Advieh: Persian spice mixture that varies according to the dish it is used in; may include dried rose petals, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, ground angelica, saffron, nutmeg or other spices.

Aleppo pepper: A dark red, mildly spicy ground red pepper from Syria; sometimes marketed as “Near East pepper.”

Arack/arak: Lebanese grape-based alcoholic beverage flavored with aniseed. The same beverage is raki in Turkey. It is typically diluted with ice and water, like pastis or ouzo, and is the traditional accompaniment to Middle Eastern meze.

Baharat: The word means “mixed spices”in Arabic and different cooks will have their own blend. In Lebanon and Syria, baharat typically includes black peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. In Tunisia, it may include pepper, rose petals and cinnamon.

Barberry: Known as zereshk in Iran, these tart red berries are the fruit of a shrub, Berberis vulgaris or B. aristata. They are considered too sour to eat raw. Typically they are purchased in their dried state, reconstituted in water and added to stews and rice dishes to impart a tart taste and jewel-like color. Look for red berries at the market; darker ones may be old. To use, stem the berries, then place them in a colander set in a bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes to allow any sand to sink to the bottom. Lift them out of the water, rinse again with cold water and drain.

Bottarga: Salted and dried roe of tuna or mullet, typically cured whole in its egg sac and pressed between boards to make it dense and compact. In Sicily and Sardinia, the salty bottarga is crumbled or shaved over pasta or beans.

Bulgur: Wheat that has been partially cooked, sun-dried and cracked. It is available in different sizes from fine to coarse. Fine bulgur is for tabbouleh and kibbeh. Coarser bulgur is for soup and pilaf.

Butifarra: A spicy pork sausage from the Catalonia region of Spain, typically seasoned with cinnamon and fennel seed.

Farro: An ancient relative of wheat, now cultivated in Italy’s Garfagnana and Abruzzo regions. It is often confused with spelt, a different species. Farro somewhat resembles barley or brown rice and takes about as long to cook. Italians use it in soups, often paired with beans.

Harissa: Spicy red pepper paste used in Tunisia and, to a lesser extent, in Morocco. It may be flavored with cumin, garlic, caraway and sometimes other spices and is typically preserved under oil for long keeping. Harissa is also the name of the sauce made by thinning harissa paste with lemon juice and broth to make a condiment for couscous.

Harous: A Southern Tunisian condiment made of lightly fermented onions pureed with dried red peppers and spices.

Herbes de Provence: A dried herb mixture that typically includes thyme, lavender, savory, rosemary, sage and bay; recipes and proportions vary with the manufacturer or cook.

Horta: The Greek word for cooked wild greens, often used in savory pies or simply boiled and dressed with olive oil and lemon.

Kashk: Drained, salted and sun-dried yogurt used in Persian cooking

Kasseri: A semi-hard, pasta filata (spun-curd) Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk, sometimes with goat’s milk added.

Kefalograviera: An aged Greek sheep’s milk cheese used as a table cheese or for grating.

Kefalotyri: A salty, aged Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk or goat’s milk or a blend of the two. Younger versions can be used as a table cheese; older ones are for grating.

Labneh: Lebanese drained yogurt, about the thickness of cream cheese.

Ladotiri: A Greek sheep’s milk cheese (although it may contain goat’s milk) preserved in olive oil.

Mahleb: A spice favored in the Near East, it is made by pulverizing the kernels inside the pits of a type of sour cherry (Prunus mahaleb). It has a sweet fragrance and is used in Turkish sweet breads and rolls.

Manouri: A fresh, smooth, rindless cream cheese-like sheep’s milk cheese from Greece.

Maraş pepper: A prized ground red pepper from Turkey; it is mildly hot. Sometimes marketed as “Near East pepper.”

Mastic: Crystallized resin from the Pistacia lentiscus tree, it is also known as gum Arabic. The Greek island of Chios in the Aegean is the sole source. The mastic is gathered in early summer by slashing the trees to allow the thick sap to drain. To use, it is powdered fine in a mortar, usually with sugar to keep it from sticking. It is largely used in desserts, liqueurs and ice cream. Diane Kochilas describes mastic’s aroma and flavor as “woody, earthy and musky like incense.”

