, incl. both in Russia and Ukraine. The pods are dried, ground into powder or broken into small pieces. Sometimes the pods are used with seeds, which add pungency, and sometimes without seeds, when the aroma is more important than the pungency. Finely ground red pepper likely contains impurities, but coarsely ground red pepper powder is most likely real. Red peppers are a cheap “folk” spice. The mistake in using peppers is to use them as seasonings, that is, during meals, and not during the preparation of the dish. Peppers are valued not only for their heat. Paprika, for example, is an excellent natural coloring agent that gives dishes an intense color. Peppers are very healthy; they contain various vitamins. Peppers are part of curries and other spice mixtures. Adjika based on red hot peppers is popular.

CAYENNE PEPPER. A perennial shrub native to India. It differs from red peppers in the type of fruit; they are small, less than one and a half centimeters long, and colored light orange. Cayenne pepper is much more hot, it even leaves burns on the skin. Used in very small doses: 1 pod per whole bucket when pickling vegetables. It has a unique spicy-bitter aroma.

ALLPRESSED PEPPERS. They are used as a spice, but are not related to plants of the pepper family. Adding rate: 5–10 peas per kilogram of food, but if ground pepper, then 2 peas is enough. They are used in the manufacture of marinades, meat and fish dishes, jellies, and soups. Goes well with cloves and garlic. Less commonly used in dough products.

ROSEMARY. The spice is narrow leaves, fresh or dried, torn from thin branches of an evergreen shrub. Rosemary is very popular in Mediterranean cuisine. Rosemary grows along the entire Black Sea coast, in Crimea and the Caucasus, but in Russia and Ukraine, unfortunately, it is almost never used. Rosemary is used when stuffing poultry and meat before baking, in soups (pea, spinach, chicken and meat), in sauces and gravies, when frying fish on the grill, in pizzas. Sometimes rosemary is used in marinades instead of tarragon.

ZEST. This is a thinly peeled brightly colored peel of citrus fruits - lemon, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, orange. The thinner the peel is cut, the higher the quality of the zest. The zest is widely used in cooking - in salads, cold sauces, soups, meat and fish dishes and, of course, in baking and a variety of drinks. It is very good to sprinkle the finished baked veal with grated zest; it will give the meat a unique accent. Scalded zest should be placed in dough products to remove excess bitterness. It is good to add zest to jam made from fairly bland berries, vegetables and fruits, for example, to plum or squash jam. The zest is indispensable in compotes, jellies and when infusing vodka. You need to add it to taste. The zest is easy to prepare at home: thinly cut off the outer layer of the fruit, dry and grind the peels and store in a tightly sealed jar.

SAFFRON. The spice is the stigmas of saffron flowers - plants of the iris family. Ready saffron looks like a ball of tangled thin and fragile threads, from dark red to light yellow. This is a very expensive seasoning. It is used as an incense, as a natural dye, and as a remedy. Saffron has a bitter-spicy taste and strong aroma. In cheeses, liqueurs and soft drinks, saffron is a coloring agent. In European and American cuisines, saffron is used mainly in confectionery production. In oriental cuisines, saffron is used more widely - in the preparation of meat, chicken, vegetable and rice dishes. Saffron cannot be combined with any other spices; it is a soloist by nature. It is used in extremely small doses; it is a very strong spice. For example, a person can consume no more than 1 gram of saffron per year. Therefore, saffron solutions are prepared to make it more convenient to dose.

