One of the world's most ancient spices, green cardamom comes from the seeds of a ginger-like plant and is native to southern India.

Illicium verum, commonly called star anise, star aniseed, or Chinese star anise is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from the star-shaped pericarp of Illicium verum, a medium-sized native evergreen tree of northeast Vietnam and southwest China....

Cassia typically refers to cassia bark, the spice made from the bark of East Asian trees related to the ""true cinnamon"" (Cinnamomum verum) of Sri Lanka. Cassia is the typical ""cinnamon"" marketed in North America but is distinguished from it in Europe.

Black and white peppercorns are both the fruit of the pepper plant, but they are processed differently. Black peppercorns are picked when almost ripe and sun-dried, turning the outer layer black. To produce white peppercorns, this outer layer is removed before or...

Fennel is a flowering plant species in the celery family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae. It is the sole species in the genus Foeniculum. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves.

Cumin, also known as Zeera, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to India. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, in both whole and ground form.

Coriander is a small, hollow-stemmed plant in the Apiaceae family, in the genus: Coriandum. Its scientific name is Coriandum sativum. Pleasant, aromatic and spicy, its seeds have been in use since ancient times in cooking as well as an ingredient in various...

Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. India is a significant producer of turmeric which has regional names based on language and country.

The chili pepper (also chile pepper or chilli pepper) is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. India is the world's largest producer, consumer and exporter of chili peppers.

Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. They are native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice.

Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black.  They are important herbs in many regional foods.

Black cardamom, by contrast, is better for hearty meat stews and similar dishes. Although the flavor differs from the smaller green cardamom, black cardamom is sometimes used by large-scale commercial bakers because of its low cost.

Ginger or ginger root is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It derives its name to its genus and family (Zingiberaceae).

Fenugreek is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae, with leaves consisting of three small obovate to oblong leaflets. It is cultivated worldwide as a semiarid crop, and its seeds are a common ingredient in dishes from the Indian Subcontinent.