Advieh (Persian Spice Mix)

Advieh is a Persian spice mix made with several aromatic spices. Warm and flavorful spices such as cardamom, turmeric and cinnamon make the perfect mix for many recipes!

Of all the elements in cooking, spices have always been my favorite! I adore the magic they bring to each and every dish.

It’s so magical how these dried plants and leaves can bring so much color and flavor to any dish, but do you know what’s even more amazing? The fact that the right combination of these spices can take a recipe to a whole new level.

Spices are like my super power, especially when it comes to Persian spices such as saffron, dried rose petals and cardamom, I just know what to do. It just comes naturally, maybe because I grew up among these spices and they just call to me.

I’m so excited to talk about Advieh, this magical blend of the most aromatic and flavorful spices you’ll ever taste. Advieh is used in many different Persian recipes, such as mixed rice dishes and stews, to elevate the flavors without much work.

What does Advieh mean? Advieh simply means “Spice”, Kitchn has an interesting article about it. Spices play a a very important role in Persian cuisine. They are usually very mild and subtle, not too strong. They’re like melody brought to the notes of a dish. Without advieh a dish will simply be a cooked form of ingredients without a soul, without a memory. That’s why I always keep my spices close to me: my dishes always bear memories.

What is Advieh made of?

Advieh is a combination of spices mixed together to make one spice that could be used in many different dishes. Depending on what advieh is going to be used for, the basic spices can change. The Persian spice mix we’re looking at today is a mix that can be used in any savory dish. I call it my go-to advieh and it’s made of these spices:

• Cumin: It’s used in both forms of powder and seed in Persian, Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine. The flavor is strong and a little bit smoky and once it’s added to rice it can do wonders. Ground cumin is used in advieh and also in Persian Pickles (torshi) .
• Cloves: One of my all time favorite spices, cloves bring a sweet floral flavor to the spice mix that gives warmth and character to the Iranian spice mix.
• Cinnamon: This aromatic spice is very common in Persian cuisine to make sweet and savory recipes. Cinnamon sticks is also used to brew Persian tea.
• Dried Rose Petals: The rose petals that are used for culinary purposes are different from the regular roses. Ground dried rose petals are used to make advieh. They have a light floral aroma and can also be sprinkled on plain yogurt with some mint.
• Black Pepper: A staple of every kitchen. A little bit of black pepper is added to advieh to give it a little heat.
• Turmeric:  It is an ancient spice that is widely used is Persian cuisine, mostly in savory dishes. Turmeric is usually used in ground form and it should be used moderately as it can overpower other spices in a dish. Turmeric has a strong yellow color and is becoming more popular in recent years.
• Cardamom: This aromatic spice can be used in the form of the pod or ground. It’s used in both sweet and savory Persian recipes and is also one of the spices used in making advieh. Adding a few cardamom pods to a pot of brewing tea will make the tea very aromatic and lovely. Cardamom also pairs really well with rose water or Persian dried roses.

And of course, Saffron is a spice that must not be missed from the list of key spices of Persian cuisine. This golden spice is expensive yet a small amount of it goes a long way. Saffron strands need to be ground and then bloomed (brewed). Here is a full tutorial on how to bloom saffron.

I have grown up smelling and using this spices everyday; they’re a part of my memories and who I am. My childhood memories include mornings that started with the aromas of cinnamon and cardamom and days that ended with the scent of rose and saffron. This is why spices are so dear to me – they remember everything.

Now that you know these spices, you can easily make your own Persian spice mix. All you need to do is to mix the right amount of each spice together and store in a jar in your spice cabinet. A teaspoon would be enough to make any dish ten times more delicious.

How to use Advieh

Advieh can be used in many different recipes. It gives so much flavor and aroma to every dish you would like to use it in:

• Mixed rice dishes such as Adas Polo or Persian Tomato Rice.
• Stews or chicken dishes that are served with rice such as Zereshk Polo or Lamb Stew Recipe
• Sprinkle some Persian spice mix on chicken, lamb or beef and then grill them. It would be very hard to resist those delicious kebabs!
• Any non Persian dish that you want to bring a new flavor profile to.

Cooking with advieh is so much fun and joy for me. And I bet it would be for you, too. Making homemade spice mix is such a great way to bring a little bit of “you” into any dish you make. Homemade spice mix is what makes people remember your food and how you used to make a recipe. Without a doubt, this homemade Persian spice mix will help you create new memories.

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