Herbs and spices

In Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, Miras mint is used in zaziki, salads, soups and bulgur dishes because of its fresh flavour.

Black peppercorns are the most widely used spice in the world. Miras purchases its black pepper from countries such as Indonesia, India, Brazil and sometimes even from Vietnam. Here, the pepper berry grows and dries in the sun, giving it its characteristic taste and smell, which depend on the local climate and soil. The best conditions are found in hilly countries with little rain and a pleasant climate - that is what gives black peppercorns their exquisite flavour.

Cinnamon is a centuries-old spice and as far as we know its use dates back to 3000 B.C. In biblical stories, cinnamon is used for various rituals and traditions. China also cultivated this spice thousands of years ago. Cinnamon is extracted from the inner layer of the brown bark of the "cinnamon tree". The drying process lends the bark its rounded shape. Miras ground cinnamon has a delicious bouquet of sweetly scented notes of nutmeg, cloves and liquorice. In Mediterranean cooking, the powder is used to add a refining touch to pilafs, biscuits, desserts and cakes. Smelling its aroma conjures up images of the tales of 1001 nights in the Eastern Mediterranean region!

In Eastern Mediterranean and African cuisine, these small Miras dried currants are used in dishes such as pilafs made with bulgur, rice and couscous, as well as in special local pastries.

Miras nigella seeds, also known as black cumin, are used as decoration for Turkish bread, biscuits or other pastries.

Miras mild paprika powder is made from a pointed pepper type. To reduce its spiciness, the seeds are removed before it is dried and ground. The result is a deliciously sweet, mild aroma. This Miras mild paprika powder gives both hot and cold dishes such as soups, sauces, salads and stews, a sweet red pepper taste. It is also perfectly suited for decorating chocolate dishes, salads and pilafs, among others.

Miras cumin is produced in Iran, Syria, India and Turkey. The plant grows best in sandy, drained soil and in areas with a warm climate, such as on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. We use the cumin seeds in particular, which have a very strong aroma. This aroma becomes even stronger when they are roasted in a dry pan before use and then ground. In Turkey, this spice is also used in çörek (Turkish pastries) and pastirma, a type of cured sausage similar to the Spanish chorizo sausage but extremely spicy. Miras cumin is also the preferred seasoning for certain Turkish dishes.

Native to India, cardamom is related to ginger. However, countries like Sri Lanka and Guatemala also cultivate cardamom. The cardamom Milas offers is from India. Its flavour is fruity, spicy and lemon-like with a hint of honeysuckle and menthol. The small green pods are harvested by hand before they open to prevent the seeds from falling out. They are then dried in the sun. The whole cardamom pod can be cooked in soups, or sauces to go with roasts for a typical oriental taste. Sometimes the seeds in the pods are ground to add a special refreshing touch to home-made cakes and biscuits.

In Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, Miras whole allspice berries are used to flavour stews and roasts. Ground they are ideal to refine certain dishes, such as a rice or bulgur pilaf. Allspice is also used to season meat and fish. It has a very sweet aroma thanks to the mixture of cloves and nutmeg, but the scent also resembles black pepper and cinnamon. The allspice berries originate from the Caribbean. The Miras allspice berries are from Jamaica.

Miras fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) belongs to the Papilionaceae section of the Leguminosae family. The plant is used as a kitchen herb and in Eastern Mediterranean cooking, is also used to season meat and 'pastirma' (a kind of highly seasoned pastrami). Originally from Mesopotamia, it was already a familiar herb in the Mediterranean region in ancient times. Nowadays, fenugreek is also grown in Central Asia. It has a fresh hay aroma.

Coriander (not to be confused with green leaf coriander) is native to the area between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers (formerly known as Mesopotamia). Later, during the Byzantine Empire, it also became known throughout the Eastern Mediterranean regions and in Asian countries.

In the past it was used for medicinal purposes, but later also for seasoning. Its taste resembles a mixture of woody honeysuckle, citrus and black pepper, which is mainly due to the essential oil these seeds contains. The whole seeds are used in dishes such as stews, sauces and soups. In its ground form, it has a wonderfully refreshing taste. Roast the seeds before grinding them to ensure the essential oil aroma is properly released.

Miras isot paprika, also called Urfa biber, is a special chili pepper of the Capsicum annuum type that is grown in the Urfa region in Turkey. Its taste is often described as smoky and raisin-like. Urfa biber is actually a red pepper that ripens to a dark maroon colour on the plant. Once picked, the peppers go through a two-phase process in which they are sun-dried during the day and wrapped tightly at night. The night process, called 'sweating', infuses the dried flesh with the remaining moisture of the pepper. The result is a deep purple to a dark, almost purplish black colour. Urfa biber is less spicy than many other chili peppers.