Most include the following basic spices:

Bay leaves

Mustard seeds (yellow or brown)

Peppercorns (black, white, red, or green)

Other spices may include:

Allspice berries

Cardamom seeds

Celery seeds

Dried chili peppers (whole or flakes)

Cinnamon sticks

Coriander seeds

Whole cloves

Dill seeds

Fennel seeds

Dried ginger

Juniper berries

Mace blades

Star anise

RECIPE 1

Ingredients:-

• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns (again, whole peppercorns, not ground pepper)
• 1 Tablespoon black mustard seeds (yellow are fine, but I like how black mustard seeds look in the mix)
• 1/2 Tablespoon cloves (again, only whole cloves work; ground cloves don't add the right flavor)
• 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes or dried chilli flakes (optional; I add them for some heat, but if you don't like spicy, feel free to cut the amount down or leave them out entirely)
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger (not fresh, it will be too sharp)
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional, the warm homey flavor of nutmeg adds some depth of flavor I like a lot)
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 cinnamon stick, smashed or crumbled (optional, but I highly recommend the earthy aromatic element cinnamon adds.)

Method:-

• If you like, you can toast the allspice, peppercorns, mustard seeds, cloves, and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes for a deeper flavor before adding the other ingredients. In any case, mix everything together and store whatever you don't use that day in a glass jar or similar vessel.