Australian spices

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Australian spices are traditionally used by Aboriginals, especially to flavour food in ground ovens. They were used to a limited extent by colonists in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Some extracts were used as flavouring during the 20th Century. However, Australian native spices have only become more widely recognized and used by non-indigenous people since the early 1980s, with increasing gourmet use and export.

They mainly consist of strongly flavoured aromatic leaves and fruits, with some non-aromatic fruit and seed products. They are generally dried and ground to produce a powdered or flaked spice.

They can also be used as a fresh product. Leaves can be used whole, like a bay-leaf in cooking, or spicey fruits are added to various dishes for flavour.

The distilled essential oils from leaves and twigs are also used as flavouring products.

[edit] Spice Categories

Leaves

Backhousia citriodora, citral chemovar, Lemon Myrtle

Backhousia myrtifolia, elemicin chemovar, Cinnamon Myrtle

Eucalyptus dives, piperitone chemovar, Peppermint Gum

Eucalyptus globulus, cineole chemovar, Tasmanian Blue Gum

Eucalyptus olida, methyl cinnamate chemovar, Strawberry Gum

Eucalyptus polybractea, Blue-leaved Mallee

Eucalyptus staigeriana, Lemon Ironbark

Melaleuca quinquenervia, Broad-leaf Paperbark

Melaleuca leucadendron, Weeping Paperbark

Mentha australis, River Mint

Ocimum tenuiflorum, Native Thyme

Prostanthera incisa var. incisa, Cut-leaf Mintbush

Prostanthera rotundifolia, Native Thyme

Syzygium anisatum, trans-E-Anethole chemovar, Aniseed myrtle

Tasmannia lanceolata, Mountain Pepper

Tasmannia stipitata, Dorrigo Pepper

Tasmannia xerophila, Alpine Pepper

Fruit

Acronychia acidula, Lemon Aspen

Citrus australasica, Finger Lime

Citrus australis, Round Lime

Citrus glauca, Desert Lime

Eupomatia laurina, Bolwarra

Solanum centrale, Akudjura

Syzygium luehmannii, Riberry

Tasmannia lanceolata, Mountain Pepper

Tasmannia stipitata, Dorrigo Pepper

Tasmannia xerophila, Alpine Pepper

Seeds

Acacia victoriae, Gundabluey, Wattleseed