Posted: 05 June 2007 at 8:23pm | IP Logged

Spices are vibrant, exotic, and, let’s face it, a little befuddling. So, before you ruin a perfectly good curry with too much turmeric or sweat over a cayenne pepper salsa, check out our simple and practical dummies guide to spices.

If you want more flavourful spices, it is a good idea to roast them yourself and then grind them, either with a mortar and pestle or in a coffee grinder. Roast seeds (anise seeds, caraway seeds) in a dry pan over a medium heat to elicit the full flavour.

Store your spices in a dry container away from too much heat and be careful when using a spice such as turmeric not to stain your hands or clothing.

Take a cautious approach to strong spices (cayenne pepper, paprika and turmeric) and be a little more liberal with those with delicate flavours.

In long-cooking dishes like soups and stews, add the spices an hour or less before serving or else the flavours might become too strong. Unless you are making a curry or the recipe specifically suggests it, don’t use more than three spices in a single dish.

Anise seed

Description — Small seeds that smell and taste like liquorice.
Traditional use — In Europe anise seed was used in cakes and sweet breads and in the Middle East and India it was used in stews and soups.
Use — Dried seeds.
Tips — Sprinkle over cookies before baking or add to seafood dishes for a hint of the Mediterranean.

Caraway seed

Description — Hard, one and a half inch seeds which are tapered at the ends and have pungent aroma with a sweet tangy flavour. Traditional use — Used to flavour rye bread, sauerkraut, sausage, cheese and soup.
Use — Whole seeds
Tips — Toast lightly in a dry pan over medium heat and sprinkle over cheese and potato dishes or over bread before baking. Blend into cream cheese with basil and chives for a delicious cheese spread.

Cardamom

Description — Seed of a fruit in the ginger family, which has a pungent aroma and sweet flavour.
Traditional use — Used in India in curry blends, in Scandinavia in breads and in the Middle East to flavour coffee.
Use — Whole or ground
Tips — Add to stews or curry. Use a small amount in breads, pastries or apple pie. Give your coffee a Middle Eastern feel by adding a little to the ground coffee before brewing.

Cayenne Pepper

Description — Made from the dried pods of strong chilli peppers. It has hardly any scent, but is extremely hot to the taste.
Traditional use — Used in Mexican and Italian cooking.
Use — Dried and ground or fresh and finely chopped (to decrease strength remove seeds).
Tips — Spice up salsa, avocado dips or taco sauces. Make a ‘Mexican’ omelette with tomatoes, onions, peppers and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Sautι vegetables with cayenne pepper or add a pinch to tinned beans. Spice up your hot chocolate or cocoa.

Cinnamon

Description — The dried bark of the laurel tree, cinnamon has a sweet and woody fragrance.
Traditional use — Used most commonly as a baking spice, but in the Middle East is also used with chicken and lamb dishes.
Use — Dried sticks or ground powder.
Tips — Mix with sugar and sprinkle over cookies or pancakes. Combine with chocolate to create a decadent dessert or warm beverage. Or add ground cinnamon to curries.

Cloves

Description — Dried, brown, unopened flower buds, with a strong sweet aroma and taste.
Traditional use — Used in spice cookies and cakes. In Indonesia cloves are used for ‘kreteks’ (clove cigarettes).
Use — Dried and ground or whole (need to be removed before eating).
Tips — Pierce cloves into the skin of an orange until the entire orange is covered in little brown pins and use to flavour gluhwein. Or blend ground cloves with syrup or honey and drizzle over baked sweet potatoes. Use a coffee grinder to grind whole cloves.

Cumin

Description — Pale green seeds with deeply furrowed lines. Cumin has a slightly bitter, peppery taste.
Traditional use — Used in Mexican dishes such as chilli con carne and hot tamales.
Use — Whole or ground
Tips — Add to spicy meat stews or curries. Spice up lemon-based chicken marinades or combine with black pepper and honey to flavour vegetable and fish dishes. Add to rice and lentil dishes.

Fennel seed

Description — Yellowish seeds with a flavour similar to anise seed. Fennel is slightly sweeter and more aromatic.
Traditional use — Used to flavour fish and curries.
Use — Raw or cooked
Tips — Toast seeds lightly and toss into salads. Add to meatballs for an Italian flavour.

Garlic

Description — Grows in a bulb that is made up of a number of cloves. It has a distinctive aroma and flavour.
Traditional use — A vital ingredient in Italian, Mexican and Chinese food.
Use — Fresh or granulated
Tips — Use in pasta sauces or stews. Puree garlic with olive oil and mix into mashed potato. Mix with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil and oregano for a delicious salad dressing. Blend into butter with parsley and spread onto French loaf before putting under the grill or on the braai.

Ginger

Description — A light-brown tuberous root, which has a rich and woody aroma and a hot taste.
Traditional use — Used in gingerbread, ginger ale and Asian dishes.
Use — Grated freshly from the root or dried and ground
Tips — Stir into a cup of hot water with lemon juice and honey for a soothing drink. Add slices to stir-fries or curries for an Asian flavour. Mix with garlic, olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce and honey for a delectable salad dressing. Add ginger and orange juice to sweet potatoes.

Mustard seed

Description — Small brown seeds with a hot, spicy flavour
Traditional use — Enhances sauces and salads dressings and can be used with meat, fish or poultry.
Use — Fresh
Tips — Blend with olive oil and vinegar for a tasty salad dressing. Marinade chicken in a mixture of garlic, honey, mustard, soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Or enhance the flavour of cheese rolls or a creamy cheese sauce.

Nutmeg

Description — A brown seed with a sweet, pungent aroma and a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Traditional use — A mild baking spice that is often used in puddings and fruit pies as well as in soup or with meat.
Use — Freshly ground
Tips — Blend into whipped cream or cream cheese. Use in sweet breads, puddings or cookies and sprinkle lightly over veal or chicken. Spice up pumpkin, sweet potato or squash.

Paprika

Description — Vibrant red powder from the mild red pepper, with a sweet hot taste.
Traditional use — Most commonly used spice in Hungarian cooking. Used in Morocco in tomato dishes and salads.
Use — Dried and ground
Tips — Use as garnish on potato salads or stuffed eggs. Stir into oil for an easy fish or poultry baste. Mix with breadcrumbs for a tasty casserole topping. Fry chicken in a mixture of paprika, flour, salt and pepper or sprinkle over potato dishes.

Saffron

Description — The most expensive spice in the world, saffron has a bitter flavour and a strong hay-like fragrance.
Traditional use — Used in French bouillabaisse, Spanish paella, Italian risotto and many Middle Eastern dishes.
Use — Dried
Tips — Add to chicken, risotto or seafood. Blend saffron, sugar, vinegar, oregano, oil and garlic and serve over artichokes.

Turmeric

Description — Turmeric comes from a root which is boiled, dried and ground. It has a scent similar to ginger and a strong, bitter flavour.
Traditional use — Used extensively in Indian dishes, especially in curries and lentil dishes.
Use — Dried and ground
Tips — Add to rice (yellow colour), curries and chicken dishes. Indispensable if you are making homemade chutneys or relishes and a viable alternative to saffron.

Vanilla