Georgia
SEASONINGS
Georgian food tastes sour and savory first, then nutty and herbal, with warmth. Flavors are built around contrast between richness and acidity. Sourness is very important; it is created with sour plums, pomegranate juice, grape verjuice, and small amounts of vinegar. Fruit acidity sharpens meats and walnut sauces and often replaces the role that citrus or dairy plays in other cuisines.
Walnuts are a structural element, ground into sauces satsivi and bazhe, used to thicken stews, and mixed into fillings. Walnuts add fat, bitterness, and body without cream or butter.
Fresh herbs define much of the aroma. Fresh cilantro is the most important, used both as leaves and seeds. Dill, parsley, summer savory and especially fresh tarragon are used generously. Many dishes combine dried and fresh herbs in a single dish. Garlic is used confidently but in balance, rarely sharp.
Georgians use coriander seed, fenugreek, marigold petals, and black pepper a lot. Chili exists, but does not define the cuisine. Blue fenugreek is much more prominent than in neighbouring cuisines. It belongs to the same family as the fenugreek, but has a milder, sweeter flavour reminiscent of autumn leaves. Also, the marigold flower is quite distinctive, called the Imeretian Saffron. Georgians use the dried and ground petals to give an earthy flavour and bright yellow colour to walnut dishes and sauces.
Many spices are dried and ground together rather than added separately, thus there are unique Geogrian mixes:
KHMELI SUNELI – a distinct blend, which combines coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, marigold, bay leaf, summer savory, celery seed, dried basil, dill, parsley, and mint. There is no fixed recipe for khmeli suneli, like Indian masala.
SVANETIAN SALT is a popular mix; the recipe originates in Svaneti, but nowadays it can be bought virtually everywhere and is a practical souvenir. Salt contains a mixture of sea salt, dried garlic, fenugreek, coriander, cumin, chili pepper, dill, and several other herbs.
AJIKA – a spicy and subtly flavored condiment made with hot peppers, garlic, coriander, tomato, fenugreek, marigold, and salt. It is a part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Georgia. It comes in red and green varieties, with red being the hotter option. Red ajika exists in two variants – dry and wet. Dry is a seasoning mix used on raw meat, while the wet one has the consistency of a thicker mustard and is used to highlight the already roasted meat.
TKEMALI – Georgian sauce made of cherry and red-leaf plums. The flavour of this sauce varies, but it’s generally pungently tart. Alongside plums, garlic, cumin, coriander, dill, chili pepper, pennyrile and salt are used. Tkemali is used for fried or grilled meat, poultry and potato dishes, and has a place in Georgian cuisine similar to the one ketchup has in the United States.
BAZHE – rich and creamy sauce of ground walnuts, coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, marigold petals and sometimes onions and garlic. The unique texture comes from the way the walnuts are processed and emulsified with water or other liquids. A touch of vinegar or pomegranate juice is often added to balance brightness. It can be served as a dip for vegetables or bread or poured over grilled meats or fish.
SATSIVI – is a thicker, more luxurious sauce compared to bazhe. It’s made with ground walnuts, coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, sometimes cinnamon or cloves. Satsivi can be served hot or cold and is a classic accompaniment to poultry dishes, especially chicken or turkey.
China
Across many Chinese traditions, flavor is built by layering fresh aromatics (ginger, scallion, garlic), liquid seasonings (light/dark soy, Shaoxing wine, vinegar), condiments (oyster sauce, fermented black beans, chili oils/pastes), and stocks. Dry spices are used more sparingly, in more specific roles than in Indian or North African styles. That said, several Chinese regions and formats do lean on dry spices, like Sichuan or Hunan.
Distinct regional seasoning patterns stand out. Sichuan uses lots of chili peppers, doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), and Sichuan peppercorn, creating the signature mala – numbing and hot – profile. Hunan cuisine favors fresh chili, garlic, and vinegar for sharper, cleaner heat. Cantonese cooking keeps flavors lighter, using oyster sauce, soy, and ginger to highlight freshness. Northern regions use more garlic, leeks, and soy paste, while eastern cuisines, like Jiangsu and Zhejiang, balance sweet and savory through rice wine and mild vinegar.
Dry spices are used selectively. Star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and Sichuan peppercorn form the well-known five-spice blend, common in braises. Other additions, such as white pepper, dried tangerine peel, and sand ginger, appear in regional marinades or stocks.
China developed one of the world’s most sophisticated fermentation traditions, using grains, beans, and vegetables; all these products contribute much to flavor building: soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine, bean pastes, and fermented tofu. These form the core of seasoning in Chinese cooking, similar to how olive oil structures Mediterranean cuisines. The scale and variety of Chinese fermentation — combining molds, yeasts, and bacteria — have no close equivalent elsewhere.
SPICE MIXES
CHINESE FIVE-SPICE POWDER – the most famous blend, combining star anise, cassia (Chinese cinnamon), cloves, fennel seeds, and Sichuan peppercorn. It’s used in marinades, braised meats, and roasts to add warmth and fragrance. Ratios vary by region, but the idea is to capture a full range of aromatic notes—sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and pungent.
THIRTEEN-SPICE POWDER– a more elaborate northern blend, especially used in Henan cooking. It includes the five-spice base plus additions like galangal, dried ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and black pepper, giving a stronger, more layered aroma. It’s often used for braised meats and street foods like spiced duck necks.
GROUND SICHUAN PEPPER AND CHILI MIX – common in Sichuan cuisine, used as a dry sprinkle (mala seasoning) for noodles, grilled meats, or hot pot dipping.
Apart from these, most Chinese kitchens rely more on fresh aromatics and fermented sauces than on powdered spice blends.
SAUCES
LIGHT SOY SAUCE – thin, salty, and used mainly for seasoning, marinades, and dipping sauces. It provides the primary salty flavor.
DARK SOY SAUCE – thick, dark, and slightly sweet, used to add color and a deeper taste to braised dishes and stews.
OYSTER SAUCE – invented in Guangdong, thick and savory, used to enrich stir-fries and vegetables.
HOISIN SAUCE – sweet, salty, and fermented; used as a glaze, dip, or ingredient in dishes like Peking duck.
DOUBANJIANG – a Sichuan staple seasoning paste, made from fermented broad beans, chili and wheat, aged for months until it develops a deep, intensely savory, smoky taste. Used in spicy dishes such as mapo tofu or twice-cooked pork.
BLACK BEAN SAUCE – made from fermented black soybeans, lending strong, salty depth to meat and seafood dishes. Common in Cantonese and Sichuan cooking
SESAME OIL – brings a nutty aroma and richness, common in noodle dishes and dressings.
SHAOXING RICE WINE – a cooking wine from Zhejiang, used to enhance aroma and remove meat or fish odors.
