Chumley Stella's Spice 'N Easy Spice Information Spice Encyclopedia Medicinal Spices Spice Dictionary

Ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi)
A relative of dill, caraway and cumin. It is mostly found in Indian cooking. It is also
known as bishop’s weed or carom.
Curative Qualities: The seeds are often chewed on their own for medicinal value,
numbing the tongue. Ajowan seeds contain about 50% thymol which is a strong
germicide, anti-spasmodic and fungicide. It is used in a steeped liquid form
against diarrhea and flatulence. In India the seeds are used as a household
remedy for indigestion and colic, and in poultices to relieve asthma and arthritis.
The Ananga Ranga prescribes it for increasing a man's libido in mid-life.
Aroma: Pungent thyme/cumin fragrance.
Character: Harsh thyme-like flavour with a bit of a kick, leaving a milder, pleasant
aftertaste.
Heat Level: 5

Allspice (Pimenta dioica)
This dried berry's country of origin is Jamaica and belongs to the myrtle family. It
was called allspice by the British because it tasted like a mixture of nutmeg,
cinnamon, black pepper and cloves. It is an essential ingredient in jerk
seasonings and a staple in Caribbean cuisine. In many places, allspice is called
pimento. Does not keep well in ground form.
Curative Qualities: Allspice contains eugenol making it a digestive and it helps in
the release of gas from the intestinal tract. The oil is classed as rubefacient,
meaning that it irritates the skin and expands the blood vessels, increasing the
flow of blood to make the skin feel warmer making it a popular home remedy for
arthritis and sore muscles used either as a poultice or in hot baths.
Aroma: Pungent and aromatic, resembling a blend of nutmeg, clove, ginger and
cinnamon.
Character: Warm and sweetly pungent, tasting bitingly hot and bitter, like the
blend described above with peppery overtones.
Heat Level: 4

Amchur (Mangifera indica)
The spice amchur is unripe or green mango fruits which have been sliced, sun
dried and ground. The mango tree is a member of the family that includes the
cashew and pistachio nut. Amchur has a slightly sweet but sour flavor and is
mainly used in Indian cooking to provide acidity. Because of its acidity, like lemon
or lime juice it is used to tenderize meat.
Curative Qualities: The mango tree's popularity in India and the Far East is
legendary. The leaves, bark, resin, flowers, fruit, and seed, are all utilized. The
unripe fruit is acidic, astringent and antiscorbutic, and in the dried condition,
amchur is particularly useful for the latter purpose. Of the mango’s other
properties, its dyeing quality is of interest. In India, cattle are fed on mango
leaves and their urine is used as a yellow dye, the active principle in this being
xanthone. Needless to say, the fabric treated thus has its own special bouquet!
Aroma: Sour-sweet, warm and slightly resinous.
Character: Slightly sweet and acidic.
Heat Level: 1

Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum)
Related to caraway, dill, cumin and fennel, this spice that tastes and smells like
black licorice is part of the parsley family. It is a Middle Eastern native that has
been used as a medicine since prehistoric times.
Not to be confused with star anise, anise is the true taste of licorice— its oils are
distilled into the flavouring for licorice candy (not from the herb licorice, which has
a different taste). It has been used both for culinary and medicinal purposes
since ancient times.
Of the any of the qualities attributed to anise we like what one writer warned: “it
stirreth up bodily lust”. This accredited to the same spice that could ward off the
Evil Eye or keep away nightmares if placed under one’s pillow. Anise is used to
scent soaps and perfumes. It is also claimed that anise is an effective bait for rats
and mice and the distilled oil dabbed onto a fishing lure will improve a fisherman’s
chances. Dogs are also attracted by anise — it is often an ingredient in dog food
and the seeds may be used to lay drag hunt trails and also by anti-blood sport
movements to put hounds off the scent.
Curative Qualities: Called “Tut-te See-Hau” by American Indians, meaning “it
expels the wind”, anise’s carminative properties have been known since
antiquity. It helps with digestion and sweetens the breath, so it is chewed after
meals in parts of Europe, the Middle East and India. It is a mild expectorant and
is used in the manufacture of many commercial cough syrups and sore throat
medications. It is also antiseptic, antispasmodic, soporific and a few seeds taken
with water will often cure hiccups.
Aroma: Sweet and fragrant.
Character: Similar to fennel with a mild licorice taste.
Heat Level: 1

Annatto (Bixa orellana)
This derivative of the achiote tree. It is produced from the reddish pulp that
surrounds the seed of the achiote.
It is mainly used to give a light or dark orange tinge to food such as, cheese
(including Cheddar), margarine, butter, smoked fish and roast pig. Central and
South American Indians used the seeds to make lipstick and
body paint.
Yeats wrote “Good annatto is the colour of fire” (Natural History, 1870). The
Mayan Indians of Central America used the bright dye as war paint.
Curative Qualities: Annatto was once used to control fevers, dysentery and kidney
diseases. Now it is used mostly as a dye in medical preparations such as
ointments and plasters. In India the pulp is used as an insect repellent.
Aroma: Slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg.
Character: Slightly sweet and peppery.
Heat Level: 1-2

Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida)
This spice is the hardened resin (latex) from the sap of a giant fennel of the
parsley family that exudes a noxious odor due to it's sulfurous compounds. It
comes from the Middle East. It's been used in medicinal preparations for 2500
years. It is also called stink finger, Devil's Dung and Food of the Gods. The smell is
not far from that of rotting onions. The fetid smell disappears when cooked and
provides a delightful onion-like flavor. It is usually dissolved in hot oil. A pea sized
amount is considered a large quantity.
Curative Qualities: Asafoetida is known as an antidote for flatulence and is also
prescribed for respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough.
Its vile smell has led to many unusual medical claims, mostly stemming from the
belief that it’s foetid odour would act as a deterrent to germs. In several
European countries a small piece of the resin would be tied on a string and hung
around children's necks to protect from disease. The shock of the sulfurous smell
was once thought to calm hysteria and in the days of the American Wild West it
was included in a mixture with other strong spices as a cure for alcoholism.
Aroma: Pungent smell of rotting onions or sulfur. The smell disappears with
cooking.
Character: On its own, extremely unpleasant, like concentrated rotten garlic.
When cooked, it adds an delightful onion-like flavour.
Heat Level: 0

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