SPICE MIXTURES.
In cooking, there are traditional, strictly measured, carefully composed mixtures of spices. It can be a powdery mixture or a thick paste. Mixtures such as the Indian curry mixture or the Chinese wuxiangman, or a mixture of five spices, have become world famous. Curry contains from 7 to 24 components, mixed in strict proportions. Its essential ingredients are curry leaf, turmeric powder, coriander, fenugreek and cayenne pepper. Other components may vary. There is the so-called “full curry”, containing 20 or more ingredients, and its simplified variations, more or less hot. There are other popular traditional mixtures (Siamese mixture, Caucasian hops-suneli, adjika and others). On sale you can find mixtures for meat, for pork, for fish, for pilaf, for minced sausage.
Spices cannot be combined by inspiration. You should know how various spices combine with each other and with the prepared dish. In addition, you need to be enough experienced cook so as not to exceed the dosage of spices, otherwise in case of an overdose the taste of the dish will be hopelessly spoiled. The use of spices is a real science, and a good cook must certainly master it to the required extent.

Spices, known since ancient times, have become widespread worldwide and are widely used in almost any national cuisine. Classic spices are extremely diverse in the nature of the parts used, and this feature in this case has a purely external, insignificant meaning, since the main value is the maximum aroma, regardless of which part of the plant it is contained in. Classic spices are used in cooking in pre-processed and always dry form, which largely determines their worldwide distribution, since in a dry form the aromaticity of these spices either appears or increases and reaches a maximum, and, moreover, it is in a dry form Spices of this group can be preserved for a long time and transported over long distances.

Classic spices, depending on which part of the plant is used for food, are divided into the following subgroups:

• - leaves - bay leaf;
• - flowers and their parts - cloves, saffron;
• - fruits - pepper (black, white, allspice and red), vanilla, star anise, cardamom;
• - seeds - mustard, nutmeg, nutmeg;
• - bark - cinnamon, cassia;
• - roots - ginger, turmeric, galagan.

Seed spices

Mustard. The powder is obtained from the cake after squeezing the oil from Sarepta mustard seeds. Dry mustard contains the glycoside sinigrin, which breaks down into allylic oil (mustard) and glucose. Allyl mustard oil has a pungent odor and pungent taste. In terms of quality, mustard powder comes in grades 1 and 2. From mustard powder with the addition sunflower oil, sugar, vinegar and other ingredients prepare seasoning for snacks and lunch dishes. Nutmeg (pic.) is the dried seed of the nutmeg tree, native to tropical countries.

Nutmeg has a high oil content, the total fat content can reach 35% or more, and contains essential oils - up to 11%. The nutmeg kernel has a pleasant aroma, a spicy-resinous taste, slightly hot, with bitterness. Nutmeg is used in the highest grades of sausages, in the distillery industry, and in cooking.

Fruit spices

Fruit spices include pepper, vanilla, cardamom, coriander, star anise, cumin, and anise.

Pepper is classified as black, white, allspice, and red. Black pepper is the dried unripe fruit of a tropical creeping plant of the pepper family. After drying, the fruits turn black and take on the shape of small peas. Black pepper contains up to 9% of the alkaloid piperine, which causes a pungent and burning taste, and the presence of essential oil (up to 2%) - a specifically peppery aroma. The quality of pepper is assessed by appearance, color, taste, aroma, size (diameter of standard grains 3-5 mm), humidity (no more than 12%), ash content (no more than 6%), essential oil content (no less than 0.8 %). Infestation with barn pests and foreign impurities is not allowed. Availability gray shade in black pepper it characterizes the complete or partial loss of taste and aromatic properties.

White pepper is the dried ripe fruit of the same plant that produces black pepper. The aroma and pungency of taste are less pronounced than that of black pepper. In white pepper, the pericarp is removed, and a significant part of the piperine and essential oil is lost with it.

Allspice is the dried unripe fruit of a tropical tree (myrtaceae family). Allspice is grown on the island of Jamaica (about 85% of the total world harvest) in Cuba, in San Domingo. Allspice is larger in size than black pepper, the diameter of standard peas is 3-8 mm, the color is dark brown, the surface is rough, the taste is pungent, the smell is complex - it combines the aroma of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper. Essential oil content 1.5-4.4%. The humidity of allspice should be no more than 12%.

