Advieh
A Persian spice blend, usually of dried rose petals, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin, warm and floral with almost no heat.
Advieh is the classic spice blend of Persian cooking. There is no fixed recipe, but dried rose petals, cinnamon, green cardamom and cumin are typical, with coriander, nutmeg, turmeric or ginger added depending on the household. Cooks often distinguish a more floral blend for rice (advieh-e polo) from a more robust one for stews (advieh-e khoresh). It tastes warm, fragrant and faintly sweet, with no heat, and is meant to round out a dish rather than dominate it, so it is used sparingly. Ready-made advieh is sold in Persian and Middle Eastern grocery shops and online, and occasionally in well-stocked Turkish supermarkets.
Substitute:
The best option is to mix it yourself: roughly equal parts ground cinnamon, cardamom, cumin and crumbled dried rose petals, with a little coriander if you like. Without the rose petals the floral scent that defines the blend is lost. Garam masala is not a good substitute, as its pepper and cloves make it noticeably hotter and darker in flavour.