Spices questions

Etlingera is a genus of Indo-Pacific terrestrial and perennial herbs in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae consisting of more than 100 species found in tropical regions of the Old World. Some of the larger species have leafy shoots reaching almost 10 metres high, and the bases of these shoots are so stout as to seem almost woody. Others of the species grow as clumps of leafy shoots; while others have such long creeping Rhizomes that each of their leafy shoots can be more than a metre apart.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae, with leaves consisting of three small obovate to oblong leaflets. It is cultivated worldwide as a semiarid crop. Its seeds and leaves are common ingredients in dishes from South and Central Asia.

Ferula is a genus of about 170 species of flowering plants. Asafoetida, the dried latex from the rhizome of Ferula it is also known as food of the gods or devil's dung. The ferula also shows up in mythological contexts; Prometheus smuggled fire to humanity by hiding it in a ferula as well. In the Middle East, the common name "Lebanese Viagra" refers to the traditional use of the roots of this plant as an alleged aphrodisiac.

Vanilla, the vanilla orchids, forms a flowering plant genus of about 110 species in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). The most widely known member is the flat-leaved vanilla, native to Mexico, from which commercial vanilla flavoring is derived. It is the only orchid widely used for industrial purposes in flavoring such products as foods, beverages and cosmetics, and is recognized as the most popular aroma and flavor.

The Badian (llicium verum) is a medium-sized evergreen tree native to northeast Vietnam and southwest China. A spice commonly called star anise, staranise, star anise seed, Chinese star anise, or badian that closely resembles anise in flavor is obtained from the star-shaped pericarps of the fruit of I. verum which are harvested just before ripening.

Maggi is an international brand of spices, instant soups and pasta, which were created in Switzerland at the end of the 19th century. The company was founded in Switzerland in 1884, when Julius Maggi took over the father's mill and developed a unique recipe for these spices. Maggi was acquired by Nestlé in 1947.

In the 17th century, the Chinese mixed a concoction of pickled fish and spices and called it kôe-chiap meaning the brine of pickled fish. By the early 18th century, the table sauce had arrived in the Malay states, where English colonists first tasted it. The Malaysian-Malay word for the sauce was kecap.That word evolved into the English word "ketchup".

Bahārāt is a spice mixture or blend used in Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine. Bahārāt is the Arabic word for 'spices'. The mixture of finely ground spices is often used to season lamb, fish, chicken, beef, and soups and may be used as a condiment.

Mauritius papeda is a citrus fruit native to tropical Asia. Its rind and crushed leaves emit an intense citrus fragrance, and are used in many Southeast Asian cuisines such as Thai, Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese. The plant is also used in perfumery, and in some countries in traditional medicine.

With a population of roughly two million, the state of Tabasco is home to many ancient Mayan artifacts.