Red pepper - dried ripe fruits capsicum the nightshade family. Types and varieties of red pepper are distinguished by shape, size, color, and degree of hotness. Red pepper contains 1% capsaicin alkaloid, which gives it a pungent, fiery taste. There are varieties: hot, medium-hot, low-hot and sweet. Pepper pods are consumed with or without seeds, whole and ground. Ground red pepper is sold in mild and hot varieties. Ground red pepper is used for vegetable and meat dishes; in its entirety - for marinades and pickles.

Vanilla is the dried unripe pods of the tropical orchid plant.

The homeland of the plant is Mexico. Vanilla is one of the most expensive spices on the world market. It is difficult to cultivate; obtaining this spice requires a long period of time. special processing. Unripe fruits are subjected to a short belt heat treatment, followed by fermentation in the dark at 60 ° C for a week until a brown aroma appears. The vanilla beans are then dried in the open air for several months until a white coating of vanillin appears on the surface. Vanillin, piperonal and essential oil take part in the formation of a stable aroma. Vanilla pods contain 1.7-3% vanillin. Benign vanilla is dark brown in color; the best varieties have fruits covered with a white crystalline coating with a greasy sheen.

Synthetic vanillin is a vanilla substitute. It is a white crystalline powder with a vanilla odor, dissolves well in water, and has a pungent taste. It goes on sale in pure form and in the form of vanilla sugar, packaged in paper bags of 2.5-10 g.

Cardamom is the unripe dried fruit (seed) of a herbaceous plant of the ginger family. As a spice, seeds are used, enclosed inside three-locular fruits - boxes 0.8-1.5 cm long, in which there are from 9 to 18 small reddish-brown seeds. The seeds have a spicy-burning taste with a strong aroma. The essential oil content ranges from 2 to 8%.

Coriander is the fruit of a herbaceous plant growing in the south and central region of our country. Essential oil content is about 1%. The fruit has an almost spherical shape, measuring from 2 to 5 mm, the aroma is spicy, the taste is sweetish. It is used in confectionery, canning, and alcoholic beverage production.

Star anise is the fruit of a tropical evergreen tree. The seeds have a brown color, a strong aroma reminiscent of anise, and a burning taste. Available for sale in whole and ground form. Used for gingerbread, meat dishes, and game.

Cumin is the fruit of a herbaceous plant that grows in the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Siberia. The fruits are from 3 to 8 mm in size, 1-2 mm wide, contain essential oil in an amount from 3 to 7%. The color of the fruit is brown with a brownish-green tint, the aroma is strong, the taste is bitterish-burning.

Anise is the fruit of a herbaceous plant that grows in the North Caucasus, Ukraine, Moldova, and Central Asia. Anise fruits are 3-5 mm long, 2-3 mm wide and have an ovoid or pear-shaped shape; gray color, sweetish taste, spicy aroma. Contains essential oil from 2 to 6%. Anise and anise essential oil are used in baking, medicine, cooking, and for pickling and pickling vegetables and fruits.

Leaf spices

Bay leaves are the dried leaves of the evergreen bay laurel. Grows in the Krasnodar region, on Black Sea coast Transcaucasia. Laurel leaves are oval-pointed, colored green color different shades. The bitter-spicy taste and pleasant specific aroma of bay leaves are due to the content of essential oil. The quality of bay leaves is assessed by size, the presence of broken and yellowed leaves, organic and mineral impurities, the content of leaves damaged by barn pests, thrips, and scale insects.

Bay leaves are used in cooking, pickling, and preserving foods. Packaged in paper bags of 25, 30, 100 g.

Floral spices

Cloves are the buds of the evergreen tropical clove tree of the myrtle family, blanched in boiling water and then dried in the sun. The carnation consists of a stem, thickened at the top, and a head with sepals; the taste is hot, spicy. The benign clove sinks or floats vertically with its head up in water and releases oil when the head is pressed. Cloves are used as a spice in cooking, for preserving meat, fish, and in the distillery and confectionery industry.