Melokhia: A leafy green in the mallow family, much loved in Egypt. Typically, the green is chopped fine, cooked briefly in meat broth and served as soup, with the meat from the broth served separately.

Merguez: Spicy fresh lamb sausage from North Africa, often coiled, snake-like, then skewered and grilled.

Mizithra: A whey cheese made with sheep’s or goat’s milk or a combination; mizithra may be fresh or aged.

Morcilla: Spanish blood sausage, classically made with rice and seasoned with cinnamon and clove. It is added to stews or sliced and fried.

Orange flower water: A clear, fragrant liquid distilled from orange blossoms. Orange flower water scents many pastries, syrups and custards in the Middle East and North Africa. It is intense and should be used sparingly.

Ouzo: Anise-flavored spirit popular in Greece; like French pastis or Turkish raki, it is typically mixed with water, which turns it from clear to cloudy.

Pastirma/pastourma: Dried pressed meat, usually beef, seasoned with garlic and warm spices such as paprika and cumin; it is usually sliced paper thin. In Egypt, it is eaten for breakfast with ful (cooked beans). American pastrami is an obvious descendant.

Pastis: Anise-flavored spirit popular in France, especially in the south; it is typically mixed with water, which turns it cloudy, and drunk as an aperitif.

Pimentón: The Spanish word for Spanish paprika, which may be sweet, bittersweet or hot.

Pimentón de la Vera: A sought-after Spanish paprika made from chiles that have been smoke-dried, which gives it a seductive smoky taste.

Piquillo peppers: Small, sweet red peppers from Spain, with a slight piquancy. They are roasted over a wood fire, then skinned and jarred. In the Basque country, they are often stuffed with salt cod.

Pomegranate syrup/molasses: The concentrated juice of sour pomegranates. It is thick and dark, with a sweet-sour taste. It is widely used in the Middle East in marinades, beverages, dips, sauces, grain salads and stews.

Preserved lemons: An essential ingredient in Moroccan cooking, preserved lemons impart a salty, lemony, pickled taste to many dishes, especially vegetables, salads, tagines and braised chicken. The lemons are typically quartered and cured in salt and their own juice for several weeks. They must be rinsed before using. For most recipes, the pulp is discarded and only the rind is used.

Raki: See Arack.

Ras el hanout: Literally, “top of the shop,”a Moroccan seasoning mix that may include dozens of ingredients—some, like orrisroot and ash berries, quite exotic.

Rígani: Wild Greek oregano, most often used dried. It is more pungent than common supermarket oregano.

Rose water: A clear, fragrant liquid distilled from rose petals. Rose water scents many pastries, syrups and custards in the Middle East and North Africa. It is intense and should be used sparingly.

Samna: Clarified and aged butter used in North Africa and the Middle East as a cooking fat. It is usually salted and may be flavored with herbs or spices.

Smen: See Samna.

Sumac: A ground brick-red spice from the dried berries of a nonpoisonous variety of the sumac bush (Rhus coriaria). It has a pleasantly sour, lemony taste and is widely used in the Middle East. Sumac is often sprinkled on grilled kebabs or rice pilafs and is a component of most za’atar blends. Some dishes call for the tart liquid obtained from steeping the whole berries.

Tabil: A Tunisian spice mixture that typically includes caraway, garlic, red pepper, fennel seed, aniseed, cumin, turmeric and black pepper. Used in salads, stews and couscous.

Tarama: The salted roe of carp or mullet. Greeks puree it with olive oil, bread, garlic and lemon to make taramosalata, a creamy dip.

Trahana: A hard, coarse, pebble-like pasta made with wheat (either flour or cracked wheat) mixed with buttermilk, milk or yogurt, then sun dried. Trahana is rehydrated by cooking in soups or stews.

Za’atar: A seasoning blend that typically includes dried thyme, roasted sesame seed and sumac, although components may vary. Mixed with olive oil, it makes a dip for bread.