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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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22
Fresh turmeric
Fresh turmeric: The cut exposes the bright orange flesh of this knobby rhizome. An uncut piece can look much more subdued…
23
Fresh ginger
Fresh ginger: The spice comes from the branching rhizome. Its pale flesh and tan skin are easy to compare with the orange…
24
Fresh galangal
Fresh galangal: The knobby rhizome has pale skin marked by darker rings. Galangal is related to ginger and is sliced into…
25
Dried licorice root
Dried licorice root: These dried pieces have a pale, fibrous interior. The root gives traditional licorice candy its…
26
Asafoetida resin
Asafoetida resin: The whole spice comes as irregular amber-brown lumps of dried resin. Asafoetida, also called hing, is…
27
Allspice berries
Allspice berries: The dried brown berries have a small circular mark at one end. Whole allspice comes from a single plant…
28
Juniper berries
Juniper berries: The blue-black spheres are fleshy seed cones called juniper berries. A pale, dusty coating is visible on…
29
Nigella seeds
Nigella seeds: The dried capsules sit beside the small, angular black seeds used as a spice. The seeds, also called…
30
Dried Hungarian paprika peppers
Dried Hungarian paprika peppers: Whole red peppers hang in a string in Tihany. The pods show how paprika starts out before…
31
Ancho chile
Ancho chile: Ancho is a dried ripe poblano. The pepper keeps its broad shoulders and tapered shape as the skin shrivels and…
32
Sichuan pepper
Sichuan pepper: The reddish shells often split into little cups. The aromatic husk is the part used as a spice.
33
Indian long pepper
Indian long pepper: A dried spike looks like a narrow, knobbly cone. The small bumps are the individual fruits packed…
34
Cubeb pepper
Cubeb pepper: The dried, round fruits still have their little stalks attached, which explains the name tailed pepper. Cubeb…
35
Dill seed head
Dill seed head: The umbrella-shaped head carries the fruits sold as dill seed. Their thin, flattened profile differs from a…
36
Celery seed
Celery seed: The tiny tan grains have lengthwise ribs. Cooks use them whole in pickles or grind them with salt to make…
37
Poppy seeds
Poppy seeds: Dried poppy capsules sit beside a bowl of the tiny seeds they release. The seeds are sprinkled over bagels and…
38
White sesame seeds
White sesame seeds: The light-colored seeds are flat and taper at one end. At this scale their outline is easy to…
39
Black sesame seeds
Black sesame seeds: The little black seeds are flat and oval, with smoother outlines than angular nigella seeds. They’re…
40
Grains of paradise
Grains of paradise: This open pod shows how the small seeds sit together in the fruit. The loose seeds are the peppery…
41
Annatto seeds
Annatto seeds: The spiny capsule has split to reveal the vivid seeds. Their orange-red coating supplies annatto's color.
42
Ajwain
Ajwain: These small fruits have prominent ridges along their length. Their shape recalls cumin, but the grains are shorter…

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