Saffron is a perennial plant growing in southern European countries, as well as in Pakistan, China, India and Iran. Saffron is a labor-intensive crop. Dried stigmas of saffron flowers are used as a spice. The taste of saffron is bitter-spicy, the pleasant aroma is due to the content of essential oil, the color ranges from orange-red to brown-red. Saffron is used as a spice in baking, cooking, and also as a dye for tinting cheeses, liqueurs, and butter.

Root spices

Ginger is the sun-dried rhizome of a perennial tropical plant of the ginger family. The rhizome is cleaned of dense covering tissues, sometimes bleached with chlorine or lime solution. Semi-peeled gray ginger and unpeeled black Chinese ginger are available for sale. These are flat pieces of rhizome with rounded or finger-shaped protrusions, horn-shaped white or gray with a yellowish tint at the break. In ground form, sand-colored ginger contains essential oil from 1.5 to 3.5%. The taste and smell are hot and spicy. Ginger is used for meat, sweet and flour dishes, for beer, kvass, jelly, and marinades.

Spices bark

Cinnamon is a bark spice. The most famous on the world market the following types cinnamon: Ceylon, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian and Madagascar. This is the dried bark of young shoots of the cinnamon tree of the laurel family. It goes on sale in the form of yellow or light brown tubes, as well as ground. The taste is pungent, slightly sweet. Cinnamon should have its own characteristic smell. Cinnamon is used in canning and in distillery production.

Local spices

Local spices are spices that, for the most part, have a historically and geographically much smaller range of use or are consumed exclusively locally, that is, near the place of production, and cannot withstand long-distance transportation.

Local spices, on the contrary, are characterized by their use mainly in fresh form, consumed on site or near the place of production. Moreover, differences in the nature of the consumed part are more significant, since they affect the duration of storage and transportation, and thereby the degree of prevalence in the culinary industry.

Therefore, local spices are divided into spicy vegetables and herbs.

Spicy vegetables

Spicy vegetables are distributed much wider geographically, almost everywhere, and are more widely used in cooking than herbs. Spicy vegetables belong exclusively to cultivated plants. They, in turn, are divided into root vegetables and bulbs, and in both of them the main parts used are underground, although in some cases above-ground ones are also used.

There are not so many spicy vegetables, it is important to note that in spicy vegetables, both the roots and the stems and leaves are eaten, and basically they are used everywhere.

Bulbous:

• - Onion
• - Onion
• - Multi-tiered bow
• - Shallot, aka magpie, charlotte
• - Leek
• - Onion
• - Chives, aka chive, soon
• - Mangir, aka aging onion
• - Altai onion, also known as Siberian wild onion, stone onion, Mongolian onion, hog onion, Kurai onion, Sonchin onion
• - Pskem bow, also known as piez-ansur, mountain bow
• - Garlic
• - Ramson, aka bear onion, wild onion, hansel
• - Flask, aka victory onion, Siberian wild garlic
• - Garlic, also known as spadefoot, garlic grass, wild garlic

Roots:

• - Parsley
• - Parsnip, also known as field borscht, popovnik, trestle, parsnip
• - Celery, aka allspice parsley
• - Fennel, also known as pharmaceutical dill, Voloshsky dill

Spices.

In herbs, only the aerial part is used, usually its upper third - leaves with flowers. Spicy herbs can be cultivated (garden) and wild, and many garden herbs have wild counterparts. A common characteristic difference between wild herbs and garden herbs is that the former are sharper and stronger in smell than the latter. But the latter are taller and produce more green mass. This causes certain differences in the method of using garden and wild herbs. Garden herbs are used mainly fresh; wild herbs are dried for future use.

Just the same, there are a great variety of herbs, unlike vegetables. The roots of herbs are usually not used. They often have quite limited use, or, more often, are recommended for special use (for example, marjoram, often called “sausage weed” in the western regions of Russia, Belarus and the Baltic states).

