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
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
Information About the Spices We Use
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