Aji Amarillo (Spanish for “yellow chile”) is a small, yellow-orange chile grown in the Andes, primarily in Peru. They have been described as the single most-important ingredient in Peruvian cuisine. They are quite hot, but have a really nice, bright, fruity flavour.

Ajowan seed (also known as carom seed) is native to southern India and is used commonly throughout southern Asia and the Middle East. It smells and tastes a lot like very strong thyme, though slightly more peppery and with a lightly bitter aftertaste. Dry roasting Ajowan or frying it in oil mellows the flavour and brings out a caraway taste.

Aleppo chiles (sometimes known as halaby peppers) are named after the region in northern Syria where they grow. They have a moderate heat level and a wonderful, complex, fruity flavour.

Allspice is a ground mixture of baking spices. In reality, allspice is the berry of the pimento bush, grown mostly in Jamaica. It does, however get its name from the fact that it tastes somewhat like a peppery blend of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Allspice loses its flavour very quickly when ground, its recommend to buy whole berries and grinding them yourself just before using.

When a ripe poblano pepper is dried, it becomes an ancho chile. Anchos are quite mild and are used in all kinds of traditional Mexican cooking. Anchos are deep red-brown and have a wonderful, sweet raisiny flavour that provide lots of personality to food without a lot of heat. These are the most commonly used chile in Mexico.