Exotic Spices
Your spice cabinet can do more than add heat. Sometimes a dish needs a citrusy tingle, a floral note, smoky depth, or a bright sour finish that makes everything taste more alive.
Zaica’s collection of exotic spices brings together distinctive ingredients from regional food traditions from around the world. Explore the cinnamon-and-clove warmth of Allspice, the fiery character of Dalle Pepper Flakes, along with fragrant Saffron, tart Dried Mango, aromatic Mace, and other exotic seasonings worth getting to know.
Many of these natural exotic spices can be toasted, crushed, steeped, or freshly ground. Begin with a small amount in a dish you already enjoy, then taste and adjust. A pinch can bring an entirely new direction to rice, soups, vegetables, marinades, desserts, and drinks.
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"Mother" Masala Blend (Garam Masala)
Our “Mother” Masala Blend - a.k.a. Garam Masala - is a foundational mix of spices (similar to a Mother Sauce) that is used frequently in South Asian cooking. Ayurvedic medicine suggests that if there is insufficient heat in our body it can become sluggish...- $10.00
- $10.00
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Allspice
Our organically grown allspice berries - a.k.a. Jamaican Pepper - are cultivated in the low ranges of Idduki, Kerala, located in the heart of the Western Ghats of India. Allspice combines the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper and thus its name, even...- From $9.00
- From $9.00
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Allspice in Mill
Our organically grown allspice berries - a.k.a. Jamaican Pepper - are cultivated in the low ranges of Idukki, Kerala, located in the heart of the Western Ghats of India. Allspice combines the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper and thus its name, even...- $15.00
- $15.00
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Bay Leaves
Bay leaves are the aromatic leaves of the bay laurel tree and are excellent to add a botanical note to rice pilaf, soups, stews, and sauces. Drying them intensifies their aroma and produces enhanced notes of thyme and eucalyptus. They are considered to be...- $6.00
- $6.00
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Biryani Masala
Biryani is an aromatic spiced rice preparation popular in South Asia that features layers of vegetables or meats layered with basmati rice, cooked using the ‘dum’ method. The rice is cooked ‘low and slow’ in a sealed pot that results in perfectly cooked rice...- $6.00
- $6.00
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Curry Leaves
Our curry leaves are lovingly grown and harvested by one of our pioneering organic women farms in rural Punjab, India. Harvested from the citrus-related curry tree, this aromatic herb provides depth and a robust flavor to each meal. Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds,...- $6.00
- $6.00
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Dalle Khursani Peppers
Our Dalle Khursani Peppers (red cherry peppers) are grown on a tribal farm in the Himalayan mountainous region of Sikkim in Northeast India. Although this pepper looks like a beautiful dark red cherry pepper, beware of its fiery punch - it is the perfect...- $7.00
- $7.00
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Dalle Pepper Flakes
Our Dalle Khursani Peppers are grown on a tribal farm in the Himalayan mountainous region of Sikkim in Northeast India. Although this pepper looks like a beautiful dark red cherry, beware of its fiery punch - it’s a perfect choice for spice lovers and...- From $6.00
- From $6.00
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Dried Lemongrass
Discover the refreshing taste and aroma of our dried lemongrass, sourced directly from a small family farm in Sisaket, Thailand. Grown using natural methods, this organic lemongrass is carefully harvested and gently dried to preserve its earthy citrus fragrance and bold flavor. Known for...- $7.00
- $7.00
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Dried Mango
Dried Mango, also known as Amchur, is a traditional spice made by drying unripe green mangoes. For centuries, it has been valued in Indian kitchens, especially in North India, for the tangy, sour, and fruity flavor it adds to curries, chutneys, and marinades. Beyond...- $9.00
- $9.00
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Dried Turmeric
Our dried turmeric is harvested with care on small organic farms in the pristine Himalayan region of Sikkim. This state, nestled in Northwest India, became fully organic in 2016 and even won the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Future Policy Gold Award in 2018....- From $8.00
- From $8.00
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Dried Turmeric in Mill
Our turmeric is harvested at a small organic farm in the mountainous region of Sikkim in the Himalayas. Sikkim is a state in Northwest India that went 100% organic in 2016 and won what many regard as the Oscar for best public policies —...- $14.00
- $14.00
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Green Cardamom
Our organic cardamom – the “queen of spices” – is sustainably cultivated in the shade of rainforest trees in the Western Ghats region of South India. It is carefully hand-picked during the monsoon months, just before the pods turn yellow, ensuring optimal flavor, freshness,...- From $12.00
- From $12.00
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Green Sichuan Peppercorns
Sourced authentically from the Sichuan province of southwestern China, our Green Sichuan Peppercorns capture the essence of traditional Chinese cooking with their unique mala flavor, known as “numbing-spicy.” Unlike the more common red variety, fresh green Sichuan peppercorns are harvested earlier, which makes them...- From $6.00
- From $6.00
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Hing
Hing, also known as hing asafoetida, is one of the most treasured spices in Indian cooking. Famous for its sharp aroma and onion-like flavor, it has been used in kitchens and Ayurvedic remedies for centuries. Our pure hing is carefully sourced from the resin...- $7.00
- $7.00
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Kashmiri Chilies
Our Kashmiri chilies, also known as Kashmiri lal mirch, are organically grown on small farms in rural Kashmir, nurtured in pristine Himalayan soil and climate. These chilies are carefully sun-dried in the Himalayan sun, giving them their deep crimson hue and authentic smoky flavor....- $7.00
- $7.00
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Mace
You may not be able to hit someone on the head with Zaica’s Mace spice but it certainly packs a flavor punch! It is known as “nutmeg’s sister” because it is the outer covering (aril) of the nutmeg fruit. Mace has historically been used...- $8.00
- $8.00
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Pure Za'atar
Our pure za’atar (also known as Syrian oregano) is wild-grown and carefully hand-harvested in the hilly village of Ein Yabrud, Palestine – a small community with less than 2,500 people. Sourced from a multi-generational family farm, this herb carries with it centuries of tradition,...- $10.00
- $10.00
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Red Himalayan Sichuan Peppercorns
Red Himalayan Sichuan Peppercorns are a prized spice grown in the pristine Himalayan region of Sikkim, locally called Timmur. Unlike the green variety from China, these red Sichuan peppercorns are harvested later, giving them a deeper, bolder flavor with a slightly milder numbing effect....- From $6.00
- From $6.00
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Saffron
Our saffron - a.k.a. Kesar - is organically grown and hand harvested in Kashmir, India at a 4th generation saffron farm. Each strand of saffron is a dried stigma of the crocus flower and each flower typically has 3 stigmas. It takes about 200,000...- $13.00
- $13.00
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Shakkar
Our Shakkar, a.k.a. Jaggery, is an immensely flavorful sugar born from sugarcane, grown at a cousin’s organic farm in Rajasthan, India. The sugarcane is organically cultivated, hand-juiced, and the juice is slowly boiled in a traditional giant wok (kadhai) over a foxhole wood fire....- $17.00
- $17.00
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White Peppercorns
White peppercorns come from the same berries that produce black pepper, but with a unique twist in their preparation. Once the pepper berries ripen, they are soaked in water to gently remove the outer skin. This careful process results in whole white peppercorns with...- From $7.00
- From $7.00
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Wild-Grown Sumac
Our wild grown sumac is hand-harvested at peak ripeness from the hilly village of Rammun, Palestine, where a small multi-generational family farm tends to each harvest with care. With fewer than 2,500 residents in the village, this spice is crafted in limited batches, ensuring...- $11.00
- $11.00
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