Update Date: June 29, 2024
What are the main Persian spices? What is the red seasoning in the Persian restaurants? What is the most expensive spice in Iran?
Persian cuisine owes its unrepeatable taste to the fantastic Persian spices that mix the flavors like a magical brush and provide a heavenly dish. Indeed, Persian spices are the fundamental base of each food you eat in Iranian restaurants.
Each chef takes advantage of the colorful world of Persian advieh (Persian spice) to invite its honorable guest to the play of tastes and colors. Are you ready to know Iran from a new angle? Do you like to find the most popular Persian spices?
If you are eagerly waiting for something new, please give your hand to us and jump into the aromatic world of spices of Iran. We want to take you to the world of Persian spices.
What Are Persian Spices?
Persian spices are inseparable items you can discover in an Iranian’ kitchen. In fact, the more you use spices, the less you need salt. Thus, on the one hand, you stay healthy; on the other hand, you may enjoy the uncountable benefits of spices. In the following part, you can find the Persian spices list:
- Turmeric;
- Cinnamon;
- Angelica;
- Dried lime;
- Saffron;
- Cumin;
- Cardamom;
- Pepper;
- Coriander;
- Fennel;
- Ginger;
- Clove;
- Sumac;
- Damask rose;
- Salt.
Damask Rose
Damask rose is the precious souvenir of Kashan (a city in Isfahan province), which is among the most expensive essence in the world. Actually, Kashan provides 15 thousand tons of damask rose and takes the first position on the planet.
It is worth mentioning that Iranians were the first people who recognize the significance and benefits of damask rose, including:
- It relaxes the mind and body;
- It is anti-bacterial;
- It is anti-seizure;
- It is anti-depression;
- It reduces physical pain;
- It strengthens internal organs like the liver,
- It is a natural antibiotic;
- It improves eye tiredness;
- It is helpful for reflexes.
Iranian people add damask rose to different foods such as Shole Zard (a food made of rice, sugar, saffron, butter, and damask rose), ice cream, cakes, cookies, etc. A glass of damask rose sherbet during the sweltering summer days helps reduce body temperature. Enjoy it!
Salt
Salt is food’s taste; in other words, if you want to make delicious food, you must add a pinch of salt to your pot. However, you must be alert because it is called white poison, and excessive salt can lead to serious health problems like hypertension, water retention, etc.
All in all, salt is necessary to keep blood pressure under control, prevent infection, prevent muscle tension, etc. Salt is an inseparable ingredient of Persian spices that makes Iranian dishes delicious.
Sumac– Persian Red Spice
Sumac, this sour Persian spice, reminds everyone of Iranians’ Nowruz celebration and Haftsin (a table consisting of seven items all start with an S letter). However, it is not the only usage of Persian sumac spice; it is the close friend of Kabab Koobideh (a kind of Kabab made of ground meat, onion, and Persian spices).
This Persian red spice for rice tastes like lime but looks red, which has a powerful impact on blood sugar, heart diseases, fungal infections, bladder inflammation, bone health, and women’s cycle. If you visit our store, you will find our unique cookbooks in Persian and English formats, helping you to know Persian cuisine from a new window.
Take a Persian chef to your home by preparing our extraordinary recipes from the fourth side of Iran. Our delicious recipes won’t make you regretful; trust us.
Clove
Clove is a typical Persian spice and medicine used to prepare pickles and foods. In different parts of the world, particularly Iran, people use clove tea to improve headaches, and kidney infections, disinfect the stomach, and improve toothache and skin inflammation.
This hot Persian spice gives a magical taste to different sauces, cakes, cookies, and soups. Clove works well for promoting the immune system function, slowing the cancer cells ‘growth, improving digestive disorders, treating tooth infections, etc.
If you are looking for fantastic Persian spices for beef, please take pleasure from the heavenly taste of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg to invite your friends to the world of savory Persian spices.
Ginger
Ginger is one of the mysterious Persian spices for lamb, which gives it an unforgettable taste. This hot Persian spice is highly enjoyed in Iranian cuisine; it is the essential ingredient in Masala chai (a tea made of ginger, fennel, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove).
Ginger candy is a popular thing in Iran that is tasty with evening tea and has many advantages, including:
- Improving aches, especially headaches;
- Treating acne;
- Detoxing body cells;
- Reducing sickness;
- Improving dizziness.
