5 of the Rarest Spices in the World and Their Best Uses
Seasoning is integral to the cooking process and can transform an otherwise bland dish into a delicacy. Different countries and cultures are known for certain spices, including India (turmeric and cumin) and Italy (oregano and basil). In the United States, most people have salt and pepper as tableside seasoning options, while the average pantry or spice rack is stocked with staples like garlic, paprika, cinnamon, parsley, and red pepper flakes.
For the most part, these are available at grocery stores or specialty shops. There are many other exotic spices, however, that are harder to find, but which elevate a dish when used properly. Below are five of the rarest spices in the world.
1. Saffron
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Derived from the perennial crocus flower, the ground spice is made from the signature red threads (stigma) in the middle of the flower and can cost thousands of dollars per pound. The threads can also be used when cooking if they’re first placed in water, which is known as blooming, or toasted in a pan for about 30 seconds.
Because the spice is so rare and expensive, some sellers use counterfeit versions mixed with turmeric, marigold, and safflower. Unadulterated saffron has a distinct floral smell with hints of honey and vanilla, is dark red in color, and tastes bitter and earthy.
Saffron production is tedious and time-consuming, which is why it’s so expensive. The flowers are handpicked and each usually has no more than three stigmas. Meanwhile, it takes as much as 500 stigmas to produce one gram of saffron. An entire acre of the crocus flower will only yield about 3 pounds of saffron, and it can take more than 450 hours to handpick 150,000 flowers, which is about 900 grams, or almost 2 pounds, or saffron.
Fortunately, a small pinch of saffron is enough to add its signature flavor and color to a dish. It’s most used in sauces, paella, rice, or seafood dishes.
2. Asafoetida
A popular ingredient in Indian vegetarian dishes, asafoetida is a gum resin made from various large fennel plants. The powdered spice is often added to curries or stews as an aromatic in place of chopped onion and garlic. It is particularly popular in the households of Brahmin and Jain Indians, who do not eat onion and garlic as part of their religious observances. Because of its sulfuric properties, uncooked asafoetida has an unpleasant smell and is sometimes called “stinking gum.”
Asafoetida gives depth to vegetarian dishes and has some purported health benefits. While native to Iran and Afghanistan, it has long been used in Indian medicine to support digestion and treat bronchitis. Many people also use asafoetida to reduce or prevent gas after meals.
3. Sumac
There are many varieties of sumac berries, most of which are found in countries in the Middle East. While the white or light-green berries are poisonous, the red berries produce a rare and delicious spice that can add rich, tangy, and sour notes to fish, chicken, and beef dishes. The spice tastes slightly lemony.
Sumac may be a rare spice in the US, but it is widely used throughout the Middle East and North Africa. It’s an integral ingredient in fattoush, a popular dish in Lebanon and Syria that also features toasted pita chunks, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, and fresh mint. In Iran, people use sumac as a tableside condiment like salt and pepper.
4. Black Cardamom
Cardamom is another popular Indian spice that adds a unique flavor and aroma to many popular dishes in the country. Like asafoetida, it is also purported to have medicinal properties, and it is used in home remedies to treat minor illnesses such as colds, cough, or high blood sugar. There are two types of cardamom: black and green. Whereas green cardamom is primarily used in desserts and savory dishes, black cardamom is known for its intense, smoky flavor profile.
Derived from the Amomum subulatum species, black cardamom is harvested when it is at a much more mature stage than green cardamom. It is dried over a fire pit. Whole cardamom, which has seeds inside small pods, and ground cardamom are both used regularly in Indian cooking. Black cardamom pods do not have many uses, so despite the spice’ s rarity, black cardamom seeds are typically less expensive than green.
5. Grains of Paradise
Grains of paradise have a flavor profile best described as black peppercorn but with a hint of heat. They come from the same family as cardamom and ginger and have hints of coriander, nutmeg, juniper, and citrus. The ground spice is usually used as a dry rub for braised meat or to add heat to paellas and curries. Some people add grains of paradise to pastries like cakes and gingerbread.
Also called guinea or melegueta pepper, the seed grains of paradise are harvested from the bamboo-like Aframomum melegueta, commonly found in marshy areas in West Africa. The seeds can be used to infuse olive oil with heat for a flavorful salad dressing or marinade.
