At a recent cooking class, I was asked about ethnic cooking and how to know what spices should be on hand…I certainly did not have a comprehensive answer so I did a bit of research. Here is what I found!
Italian
- garlic, olive oil, basil, oregano, parsley, tarragon, marjoram, tomatoes, artichokes, olives, lemon, fennel, rosemary, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar
Mediterranean/Greek
- garlic, oregano, olive oil, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, red onions, lemon, peppers, feta cheese
French
- olive oil, garlic, basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, sage, lavender, tarragon, shallots, capers, Dijon mustard, wine, butter
Spanish/Mexican
- cumin, chile powder, oregano, garlic, onions, cilantro, ancho chile, poblano peppers, jalapeno pepper, serrano chiles, lime, scallions, tomatoes, avocados
Chinese
- garlic, fresh ginger, brown rice vinegar, mirin (sweet rice wine) tamari, Hoisin sauce, toasted sesame oil, miso, agave nectar, sriracha hot sauce, peanuts, cashews, sesame seeds, scallions
Japanese
- miso, sake, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sweet rice wine, ginger, sesame seed oil, sesame seeds, wasabi
Indian
- cumin, mustard, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cardamom, fenugreek, fennel, garlic, fresh ginger, turmeric, curry, yogurt, coconut milk, paprika
Central/South Asian
- garlic, ginger, shallots, scallions, lemongrass, cilantro, Thai basil, curry paste, tamari, rice wine vinegar, hot chili peppers, coconut milk, fish sauce
Cajon/Creole
- onions, celery, peppers, chiles, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, cayenne, paprika, garlic, black pepper, oregano, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, cumin, cloves
North African/Moroccan
- ginger, sweet paprika, hot paprika, cumin, cinnamon, saffron, turmeric, cayenne, mint, harissa, cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, turmeric, olives, raisins, dates, almonds, sesame seeds, lemon
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