If you like to make your food unique and unforgettable, remember to use ginger, particularly if you want to bake chicken. Ginger eliminates its annoying odor and makes it delicious. Ginger pickle or ginger Torshi (small pieces of vegetables flavored with vinegar and spices) is delicious and worth trying with delicious Persian foods.
Fennel
Fennel belongs to the celery family and is the females’ friend. It is one of the excellent traditional Persian herbs that some Iranians consume with cheese due to its valuable minerals. It is an excellent source of vitamins C, B, A, K, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus. In traditional medicine, it is used to:
- Remove bad breathing;
- Regulate women’s cycle;
- Improve anemia;
- Improve constipation signs;
- Balance cholesterol levels and prevent heart diseases;
- Minimize colic symptoms.
You may enjoy fennel’s benefits by drinking a cup of hot tea or testing traditional candies like Komaj (a kind of candy consisting of fennel and cumin seeds).
Coriander
Coriander, an aromatic and delicious vegetable that is one of the main ingredients of Coca-Cola, is highly employed in Iranian cuisine. In fact, it includes a considerable amount of protein, vitamins A, C, K, magnesium, calcium, fiber, and iron.
Thus, Iranian chefs add coriander or its seeds to pottages such as noodle pottage, soups, Ghormeh Sabzi, etc. This cold and dry vegetable is named the miraculous vegetable due to its uncountable benefits such as:
- Controlling blood sugar;
- Preventing hair loss;
- Treating kidney infection;
- Promoting the immune system;
- Preventing anemia;
- Improving brain function.
Pepper
Do you like spicy dishes? If you enjoy hot and spicy dishes, please take the chance to test spicy Iranian foods like Kufta (a traditional food from Azarbayjan province made of meat, vegetables, split peas, advice, etc.).
If you travel to Iran, trying Falafel is a must; this tasty food is made of peas, potatoes, onions, garlic, and Persian spices, then you may serve it with a special spicy sauce. Indeed, human beings added pepper to their dishes over seven centuries before Christ’s birth, and Iranian people were no exception.
The farmers of Semnan province are the leading pepper producers in Iran. The chilly pepper’s valuable benefits are:
- It treats acne;
- It reduces body pain;
- It improves hair growth;
- It accelerates body metabolism;
- It helps control blood sugar;
- It prevents fatty liver;
- It prevents heart stroke;
- It improves the immune system.
Pepper is hot and dry, so Iranian people add it to cold temperament items to create a moderate dish and stay healthy.
Cardamom
Cardamom is one of the best Persian spices consisting of three types:
- White Cardamom;
- Black Cardamom;
- Green Cardamom.
It belongs to the ginger family and is highly consumed in Iran, India, and Pakistan to make candies, drinks, tea, loaves of bread, and jams, particularly carrot jam. This heavenly typical Persian spice can:
- Reduce blood pressure;
- Reduce cancer cells’ growth;
- Treats bad breathing;
- Improve signs of depression;
- Strengthen stomach;
- Improve kidneys’ function.
Cardamom is one of the Persian spices for lamb, eliminating meat’s unpleasant scent and giving it a new taste. Did you know that cardamom is named the spices’ queen? Enjoy the surprising taste and aroma of cardamom in your food and drinks.
Cumin
Cumin, this tasty and savory seed, the parsley family member, comes in black and green. This thousands of years spice is highly welcome in Persian cuisine, and the farmers of Kerman province cultivate one of the best types of cumin in Iran. It possesses specific features:
- It improves women’s cycle pain;
- It removes bloating;
- It is anti-seizure;
- It is appetizing;
- It promotes the immune system function;
- It increases body metabolism and helps lose weight;
- It is a rich source of iron;
- It promotes food digestion.
It is interesting to mention that Iranians add cumin to most of their foods, significantly different types of pottages like Ash-e Reshteh (a traditional Iranian food made of peas, lentils, kidney beans, vegetables, noodles, fried onion, and garlic, and kashk (dried yogurt)).
Cumin is one of the essential Persian spices for rice; in other words, Iranian people make Polo (cooked rice) with cumin to moderate its temperament. Actually, rice is cold temperament, and cumin is hot, so their mixture keeps the body healthy.
