Whole Spices

Black pepper is one of the most used spices worldwide. It’s made by grinding peppercorns, which are dried berries from the vine Piper nigrum. It has a sharp and mildly spicy flavour that goes well with many dishes. But black pepper is more than just a kitchen staple. It has been deemed the “king of spices” and used in ancient Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years due to its high concentration of potent, beneficial plant compounds.

Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner  bark  of  several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfast cereals, snack foods, tea and traditional foods.

Cloves are commonly used in spice blends for meat rubs and marinades, including the popular blends Chinese five-spice powder and garam masala. They are one of many spices used to make Vietnamese pho, and they stud whole-baked hams  and pots of German braised red cabbage. Cloves are a pungent spice found in savoury  dishes,  desserts, and drinks. Ground or whole cloves flavour meat, sauces,  and rice dishes. Cloves are often used along with cinnamon and nutmeg in sweet dishes, especially "pumpkin pie" flavoured items for the autumn and winter holidays, and in drinks such as mulled wine, cider, or chai.

Coriander, popularly known as dhania in India, is extensively used across various regional cuisines to flavour curries, stir fries, snacks, breakfast items – you name it! Coriander seeds are the dried berries of the coriander herb but have little similarity in taste to fresh coriander. The seeds can be bought whole or in powdered form.  Ground coriander  is a  component of many different spice mixtures including garam masala and harissa, It's also good added to savoury pickles, chutneys or casseroles and can be used in cakes and other baked goodies. Crushed whole coriander seeds are delicious for flavouring homemade burgers.

Cumin is a  spice  that  comes  from  the  Cuminum  cyminum plant. It is native to Asia, Africa, and Europe. However, people all around the world use it to flavour meals. People usually buy cumin in the form of whole dried seeds or as ground powder. It is a typical ingredient in many spice blends, such as curry powder.

Cardamom of commerce is the dried ripe fruit often referred as the “Queen of Spices” because of its very pleasant aroma and taste. Cardamom has a strong, sweet, pungent flavour and aroma, with hints of lemon and mint. Black cardamom has a smoky note and a cooling menthol one as well.

Black mustard seeds are a common ingredient in Indian cooking. They are often kept whole and fried (or toasted) before adding to a dish or including in a stir-fry along with other aromatic ingredients. White mustard seeds can be toasted to add to dishes or used for pickling.

Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 to 2 millimetres (0.039 to 0.079 in) in diameter and may be coloured from yellowish white to black. They are an important spice in many regional foods. Mustard seeds will keep for up to one year if stored in an air- tight container in a dark, dry  place.  The  mustard  seeds naturally are packed with minerals and are rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorous.