My spice rack has a vast variety of spices that range from your basic essentials like pepper, coriander, to more exotic blends that I have discovered along my culinary journey. This section will present my spices, their uses and how you can use them in your cooking.
Coriander Seed and Ground Coriander
Coriander seeds and ground coriander are definite staples in my spice rack as it is used in many of my dishes.Coriander seeds are the fruit from the coriander plant (also known as cilantro, Chinese parsley and dhania). The seed is harvested once the coriander plant has gone to seed and dried. Ground coriander is derived from coriander seeds that have been roasted and then crushed by either using a mortar and pestle or electric grinder.
Both the seed and powder has a mild citrus and nutty flavour, which makes them perfect as a base for many Indian and North African spice blends and pastes. You need to be careful with storing ground coriander as the flavours are quickly lost if stored for too long.
The use of seed and ground coriander spans across a number of cuisines, which include Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Mexican, Latin American, Portuguese, Chinese, African, and Scandinavian cuisine.
Cumin Seed and Ground Cumin
Previously, I featured coriander, and this week I will be discussing its partner in crime - cumin.Just like its partner, cumin is harvested from the cumin plant. Often confused with caraway seeds, cumin seeds are described as a peppery, nutty and bitter. The plant itself is an annual and will seed once matured.
Obviously, ground cumin is derived from the seed, and is described as amber, or golden in colour and far more oilier than ground coriander. Due to the bitterness and heat, cumin is the main ingredient of the Indian curry, garam masala. Combining cumin and coriander is a no-brainer - cumin's bitter, peppery and nutty flavour and heat will enhance coriander's citrus like aromas. The combination is so popular that you can buy ground coriander and ground cumin premixed.
Storing cumin seed or ground cumin is fairly easy - airtight container in a dry, dark place, for up to six months (if it lasts that long!).
Other than Indian cuisines, cumin features in Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines.
Cinnamon
This is one spice that I buy in bulk because I use it in so many of my dishes.Cinnamon is harvested from the cinnamon tree as bark. There are many types of cinnamon, where the most commonly used are True Cinnamon and Cinnamon Cassia. Once harvested, the cinnamon bark is dried, where during the drying process, the bark will curl, hence being known as quills.
Both the quill and ground are used in a variety of dishes. Cinnamon is commonly used in cakes, desserts, teas, coffee, cocoa and chocolate in American and European cuisines, as the spices's aromas and flavours are used as a sweet enhancer. Cinnamon is also heavily used in savoury, especially in Middle-Eastern, North African, Asian and Indian cuisines as the spice brings pungency to the dishes.
Cinnamon is easy to store. Keep the quills in an airtight container. Quills can be grounded to form a powder and is very aromatic. It is best to ground cinnamon when required, as storing the powder will see its flavour diminish.
Paprika
This spice was a request from my twin sister, but is a favourite in my spice rack.
Derived from air drying red peppers and chillies, there are many variations of paprika. The most commonly used is Hungarian. Other types are Spanish, South American and Californian. Paprika is known for its bright red, almost vermilion colour, however you can also have bright-orange and orange coloured paprika. Paprika is used for not only heat, spice and seasoning, but also to add colour to rice, soups and stews.
Paprika's flavour varies from sweet and mild, to hot and smokey. Most stews and soups use sweeter paprika, like Hungarian. South American, some Spanish, Eastern European and American will use the heat of hot and smokey paprika to garnish, but to also enhance other flavours in dishes.
Paprika features heavily in dishes from the cuisines of Turkey, Spain, Italian, Portugal, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Morocco, and South Africa.
Turmeric
This is another, from a long list of spices, that I buy in bulk because I use it in so many of my dishes.Turmeric is part of the ginger family. Its most commonly used form, ground turmeric is made from boiling turmeric root and then drying in the oven. Its distinctive orange-yellow colour is formed once the dried root is has been ground.
Not only used for culinary, turmeric is also considered medicinal. Turmeric tea and turmeric milk is used to help with stomach and liver ailments. Turmeric is also highly auspicious and holy in India. It is used as a colour dye for Hindu monks and is associated with the sun, due to its colour.
Turmeric is found in mostly savoury dishes, however it can be found in some cakes and other sweets. Turmeric's flavour is described as distinctly earthy, slightly bitter and hot peppery with a mustardy smell. This is why turmeric is prevelant in many curries, and is used vastly in Indian, Nepalese, South-East Asian, North African and Middle Eastern cuisines
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