Curry Powder

• An Indian spice, curry powder is a hot, red powder consisting of a blend of numerous spices. Commonly used spices for curry powder include cardamom, chiles, cloves, cumin, mace, fennel, nutmeg, pepper, saffron and coriander. Curry sold in stores usually losses its taste after two months; therefore, buying freshly grounded authentic Indian curry will produce the best flavors when cooking.

Aleppo Pepper

• Also known as Halaby pepper, Aleppo peppers originate from Aleppo, a town in northern Syria, according to the Gourmet Sleuth website. The red Aleppo peppers are dried, seeded and crushed before being used as a spice. The spice has a fruity flavor and moderate heat level. Crushed Aleppo peppers will add an authentic Middle Eastern flavor to Mediterranean dishes such as soups, salads and fish.

Baharat

• Meaning "spices" in Arabic, Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice used by people of the area to add heat to meat such as lamb and mutton and to vegetable dishes, claims the Spice House website. Baharat is also used as an all purpose spice for simple dishes such as soups, sauces and fish. The spice has a blend of sweet and spicy flavors and contains a mix of spices such as cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, ground cloves, paprika, black pepper and nutmeg.

Cayenne Pepper

• Cayenne Pepper is made from red hot chili peppers, sometimes referred to as cayenne peppers. The peppers are first dried, ground down and then pulped before being baked into cakes. The cakes are then sifted to produce the spice cayenne pepper, according to the Cayenne Pepper website. In addition to spicing foods, cayenne pepper has numerous medical benefits such as rebuilding blood cells, improving circulation, removing toxins from blood and equalizing blood pressure.

Chili Powder

• Many chili powder recipes exists, yet they all usually contain dried chillies and spices such as paprika, oregano and cumin. The intensity of chili powder can range from mild to hot, depending on the dried pepper used. Mild chili powders will use peppers such as anchos while hot chili powders use hotter peppers including chile de arbol. Add chili powder to food such as rice, beans or hamburger meat for a little extra spice.

Ground Ginger

• Commonly used in Indian and Asian cuisine, ginger has a peppery, hot and somewhat sweet flavor. In Eastern cuisine, ginger root is usually grated or ground while European and American cuisine uses dried ground ginger, according to the Spice Barn website. The highest quality of ginger and most expensive is grown in the tropical areas of South India, Australia and Jamaica. Common dishes featuring ground ginger include pies, Indian curries, cookies and gingerbread.