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HomeExploreFood & DrinkWhat Whole Spices Look Like
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A cinnamon quill, a cardamom pod, and a dried chile each tell you something about the plant they came from. These close-up photos show how to recognize whole spices by their shape, color, and texture, from familiar seeds and barks to long pepper and the red berries used for sumac.

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1
Saffron threads
Saffron threads: The slender crimson threads are the stigmas of the saffron crocus. Look for the flared tip at one end of…
2
Star anise
Star anise: The pointed compartments of the dried fruit form a star around the center. A smooth, shiny seed sits inside…
3
Ceylon cinnamon quills
Ceylon cinnamon quills: Look at the cut ends of the sticks for thin layers of bark rolled together. The powder alongside…
4
Indonesian cassia cinnamon
Indonesian cassia cinnamon: The reddish-brown sticks have thicker bark and a more open curl than Ceylon cinnamon. The ends…
5
Green cardamom
Green cardamom: The tapered green pods have shallow ridges running lengthwise. The papery shell holds the smaller, dark…
6
Saffron crocus
Saffron crocus: The red stigmas stand out against the violet petals. Those are the threads that are separated from the…
7
Cloves
Cloves: Each whole clove is an unopened flower bud, dried until it turns brown. The rounded head encloses the petals, and…
8
Mace and nutmeg
Mace and nutmeg: The red, lacy tissue is mace. It wraps around the seed that yields nutmeg, so two distinct spices come…
9
Vanilla pods
Vanilla pods: Cured vanilla pods are long, thin, and dark, with wrinkles that run the length of the skin. The tiny seeds…
10
Black peppercorns on the vine
Black peppercorns on the vine: The beads on these hanging spikes are still green. The fruit of this vine darkens and…
11
Dried black peppercorns
Dried black peppercorns: These are the dark, wrinkled peppercorns that go into a grinder. Their outer skins darken as the…
12
White peppercorns
White peppercorns: The ivory-colored peppercorns are seeds from the same vine that produces black pepper. Removing the…
13
Pink peppercorns
Pink peppercorns: The pink fruits come from a pepper tree in the cashew family. Some of the papery skins have flaked away…
14
Culinary sumac
Culinary sumac: The red fruits of culinary sumac crowd into a dense cluster. The dried fruit is ground into the tart red…
15
Cumin seeds
Cumin seeds: These long, ridged fruits are sold as cumin seeds. Their narrow shape sets them apart from round coriander…
16
Coriander seeds
Coriander seeds: The dried fruits are small and nearly spherical, with ribs that catch the light. The round shape makes…
17
Fennel seeds
Fennel seeds: Whole fennel is sold as seed, though each ridged piece is a dried fruit or half of one. Look for the plump…
18
Aniseed
Aniseed: These small, ribbed fruits have a tapered shape. Their sweet aroma is similar to star anise, whose fruit has a…
19
Caraway seeds
Caraway seeds: These narrow, curved pieces are dried fruit halves sold as caraway seeds. Their pale lengthwise ridges stand…
20
Mustard seeds
Mustard seeds: The round yellow, brown, and dark seeds are tiny enough that the photograph includes a scale. Compare their…
21
Fenugreek seeds
Fenugreek seeds: The yellow-brown seeds have angular corners and a groove across one face. Their chunky shape makes them…

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