Advieh - warm, aromatic and easy homemade Persian spice mixes for spicing up all your delicious Persian recipes. These advieh spice blends are the best ever and quick to make. Easy to store and use.
What Is Advieh?
I used to get so many questions about the advieh in my Persian recipes. So here it is finally!
Advieh is an aromatic Persian spice blend comparable to the Indian garam masala and is used for a variety of Persian recipes such as rice pilafs, grilled meats, stews, vegetables dishes, frittatas, soups, pickles and more.
A staple in Persian kitchens, this spice blend has some common ingredients with garam masala, but it is actually milder and not spicy at all.
Types of Persian Spice Blends
- Advieh khoresht: This blend is for stews (khoresh) and is more intense in aroma and often include dried limes. This can also work as a multipurpose blend.
- Advieh polo or Advieh berenj: This is a blend for rice (berenj) or pilafs (polo or polow). It is a simpler blend with more floral aroma from the dried rose petals.
- Advieh torshi: This is a blend for making pickles (torshi).
- Advieh ash: This is for soups (ash). Less intense than spice mix for stews but more intense than what is used for rice dishes.
And there are plenty of other spice blends. But to start with you can make advieh khoresht, which can work as a multipurpose spice. Just use less of it for rice and soup dishes.
Advieh Ingredients: Health Benefits
The common ingredients include cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, dried rose petals, coriander, black pepper, turmeric, dried limes, cloves and such. As with any spice blend, there are many regional variations. Some that include caraway seeds, nutmeg, star anise, angelica (golpar in Persian) etc.
Apart from enhancing the taste of recipes, spices come with a lot of health benefits. They are often rich sources of antioxidants, polyphenols and other phytonutrients that have health promoting properties.
Cardamom: This sweet and fragrant spice has been credited for improving digestion and circulation, lowering blood pressure, fighting inflammation. Cardamom also provides some vitamins and minerals.
Cumin: This spice is popular in traditional medicine for its aid in digestion. It is known to also possess anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and carminative properties.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is obtained from the bark of a tropical tree and is considered to have one of the highest antioxidant values for a spice. The spice has been shown to reduce inflammation and blood triglyceride levels. It is well known for lowering blood sugar by increasing sensitivity to insulin.
Dried Rose Petals: The rose petals used for culinary purposes in Persian cuisine are obtained from a wild variety of rose. Rose petals are used in savory dishes too and lend a fragrant floral note that combines well with the other warm spices in advieh. They are also rich with phytochemicals.
Black Pepper: Black pepper is supposed to have anti-inflammatory, carminative, digestive, cardioprotective and anti-oxidant properties.
Turmeric: Perhaps the most popular for its health benefits, turmeric contains many compounds with medicinal properties. Prominent among them is curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound and is associated with healing for several disease conditions.
Dried Limes: These are a staple of Persian cooking and have an intense citrus aroma. They are small limes (or lemons) boiled in brine and dried until hard. They are added whole or as a powder to stews, soups, appetizers, rice etc. Dried limes bring along the benefits of citrus.
Cloves: This spice has anti-microbial properties, and is especially known for fighting oral diseases. It has been associated with enhancing the immune system, cancer prevention, and maintenance of bone health.
Pro Tips
- How to use: Most spices have a long shelf life. But try to buy them in usable quantities at a store with high turnover, where it is not sitting on shelves forever. Store ground spice mix in glass containers and seal tightly.
- Where to buy: The best places to buy spices are ethnic stores or spice specialty stores. Indian and middle eastern stores often carry them for a much better price. Readymade advieh is also available on Amazon and at Persian or middle eastern grocery stores.
- Substitute for advieh: It is quite easy to make your own spice blend. However, if you run out of it, the closest substitutes would be other mild (not spicy) but aromatic mixed spice blends from the middle east or eastern Mediterranean.
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Recipes That Use Advieh:
- Lubia Polo (Persian Green Bean Rice)
- Persian Zucchini Frittata (Kuku Kadoo)
- Persian Cream of Barley Soup (Soup Jo)
- Persian Style Lentil Cranberry Rice
- Persian Zucchini and Chicken Stew
★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Advieh (Persian Spice Mix)
Ingredients
ADVIEH POLOW/ADVIEH BERENJ (RICE/PILAF SPICE MIX)
- 4 tablespoons rose petals dried
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cloves or nutmeg
ADVIEH TORSHI (PICKLE SPICE MIX)
- 3 tablespoons ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons angelica (golpar in Persian)
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon shah Jeera
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon anise seeds
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon green cardamom or nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- ½ teaspoon dried savory
- ½ teaspoon dried cilantro
ADVIEH ASH (SOUP SPICE MIX)
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
ADVIEH MAHI (FISH SPICE MIX)
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon turmeric
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
ADVIEH KHORESH (STEW SPICE MIX)
- 4 tablespoons ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons rose petals dried
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon dried limes (seeds removed)
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground angelica (gol-par)
- ½ tablespoon cloves or star anise
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Equipment
- Mortar and Pestle (Optional)
Instructions
- Measure out the whole spices and grind them in your electric or nut grinder. You may also use a mortar and pestle.
