Hey you all, what’s up? Well, let me tell you that I was on an exciting journey to explore different types of spices! Wait, what are you all thinking? Oh no, not an actual journey, I didn’t pack my bags & travelled to different places to know the spices!
But it was definitely a journey of reading & learning about the spices on my own! I continuously share different recipes on Bite N Sip blog with you all, and I thought that it’s important to learn about the ingredients that make such recipes a hit, and those ingredients are none other than the flavourful spices!
“Welcome To The World Of Spices”, because today we are going to explore the most expensive spices in the world! Imagine cooking & then eating our favourite recipes without seasoning them with spices? Such a bland taste, right! No aroma + no flavour, equals zero fun in life! (And I must say that we Indians can’t even imagine Indian Food without the Spices, it’s a nightmare!). Anyways, Asian food stores are a treasure trove of all kind of spices.
Regardless of their origin, spices, upon being discovered by travelers and adventurers, sparked widespread applications and trade. Spices definitely have played a vital role in the history of mankind, such as instigating conflicts & wars, building empires and being used in various religious practices & rituals!
Majorly cultivated in the most exotic locations of the world, these spices can now be found in professional kitchens or in the rack of your kitchen! There are people like me who prefer using spices such as clove, cardamom, cinnamon, etc., for adding flavour to the food & beverages, but many of the spices are commonly utilized for their medicinal properties as well.
Take a look at the list of most expensive spices given below, and hey, you might even discover an unexpected way to use your favourite spice!
Saffron
Saffron tops the list of most expensive spices in the world as a pound of saffron costs around thousands of dollars, and is widely recognized for its unique & intense flavour and vibrant colour. Saffron comes from the stigmas of the Crocus Sativus flower.
Saffron is mostly cultivated in countries like India, Italy, Spain, Iran & Afghanistan and each location comes with its unique type of saffron. The best type of saffron can be identified with its deep red colour, strong smell and a sharp taste.
Moreover, saffron flowers bloom just twice in a year, and each flower yields only three stigmas, which means the threads of the flower from which the spice is obtained. It takes a large amount of flowers to make a little bit of saffron. It’s a labour-intensive task as it requires manual labour of approx. 500 to 600 hours.
It is also called “red gold” due to its high cost. However, the flavour & aroma of saffron is enough to justify its price and it just takes a pinch of saffron to make the dishes taste like heaven! Kesar Peda, Orange Halwa, Doodh Pak, & Mango Shrikhand are a few recipes where saffron is used! You can try out these recipes to find out the magic of saffron yourself!
Pure Vanilla
Vanilla beans come from the seed pods of a tropical orchid and are well-known all over the world for their rich, earthy & sweet flavour. Vanilla is primarily cultivated in Mexico, Indonesia, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Comoros, Uganda, and Tahiti. However, it’s true that this great spice can be found in other countries as well, but the countries mentioned here are the producers of the highest quality vanilla beans.
The vanilla plant, which can grow as a lengthy vine up to 25 meters, needs hand pollination as its typical pollinators are not available everywhere. After pollination, the flowers change into long pods, known as the vanilla beans. These pods are picked by hand and undergo a thorough process of curing & drying so that they are ready to use.
I know that you might be wondering how expensive vanilla can really be as it can be found in almost every sweet dish or any other dish, right? But let me tell you that it’s not real vanilla! The vanilla extracts that you get in nearby stores is just a cheap copy and nothing more than that! Plus, all of your cakes, cookies & ice creams don’t necessarily contain pure vanilla.
Vanilla beans are loved by everyone because they tend to add a unique & rich flavour and beautiful smell to the dishes. They are widely utilized for baking, cooking & even for preparing some amazing beverages such as Irish Coffee Cake, Coconut Milk Tea, Polar Express Hot Chocolate, etc.
Fennel Pollen
I know that we all are very much familiar with fennel seeds as it is widely used in various dishes but I am sure that very few people are aware of Fennel Pollen! Every part of the fennel plant (Foeniculum Vulgare) like the bulbs, seeds, etc., is used in different types of cooking. But when it comes to imparting the most complex & intense flavours, the “tiny flowers or pollen” is all you need to know about!
These tiny flowers are not that easy to obtain, which explains the significant price tag associated with them! Fennel pollen is a spice that is extremely difficult to harvest in huge quantities and has a sweet taste, similar to licorice. but goes a long way because it offers distinct flavours. In modern cooking, fennel pollen has become more popular and is being appreciated a lot!
Chefs & culinary experts are using it to make various dishes like seafood, curries, gelato, panna cotta, etc. Fennel pollen is considered to be a flexible & unique spice of all because of its complex flavours. Despite being expensive & hard to find spice, fennel pollen is loved by chefs & food lovers for its aromatic & special flavour and some great health benefits.
Long Pepper
Another most expensive spice is none other than Long Pepper! It’s a bit spicy, sweet, and has a strong smell. Long pepper is generally a whole & dried spice that is needed to be grinded well to be used for cooking. However, few people like to use the spice as it is!
Long pepper is also called “Pippali”, and is a spice that is derived from the dried fruit of the Piper Logun plant. Actually, there are only two varieties of long pepper, and they can only be found in India and Indonesia. Long pepper is utilized to cook foods like stews, curries, ayurvedic beverages like Momos Chutney, Kadha, etc., to enhance the flavour!
Long pepper can be utilized in place of black pepper and it can be mixed with various spices such as cloves, cinnamon & cardamom to develop a delicious spice mix. It has been utilized for cooking as well as health reasons for a really long time.