Indeed, food could be both pain and a cure. Zireh polo (an Iranian food made of cumin, rice, and meat) is among the delicious dishes owing its taste to the tiny particles of cumin which is served with yogurt and cumin.
Angelica
Angelica is one of the traditional Persian herbs originating from mountainous parts of Iran, Azerbaijan province (in the northwest of Iran), Alborz, Zanjan, Yazd, and some places in southern Iran.
This Persian flavor is significantly employable in Persian cuisine and traditional medicine and promotes memory, improves stomach function, reduces bloating, and helps lose weight. Iranian people consume pomegranate seeds with Angelica to moderate their temperament.
This hot temperament Iranian spice promotes food digestion, so it is used in different stews, soups, and pottages consisting of beans. In our cookbooks, you may find different types of Iranian pottages worth testing; in a word, having a Persian cookbook is a must for everyone who likes to discover Persian spices.
Saffron– Persian Red Gold
Saffron is Iran’s red gold, equalizing various valuable things like gold and precious stones. This mysterious aromatic spice goes well with various Iranian foods. It is among the necessary Persian spices for chicken that helps remove its unpleasant scent and donates it a beautiful color.
If you join Iranian families or traditional restaurants for delicious food, you may enjoy saffron rice with Tahdig and tasty side dishes. This famous Iranian spice improves:
- The symptoms of depression and anxiety;
- Memory function and cognitive skills;
- Body pains;
- Heart and lung function;
- Women cycle pain;
- Blood sugar levels;
- Blood pressure level;
- Digestive system function;
- Sleep disorders;
- Body metabolism.
Khorasan province’s farmers are the leading producers of saffron, and due to their efforts, Iran is the powerful exporter of this precious red gold. It is worth mentioning that saffron, one of the most expensive Persian spices, is nicknamed “The Sun Advieh” and is highly employed in Iranian foods, desserts, candies, and sherbets. Take the chance to enjoy saffron sherbet on your travel to Iran.
Dried Lime
Dried lime is among the common Persian spices and an essential item for making different stews like Ghormeh Sabzi (a type of stew made of vegetables, kidney beans, meat, spices, and dried lime), Gheimeh (a stew made of split peas, meat, fried potatoes or eggplants, and tomato sauce), and Abgoosht.
Iranians dry this sour lime before the sun; some people prefer to slice it, while others enjoy the whole lime. Adding it to your stew releases its mind-blowing aromatic scent and makes your stew sour and tasty. This sour Persian spice improves cold symptoms, reduces blood pressure, disinfects the body, and improves headaches.
Cinnamon
One of the most popular Persian spices is cinnamon which is highly beneficial for our health. This tasty spice comes with various benefits, and according to scientists claim, it can prevent diseases such as Alzheimer, diabetes, infection, teeth bleeding, and heart failure.
Iranian people use cinnamon in different food such as Kalam Polo (a mixture of rice, meat, spices, and cabbage), Havij Polo (a mixture of rice, grated carrot, meat, saffron, and spices), Loobia Polo (a mixture of rice, snap beans, spices, and meat), and designing Shole Zard (a Persian rice pudding).
It might be interesting to know that some Iranians (like me) add this tasteful spice to some food like Abgoosht (a traditional Persian food), which is highly enjoyable. Try it!
Turmeric
Turmeric is a yellow Persian spice applicable to the tastiest Persian dishes. This Asian spice reduces body inflammation, promotes memory function, helps diabetic patients, and heals skin. It adds color to Persian foods like stews, soups, various types of Polo, spaghetti, kebab, and Falafel (a vegetarian hamburger made of chickpeas).
Turmeric, categorized in the ginger family, has a sharp taste and smell; thus, it emits meat’s unpleasant scent. Watch the amount of turmeric in your food because the excessive amount will make it bitter.
The Savory World of Persian Spices
As mentioned earlier, the correct selection of Persian spices for each food leads to having delicious dishes. The main Persian spices a chef needs are Sumac, saffron, cumin, pepper, ginger, cardamom, etc.
In this article, we tried to familiarize you with typical Persian spices, explain their benefits, and describe their usage to help you cook like an Iranian chef. However, if you need help concerning Persian spices or would like to prepare a cookbook, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
We are here to take your hand and guide you to the galaxy of Iranian food culture. So, stay with us and enjoy your explanation.