- Mix the dried herbs and other ground powders into the spice blend in the final step.
- If you already have the ground form of the spices, you may simply combine the ground spices in the specified quantities and add the herbs.
- For the advieh torshi you may add the seeds (anise, nigella, celery), dried herbs and red pepper flakes to the mix without grinding.
- Toasting the whole spices is not typical for making advieh. But if you do, it will make the flavors a bit more intense.
- Don't toast the rose petals, saffron, angelica, dried limes or herbs.
- Store spice mixes in glass spice jars.
Notes
- You can buy dried roses (culinary grade) from Persian/ middle eastern/other ethnic grocery stores or online.
- How to use: Try to buy spices fresh and in usable quantities at a store with high turnover, where it is not sitting on shelves forever. Store ground spice mix in glass containers and seal tightly.
- Where to buy: The best places to buy spices are at ethnic stores or spice specialty stores. They are often cheaper at Indian and middle eastern stores. Readymade advieh is also available on Amazon and at Persian or middle eastern grocery stores.
- Substitute for advieh: The closest substitutes would be other mild (not spicy) but aromatic mixed spice blends from the middle east or eastern Mediterranean.
Raj
Hi, I love your blog. I have whole dried limes. If I want to make my own spice blend, how should I include the dried lime? I don't think my spice grinder will be able to grind it.
Roxana Begum
Thanks for your nice feedback. I would crack open the limes, remove the seeds and discard. Crush it into smaller pieces and then grind it.
Snoop
Hi, I'm told advieh can be used in coffee. Could you suggest which version or post a recipe? Fantastic website, by the way. I'll be coming back regularly for sure.
Roxana Begum
I am not familiar with that use. Thanks for your lovely feedback about the site.
Lia Cross
Ahhhh, Persian food! I love it! Lamb shanks are to die for!
Roxana, would you have an easy version of the delicious chicken cooked in pomegranate juice, walnuts and aromatic spices by any chance? The best version I have ever tasted was at a Persian lady’s house where I was a guest many years ago. I’ve tasted other versions at “Rumi “ restaurants in several countries but I’ve always dreamed of trying it myself. Can you help?
Roxana Begum
Thanks for your feedback. I plan to post that recipe sometime.
Cindy
Can Za’Atar be used as a substitute for Advieh?
Roxana Begum
No Zaatar is a completely different blend.
Patricia
This is so exciting to have found this website. The layout, quality of the pictures, love.
It’s easy to roam around and easy to find what I was looking for.
I will be recommending this website.
Any body who needs recipes and other knowledge for Persian spices, I think has come to the right place.
Rebecca
Saffron Rice with Chicken, Yogurt and Spinach (Tahchin Esfenaj) I would like to try this recipe but not sure which Advieh (Persian spice mix) to use. Please advise thank you
Roxana Begum
The advieh for rice would be fine. If you were using meat and other stronger flavored ingredients, then the stew advieh would have been ok.
Naz
Which spice mix would I use to make your lamb shanks? All it says is Persian advieh but you have several kinds here. I'm assuming the stew one, but I could be wrong.
Roxana Begum
Yes absolutely, the stew spice.
Anonymous
What is the difference between coriander and cilantro? Aren’t they the same?
Roxana Begum
Cilantro used in the US, refers to the herb that is referred to as fresh coriander in other parts of the world.
Jon Deitch
I like your recipes but they contain so many non-western spicings and herbs that I am reluctant to purchase those individually. I have 50 or 60 other spices from other cultures, (so I don't need cinnamon or star anise) but I would like to suggest that you could set up a sideline business such that you would design a specialized spices and herbs kit for the Delicious Crescent recipes (in partnership with a spices vendor to assemble and ship the kit). I would be happy to buy a kit of just those special items that enable me to cook a half dozen of your recipes. Thanks for consideration. Jon
Roxana Begum
Thanks for the lovely feedback. Will keep that in mind. Many of the Persian spices are now easily available and pretty commonly used in the other cuisines too. If there is a specific one, let me know, I can tell if it's mandatory or can be skipped.
Jillie
Would it be ok to omit the dried rose petals from the advieh for khoresht. If not, can I substitute with anything else?
Roxana Begum
Yes you can omit.