Spice blends are the mixture of three or more whole spices. They may be used in powdered form or in whole form. Similar to spices, these spice blends too give distinct taste to the dishes. More than spices, spice blends are a hit with majority of the international cuisines. Some of the spice blends come as a tradition in variety of regions and some spice blends are customized according to the dishes prepared. Many of the modern day chefs are very much responsible for the creation of variety of spice blends suiting to particular category of cuisines. Spice mixtures are a creative way of designing a dish according to our own taste.
Some of the most popular spice blends, which come as a tradition and are unique to their national cuisines, are:
Garam Masala: It is a mixture of cumin, coriander seeds, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cassia and mace.
Jamaican Jerk Spice: Chiles, thyme, ginger, cinnamon, onions, cloves, garlic and allspice.
Chinese Five Spice Mix: Star anise, cassia, fennel seeds, fagara and cassia.
Ethiopian Berbere Spice Mix: Ground ginger, cloves, coriander seeds, dried red chillies, black pepper, ajowan, green cardamon, allspice, cinnamon and fenugreek.
Quatre Epices: Ginger, nutmeg, cloves and black pepper.
Apart from the above spice blends, there are other spice blends, specifically designed for variety of dishes such as, all-purpose blends, barbecue blends, cheese blends, curry blends, salt free seasonings, marinade blends, dip-dressing blends, etc. Some other blends are created specific to dishes such as burgers, pizzas, chicken, sea foods, steaks, pork, etc.