Mahlab
Mahlab, also known as Mahlep or Mahalepi, is the most cherished spice of all because of its nutty, bitter & sweet flavour. This particular spice derived from the seeds of a cherry tree known as Prunus Mahaleb. This tree is majorly found in the Mediterranean & Middle East regions. Mahlab is often utilized in cooking foods in the Middle East, Turkey and Greece, specifically for preparing pastas, bread and desserts.
You must know that mahlab contains a small amount of hydrocyanic acid, which can have harmful side effects if consumed in large quantities. Therefore, it is always suggested to consume in small portions. Mahlab is generally sold as whole seeds and to use it, it must be crushed using a grinder/mortar & pestle.
Kaffir Lime Leaves
Kaffir lime leaves, also called Makrut Lime Leaves, are derived from the Kaffir Lime Tree, which is also known as Citrus Hystrix. This tree can be found in Southeast Asian Countries and is utilized in Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai cooking. They have a bold & nice smell as well as flavour and are generally added to curries, sauces, soups & stir-fried dishes.
When these leaves reach peak maturity, they are hand-picked from branches covered with thorns and dried so that they can be utilized for cooking a diverse array of dishes such as Indonesian Soto Ayam, Panang Curry and Vietnamese Ga Nuong La Chanh. Kaffir lime leaves can be used as dried or fresh leaves.
Black Cumin Seeds
Black cumin seeds, also known as Nigella Sativa, is a popular spice that is derived from the plant named Nigella. It is highly recognized for its various health benefits and a burst of nutty & bitter flavour. This plant can be found majorly in the Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia.
Black cumin seeds do have a bold smell and are typically utilized in old-fashioned medicine to help people with digestion, breathing & skin problems. They are rich in antioxidants and also help in reducing inflammation. Black cumin seeds are a good source of important nutrients & healthy fats, which makes them so popular all over the globe.
Green Cardamom
Green cardamoms are more expensive when compared to black cardamoms, as they have a more intense flavour that goes well with sweet as well as savoury dishes. Green cardamom is a spice that comes from the plant seeds of the Elettaria and Amomum families. These green varieties of cardamoms are harvested before reaching their peak maturity.
These plants can be found in India, Nepal & Bhutan. Green cardamoms are generally known for their delightful fragrance and unique flavour. It’s one of the favourite spices used mostly in Middle Eastern and South Asian cooking. A few examples of dishes that can be made using green cardamoms are Cardamom Tea, Bajra Halwa, etc.
Grains Of Paradise
You might be confused like how can this be the name of a spice? Well, grains of paradise is also one of the most expensive spices in the world and is widely known for its spicy flavour. This particular spice is derived from the seeds of the plant named Aframomum Melegueta, that is found in West Africa. It is also known as Alligator Pepper, Guinea Pepper, Melegueta Pepper and Roman Peper.
It is mostly utilized in countries like West Africa, North Africa and the Middle East. Grains of paradise is utilized to enhance the flavour of alcoholic beverages such as beer and gin. It’s also used to make spice mixes, sauces and soups. To maintain the freshness of its smell & flavour, grains of paradise need to be stored in an airtight container and must be kept at a cool, dark place.
Pasilla de Oaxaca Chiles
The Pasilla de Oaxaca Chile, originating from the remote mountainous region of Mexico, derives its name from its place of cultivation. Famous for its rich soil & located high in the Sierra Madre mountains, this particular region is popular for its exceptional variety of A-grade chili peppers.
This chili is typically utilized in traditional Oaxacan cooking. These chilli peppers are dark brown in colour, look wrinkled, and come with a flesh that is not that thick! They have a smoky and a little bit of sweet flavour, which is perfect for seasoning foods.
The Pasilla de Oaxaca chiles have a distinctive smoky & fiery flavour, which is why it has garnered a lot of demand over the world. Pasilla de Oaxaca Chillies can be used to prepare different types of soups, stews, sauces and salsas. They are especially used to cook vegetarian dishes as they add a lot of heat to the food.
Ceylon Cinnamon
Ceylon Cinnamon, also known as Cinnamon Zeylanicum, is mainly produced in Sri Lanka, Madagascar & the Seychelles. and has a sweet & bit of spicy taste. There is one more variety of cinnamon which is known as Cinnamon Cassia, and this one can be found easily in the supermarket and is produced in Indonesia & China.
Both the types originates from the bark of the Cinnamomum tree. Ceylon Cinnamon has a lot of health benefits like anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, controls blood sugar levels and it’s super delicious. When added to any dish, it’s aroma & flavour enhances the dish.
In Summary!
It’s obvious to say that the culinary world cannot function without the spices! All types of spices, whether expensive or not, have been utilized in various ways, from crossing borders & bringing different people together to supporting to build communities, they have come a long way! Spices have also been used to add great flavours to our food, treating ailments, & crafting fabulous fragrances.
As humans, we have always had a passion for adding that spicy zest to life! However, the spices mentioned above are quite valuable and rare at the same time, they are still treasured for their potential to enhance the taste of any food with their unique aroma & flavour. This helps in making our lives more tasteful & spicy!
FAQs
What Is The Most Expensive Spice In The World?
The answer is none other than Saffron! Yes, it’s the most expensive spice in the world and is used for various purposes. 1 kg of Saffron can cost around $3,000-$4,000. The high price of this spice reflects the tedious & hard work it takes to obtain the spice from the flowers.