Spicy herbs (celery, parsley, coriander, chervil, fennel, borage, caraway, hyssop, tarragon, mint, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, savory, basil, thyme, etc.) were learned in Europe only in the 13th-17th centuries. .

• - Azhgon, aka ayoran, Coptic cumin, Indian cumin, Iranian cumin, cumin.
• - Calamus, aka ir, irny root, gair, yaver, Tatar potion, cinquefoil, kalmus
• - Basil, aka darlings, fragrant cornflowers, red cornflowers, regan, rayhon, rean.
• - Mustard
• - Black mustard, it’s real, French
• - Sarepta mustard, aka Russian mustard
• - White mustard, also known as yellow mustard, English
• - Gravilat, aka pharmaceutical gravilat, carnation grass, comb grass, chistets, Benedict's grass, undergrowth, vyveshnik
• - Blue sweet clover, also known as blue clover, blue fenugreek, gunba, blue goat trefoil
• - Oregano, aka oregano, motherwort, incense, macerdushka, flea, oregano, zenovka, kara gynykh, zvirak, tashava
• - Angelica, aka angelica, angelica, angelica, cowshed, sweet trunk
• - Hyssop, also known as hysop, susop, yuzefka, blue St. John's wort
• -Kalufer, also known as kanufer, kanuper, Saracen mint, balsamic rowan
• - Chervil, aka kupir, snack, zhurnitsa
• - Spanish chervil, also known as perennial chervil, wild parsley, allspice, frankincense
• - Kmin, aka timon, spicy cumin, caraway cumin, Roman cumin, Egyptian cumin, Voloshisky cumin
• - Koluria, also known as coluria gravilata, clove
• - Coriander, also known as kishnets, koliandra, calendra, cilantro, cilantro, klopovnik
• - Cress
• - Watercress, also known as watercress, watercress, brunette cress, spring cress, water horseradish, watercress
• - Bitter cress, also known as spoon grass, spoon grass, spoon horseradish, waraha, sea lettuce, scurvy grass
• - Meadow cress, also known as field mustard, core, smolyanka
• - Garden cress, also known as watercress, peppercorn, horseradish, horseradish, pepper grass, kir salad
• - Capuchin cress, also known as spin, Indian cress, Spanish cress, colored lettuce, nasturtium
• - Lavender, aka levanda, lavender, colored herb
• - Lovage, aka lovage, lovage, libistok, zorya, piper, pipe grass, love, zaborina
• - Marjoram
• - Melissa, aka lemon balm, honeywort, queenwort, roevnik, beeweed, papaya grass
• - Turkish balm, also known as the Moldavian snakehead
• - Juniper, also known as juniper, yalovec, genevrier, backout
• - Mint
• - Peppermint, also known as English mint, cold mint, cold mint
• - Thyme, also known as fragrant thyme, fime, incense, incense
• - Cumin, aka Timon
• - Celery and parsley
• - Dill, aka koper, tsap, krop, shivit, shyuut, samit, kaka, til
• - Savory, also known as garden or summer savory, chobre, sheber
• - Thyme, also known as creeping thyme, Bogorodskaya herb, lemon scent, boron pepper, flypalm, Matserzhanka, zhidobnik
• - Sage, aka shavliy, shavliya
• - Tarragon, also known as tarragon, stragon, dragoon grass

Mixtures and combinations of spices.

Often, primarily in order to save time, storage, and partly to create a slightly new taste, spices are prepared in advance in a mixture. Naturally, technically any spices can be mixed, but the question arises as a result: not all spices are compatible with each other, and cooking different countries developed its own specific combinations of spices, inherent in a particular historical or geographical region and used in certain dishes (group of dishes).

