1. Aniseed (yansun)
Seeds. Used mainly for beverages.
2. Bayleaf (wara'lawra)
Dried leaves. Used with meat dishes.
3. Caraway (karawya)
Dry seeds. Whole, roasted, or
roasted and ground. Used mainly as beverage.
4. Cardamom (Habbahan)
Seeds, dry or lightly roasted.
Used in soups, stews and coffee. See below for more details.
5. Chard (salq)
Fresh, used with stews.
6. Cinnamon (irfa)
Sticks and powder. Used with
meats, stews, sweets and beverages.
7. Cloves (urunfil )
Dried flower, bud. Used in
marinades, jams, and sweets.
8. Coriander (kuzbara)
Fresh leaves and dry seeds,
whole or ground.
9. Corncockle or sometimes it is called "Black Cumin"
(habbit al-baraka)
Seeds. Used mainly in pickles. It is not "Black Cumin".
It is "Black Seasame Seed" or "Niger Seed".
10. Cumin (kammun)
Seeds, whole or ground. Sometimes
roasted before grinding. Used with meats, stews, fish, and pickles.
11. Dill (shabat)
Fresh leaves. Used with stews and stuffings.
12. Ginger (ganzabil)
Dry and ground roots.
Used mainly with cinnamon in sweets and beverages.
13. Mastic (mistika)
Grains. Used with
eats, stews, fish, and soups.
14. Mixed spices (buharat)
Mainly nutmeg, cinnamon,
and sweet pepper, ground and blended. Used mainly with stews.
Always bought readymade.
15. Mint (na `na`)
Leaves, fresh or dried and
crumbled in powder form. Widely used with vegetables, stews,
yogurt, salads, and beverages.
16. Nutmeg (guzt il-tib)
Whole or ground nut.
Used to flavor stews and sweets.
17. Thyme (za'tar)
Dried leaves. Used mainly
in marinades.
1. any of a genus (THymus) of Eurasian mints with
small pungent aromatic leaves; especially: a garden herb.
2. thyme leaves used as a seasoning.
18. Oregano (it is also za'tar)
Dried leaves.
Used mainly in marinades.
Any of several aromatic mints (especially genus Origanum)
used as seasonings;
1. a bushy perennial mint (Origanum vulgare) that is used
as a seasoning and a source of aromatic oil -- called also
origanum, wild marjoram.
2. any of several plants (general Lippia and Coleus)
other than oregano of the vervain or mint families.
19. Parsley (ba`dunis)
Fresh. Used with pickles,
in stuffing, and as decoration for fried meals.
20. Pepper (filfil)
Peppercorns and ground
- white or black.
21 Pepper - hot cayenne or chili (shatta)
Ground or as pods.
22. Safflower (Usfur/Asfor/Kartm)
Dry leaves.
Used in pickles or to color rice.
23. Sesame (simsim)
Seeds, lightly roasted. Used to
top beverages or in sweets and bean cakes (ta`miya).
24. Sumac (summa`a)
Dried pods or pitted and ground.
Used to flavor fried or grilled chicken, eggs, and dips.
25. Greens (Khurda)
Combination of fresh drill and
parsley leaves, or fresh coriander and chard, used in stews.
26. Black Seeds (Habt Albrakh/Alhabah Alsawdaa).
27. Saffron (Zafaran).
28. Comstarch (Nsha).
Dukkah
Combination of several ground spices such as
Cumin (kammun), solt, ground white or black pepper (filfil), and hot
cayenne or chili (shatta). Also you can add any ground spices you like
to it. Usually, you eat Dukkah with Samet (like bagles).
Details for Number 4 - Cardamom (Habbahan) -
Various Types of Cardamom
Seeds, dry or lightly roasted. Used in soups, stews and coffee.
See below for more details.
1- Green Cardamom (Habbahan):
The small pods resemble puffed-up pumpkin seeds. They can easily be
slit open with a fingernail and contain clusters of about 10 sticky black
seeds, which is the source of most of cardamom's flavor and aroma.
The pods may be cooked whole and will soften in heat and liquid, but
the casings are not usually consumed whole.
2- White Cardamom (Habbahan):
Those pods are the same as the green cardamom, but they have been
bleached. Most spice buyers say that the flavor of white cardamom
is milder than green cardamom, but that is also why professional
cooks say they don't like to use it.
3- Black or Large Cardamom (Habbahan):
The dark brown and black pods are up to six times larger than green
cardamom and come from the same family. This spice is usually cooked
whole and adds an earthier flavor and aroma to food than its green
cousin, making it better suited to savory dishes than desserts.
Buying and Storing Cardamom (Habbahan):
As with all spices, cardamom's flavor and fragrance come from
essential oils that quickly fade if not properly handled. IF
possible, choose whole cardamom pods, remove the seeds and
grind them at the last minute before using. Cardamom seeds also
are sold whole and powdered. All cardamom should be stored in
airtight containers in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Ground cardamom is widely available at supermarkets. Whole cardamom
seeds may be procured at some supermarkets and specialty shops.
Green cardamom pods are sold through natural-food stores; green
and black cardamom can be found at specialty spice retailers
and at Indian and Middle Eastern groceries.
