Spice mix facts for kids

Whole spices used to make garam masala

Spice mixes are special blends of different spices or herbs. Imagine a recipe that needs many spices. Instead of adding each one separately, you can use a ready-made mix! This makes cooking much easier and faster. Some common spice mixes you might know are chili powder, curry powder, and garlic salt. You can buy these mixes in stores, or you can even make them yourself at home.

What is Masala?

Masala is a word from the Indian subcontinent that means "spice mix." It comes from Hindi and Urdu languages. A masala can be a mix of dried spices, often roasted first to bring out their flavor. It can also be a paste made from spices mixed with other ingredients like garlic, ginger, onions, or tomatoes.

Masalas are super important in Indian cuisine. They add amazing flavor and spice to dishes. You might have heard of chicken tikka masala or masala chai (a spiced tea). Many other cuisines in places like Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and even the Caribbean also use these flavorful spice mixes.

Famous Spice Mixes Around the World

Ingredients for a Gulf-style baharat

A container of pumpkin pie spice

Different parts of the world have their own special spice mixes. These mixes often use spices that grow well in that region. They also reflect the traditional flavors people love there.

Spice Mixes from the Americas

• Jerk: This is a spicy rub from Jamaica. It's used for meat and often includes allspice and very hot Scotch bonnet peppers.
• Montreal steak seasoning: A popular mix for steaks and grilled meats, especially in Canada.
• Old Bay Seasoning: This mix is famous in Maryland, USA. It has celery salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and paprika. People love it on seafood!
• Pumpkin pie spice: A sweet mix from North America. It's perfect for baking and has cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
• Italian seasoning: A blend of herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano. It's used in many Italian-American dishes.

Spice Mixes from East and Southeast Asia

• Five-spice powder: A classic Chinese blend. It usually has Chinese cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and two other spices.
• Húng lìu: A Vietnamese spice blend.
• Shichimi: A Japanese mix with seven ingredients. It includes red chili pepper, Japanese pepper, orange peel, sesame seeds, and ginger.

Spice Mixes from Europe

• Adobo: A mix of spices used in Spain and Latin America.
• Fines herbes: A light French blend of parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil. It's used for delicate dishes.
• Beau monde seasoning: This mix often contains salt, onion powder, and celery powder.
• Garlic salt: A simple mix of dried garlic and table salt.
• Herbes de Provence: A French blend from the Provence region. It has thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, and sometimes lavender.
• Khmeli suneli: A flavorful blend used in Georgia and the Caucasus region.
• Lemon pepper: A zesty mix of lemon zest, cracked black peppercorns, salt, and other spices.
• Mixed spice or pudding spice: A British blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and other spices.
• Mulling spices: A European mix often used to flavor hot drinks. It has cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and dried fruit.
• Quatre épices: A French blend meaning "four spices." It usually has ground pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
• Seasoned salt: A general term for salt mixed with herbs, spices, and other flavors.
• Sharena sol: A Bulgarian mix with summer savory, paprika, and salt.
• Vadouvan: A French version of an Indian masala, often with a milder flavor.

Spice Mixes from the Middle East and Africa

• Advieh: A spice mix used in Iranian and Mesopotamian cooking.
• Afrinj: An Ethiopian blend that is milder than other Ethiopian mixes.
• Baharat: A popular mix used throughout the Middle East.
• Berbere: A spicy blend from Eritrea and Ethiopia.
• Hawaij: Yemenite spice mixes used mainly for soups and coffee.
• Mitmita: An Ethiopian blend with hot chili peppers, cardamom, cloves, and salt.
• Ras el hanout: A famous North African blend. Its name means "head of the shop," suggesting it's the best mix a spice seller has. It includes cinnamon and cumin.
• Yaji: A West African spice mix, especially popular in Nigeria. It's used for traditional kebabs and has cayenne pepper, ginger, and ground peanuts.
• Za'atar: A Middle Eastern mix that can be an herb itself or a blend of that herb with sesame seeds and sometimes dried sumac.

Spice Mixes from South Asia

• Bafat: A spice mix used in Mangalorean cuisine in India.
• Chaat masala: Ground spices used to flavor a popular snack called chaat.
• Curry powder: A well-known blend from India with many variations. It often includes coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and chili peppers.
• Garam masala: A warm spice blend used in Northern India.
• Kaala masala: A "black" spice blend used in the Indian subcontinent.
• Panch phoron: A five-spice blend from the Indian subcontinent. It uses whole seeds of fenugreek, nigella, fennel, cumin, and mustard.
• Tandoori masala: A spice blend from the Indian subcontinent. It's used for meats cooked in a special clay oven called a tandoor.
• Thunapaha: A Sri Lankan spice blend of coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds.

See also

In Spanish: Mezcla de especias para niños