Curry Leaves
The Curry Tree (binomial name: Murraya koenigii) is a tropical tree native to India and Sri Lanka. Its fragrant leaves are called curry leaves as they are popular for spicing up curries. They are mostly used as seasoning in the cooking of Sri Lanka, India and their neighbouring countries. Curry leaves have many medicinal properties including being anti-diabetic.
Turmeric
Turmeric (binomial name: Circuma longa), once processed from the rhizomes, is a deep orangish yellow powder. It is used mainly to impart colour or in other words dye foods. When it comes to flavour, the spice tastes slightly bitter and peppery with undertones of earthy flavour. Though used mainly as a powder, turmeric is also used fresh in its rhizome form in certain regions of the world. Turmeric is grown in Southeast Asian countries due to their tropical climes but is native to southwest India.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a culinary herb which as a subtle citrus flavour. It is very popular in Asian cuisine and can be used fresh or dried and powdered. Lemongrass is used as a medical herb, pesticide and preservative as well. When it comes to citronella grass, it is from the same family of plants and is a very close relative to lemongrass. It is used in soaps, candles and insect repellant sprays. East Indian lemongrass is from Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. West Indian lemongrass is native to South Asia and the Southeast Asian islands.
Nutmeg and Mace
Nutmeg is the seed of a type of evergreen tree (Myristica fragrans), while mace is the reddish netlike covering surrounding the seed. Nutmeg and mace are used as a flavouring for many sweet dishes from the cuisines of various countries, and as a spice in many savoury dishes. Nutmeg is also an essential ingredient in many Christmas favourites such as mulled cider, mulled wine and eggnog. Nutmeg is also used for perfume and medicine. The common nutmeg is native to the Banda islands of Indonesia. The plant was a lucrative trade spice throughout history. Therefore, after the Napoleonic war it was transplanted by the British to Sri Lanka, Penang, Bencoolen and Singapore. However, records show that the plant existed in Sri Lanka even before this.
Vanilla
Vanilla is a word that has Spanish origins and comes from the word 'vaina', literally translating to 'little pod'. It is a flavouring extracted from orchids of the Vanilla genus, mainly the Mexican flat-leaved Vanilla. Since the only natural pollinator is a Mexican species of bee, hand pollination is required to grow it in any other countries other than Mexico and South America. Due to this labour intensive cultivation, Vanilla is the second most expensive spice in the world. Vanilla may be sold as whole pods, powder, extract or as vanilla sugar mix. There are many types of vanilla due to the related species of orchids that produce vanilla; Bourbon Vanilla, Mexican Vanilla, Tahitian Vanilla, West Indian Vanilla. Sri Lanka has Bourbon Vanilla.
Ginger
Ginger is the root of flowering plant. It is used as a spice for food, flavouring for beverages or in folk medicine. Ginger originated in South China and later spread all over Asia followed by the African continent. The spice was introduced to Europe from India in the 1st century AD. Today it is a very commonly used spice globally.
Chili Pepper
Chili peppers, the ultimate spice for any Sri Lankan dish. The dried red varieties are used whole, or they are turned into chili powder, of which there are different grades: burnt and unburnt. Each one has a distinct flavor. Green chili peppers are used to add a fresh taste to the spiciness of the dish and are sometimes added at the end of the cooking process.