Of the most famous mixtures, the following should be highlighted:

Curry mixture (from 7-12 to 20-24 components)

The famous curry mixture first appeared in India, from where it spread throughout Asia - from Adana to Yokohama. Later the British brought it to Europe, America and Australia. Curry is now considered a common spice mixture throughout the world. Over time, national variations in the composition of curry appeared. In America and Europe, the composition of curry varied slightly to suit local tastes. Ultimately, under the name curry, very diverse mixtures of spices can appear on the market. A mixture of curry powder consists of 7-12 and even 24 components. However, the constant ingredients of curry are the curry leaf as well as turmeric root powder. In countries where, due to local conditions, it is impossible to purchase curry leaf, it is replaced with fenugreek; the presence of turmeric and fenugreek in spice mixtures is already a sign of curry. The main ingredients of curry are turmeric, fenugreek, coriander and red pepper, most often cayenne. The remaining 10-15 components are usually added to give the prepared mixture one or another shade of the main aroma.

Indian mixture (10 components)

Semi-hot mixture (in g): coriander - 40, azhgon - 35, cumin - 5, Jamaican pepper - 5, red pepper (chili) - 5, cinnamon - 7, cardamom - 3. Moderately fragrant mixture (in g): coriander - 42, azhgon - 35, cumin - 4, Jamaican pepper - 4, red pepper - 4, cinnamon - 8, cloves - 2, cardamom - 1. Non-hot mixture (in g): Jamaican pepper - 5, black pepper - 5, cinnamon - 5, cloves - 5, ginger - 10, coriander - 35%, ajgon - 35%. These mixtures are characterized by the presence of a large proportion (up to 70-80%) of caraway-like spices (azhgon, coriander, caraway).

Siamese mixture (10 components)

Distributed in Indochina, Thailand, Burma. Like Indian mixtures - slightly hot. The mixture contains 10 spices, but its basis is shallots, which when fresh by weight should be 10 times the total (total) weight of all spices. To prepare the Siamese mixture, take equal parts of garlic (powder), fennel, anise, star anise, turmeric, nutmeg, and black pepper. To these 7 spices add red pepper (2 parts), parsley (seeds or leaves, ground into powder, 1/2 part), cardamom (1/2 part). It is allowed to replace fennel with dill, and nutmeg with nutmeg. The result is an aromatic powder with a peculiar smell. This powder is poured into shallots, which are simmered in vegetable oil in advance, and stirred vigorously. The mixture is active only when heated. Used in dishes made from potatoes, meat, rice, and also added to dough.

Chinese Wuxiangmian mixture (5 components)

Sweet wuxiangmian: dill, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Ural licorice. All components are taken in different parts, only cinnamon can be taken in double quantities. Spicy wuxiangmian: Japanese pepper (huajie), star anise, cloves (heads without stems), cinnamon, fennel. All components must be in powder form and taken in equal parts. Both versions of the Chinese mixture are devoid of heat. The Chinese mixture is added to meat dishes (lamb, pork, beef) and especially poultry (for example, Peking duck), to which it gives a specific, slightly sweet taste. This mixture is good for flavoring hot fruit dishes and confectionery, as well as shellfish dishes.

Caucasian mixtures:

Khmeli-suneli - spicy mixture, used for preparing satsivi, kharcho and other dishes of Georgian cuisine. Shortened composition: coriander, basil, marjoram, dill, hot red pepper, saffron. The first 4 components are taken in equal parts by volume (in powder). Red pepper makes up 1-2% of the total mass, saffron - 0.1%. Full composition: fenugreek, coriander, dill, celery, parsley, basil, garden savory, bay leaf, peppermint, marjoram, hot red pepper, saffron.

• - Yerevan mixture: onion, black pepper, thyme, mint, cilantro, basil, cinnamon, garlic, tarragon, dill, parsley.
• - Ashtar mixture: onion, black pepper, thyme, mint, tarragon, dill, parsley.
• - Etchmiadzin mixture: onion, black pepper, thyme, cilantro, basil, tarragon.