Spices and condiments

Since antiquity, spices and condiments have been indispensable in the culinary arts. They have also played an important role in early medicine. They add savour to insipid dishes, tang to beverages and zest to appetizers. Some of the spices and condiments are also used in cosmetics and perfumes and ointments to soothe and heal. They also have preservative and anti-oxidant properties. In ancient times spices were valued more than gold, determined policies of nations and served as incentives for the discovery of new trade routes and of new continents.

Spices and condiments come from various parts of plants:

1. fruits (capsicum, black pepper, cardamom)
2. seeds (aniseed, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, mustard, caraway, celery)
3. rhizomes and roots (ginger, turmeric)
4. leaves (bay leaves, parsley, sage, thyme)
5. barks (cinnamon, cassia)
6. bulbs (onion, garlic, shallot)
7. floral parts (cloves, saffron)

Among the commonly used spices and condiments are the following;

1. pepper (Piper nigrum)
2. cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylinicum)
3. capsicum (Capsium anuum)
4. ginger (Zingiber officinale)
5. coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
6. turmeric (Cucurma domestica )
7. cardamom (Eletteria cardomomum)
8. vanilla (Vanilla fragrans)
9. cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
10. mustard (Brassica juncea)