Questions tagged [spices]
Culinary use of spices, defined as the edible but non-leafy parts of certain plants.
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How can I determine how powerful certain herbs and spices are? Is there a list?
I am trying to determine the relative strength or potency of flavour that comes from different spices and herbs. I often find myself lost when trying to blend recipes since certain spices can be quite ...
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0answers
59 views
How do I make food that smells strong [closed]
I noticed a lot of my food has barely any odor. But I've also noticed that when food has a really strong odor it tastes better. A lot of my neighbors I can constantly smell delicious stuff from their ...
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5answers
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Substituting cayenne for red pepper flakes
My wife does not like alternating textures, or "surprises" in sauces. Thus I need to make certain concessions when cooking for her.
She does not like crushed red pepper flakes, but will readily take ...
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2answers
107 views
Name of an herb or spice that is small, dark spines [closed]
My question is about an herb that my mother used in her spaghetti sauce, and that I did as well using her recipe... And neither of us can remember what it actually was.
I remember the flavor, but ...
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1answer
61 views
How to preserve ground spices? [duplicate]
As soon as you grind a spice, it gets exposed to air and starts to lose its potency. I'm trying to figure out how I can grind them and reduce/prevent this from happening.
I guess you could put them ...
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3answers
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Do I need to grind Ceylon Cinnamon sticks for coffee/tea, or can I add them whole?
I got some Ceylon Cinnamon sticks, but I haven't purchased the coffee grinder yet. I was wondering if I could add the sticks whole when I brew coffee or tea.
If so, how much per cup?
Do I need to ...
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4answers
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Is there such a thing as a dish being bland from too many flavors?
My girlfriend has asked for my opinion on a few dishes that she has been experimenting with, and not being particularly well-versed in the language used to discuss food, I have been having trouble ...
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3answers
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How do I age ginger?
For the past few months all I can find is young ginger from the grocers. I am in need of old ginger which I can't quite purchase.
I have tried to leave it out in the kitchen in an open basket (no ...
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4answers
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Other 'hot' spices
The restaurant assured me that there was no chilli in the food but it was still too hot for me. What other spices, etc. can cause the heat effect in the mouth?
it was a Sri Lankan restaurant, very ...
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5answers
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Are cardamom husks edible?
I have a recipe for a South Indian "allspice" mixture that includes cardamom among other spices. One begins with whole spices, toasted, and in the end they are ground in a coffee or spice ...
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1answer
157 views
Toasting and blooming spices
From what I've read, to make some spices more "potent", you have to toast or bloom them. Take cinnamon stick for example, in most Indian recipes, they call for it to be fried in oil (...
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3answers
310 views
Sweet = Sugar, Salty = Salt, Sour =?
I have thought of a funny concept on what makes things taste like this, taste like that, and it kinda looks like this:
Sweet = Sugar (C6H12O6)
Sour = ?
Salty = Salt (NaCl)
Bitter = ?
What I'm trying ...
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1answer
161 views
Retain chilli powder taste till end of cooking
When I add chilli powder to an Indian curry, and let it lid-closed for next 5-7 minutes, by the time it's cooked, it loses it's taste and the curry becomes bland. What should I do to retain the spice ...
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1answer
60 views
Aleppo Pepper + Heat
I'm testing out a meatball recipe with aleppo pepper flakes, and although it's good, I want a little more heat. Do you think adding a touch of cayenne would do the trick? Would it pair well with the ...
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9answers
72k views
How much Saffron to use?
I'm a bit confused with how much saffron to use in a paella recipe. I've seen numerous recipes that state to use 1gram. However I have a 1gram jar and that seems like a lot of saffron to me. I've ...
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1answer
101 views
How to clean/wash (Sichuan) peppercorns?
Tragically, I spilled over a bottle of Sichuan peppercorns on the kitchen floor, which is fairly dirty (we walk on it with outdoor shoes, and if you wipe at the floor with a cloth it will pick up a ...
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3answers
105 views
Fermenting pickles
I'm new on pickles fermentation without vinager, last week I put three jars with different recipes I found over internet and it said to leave it outside the refrigerator for one up to four weeks and ...
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2answers
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Spice with no Flavor or Aroma?
I lost the label on a bag of some sort of spice, and trying to figure out what it is got me really curious of what it possibly could be and what use it could ever serve.
It is light brown, even ...
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2answers
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Exactly which kind of cardamom should I use in pho (phở)?
I have been cooking pho for a while. Pho recipes differ from one another, but one of the most common spice ingredients is cardamom. Having looked at various sources, recipes, and Wiki pages, I feel ...
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4answers
42k views
Adding spiciness to indian curry at the end of cooking
When making Indian curries, I usually lightly fry the spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, and kashmiri chili powder), as most recipes state that this is needed to get rid of the "raw" taste. Sometimes ...
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3answers
193 views
Uses of dittany of Crete (origanum dictamnus)
Last summer I went to Crete for a short vacation, and came back with fond memories of the local cuisine.
Before leaving I bought some spices, among them a small bag of diktamo (dittany, or dictamnus)....
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2answers
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Harissa powder to paste
How much harissa powder would be equivalent to one teaspoonful of harissa paste?
I have tried to look it up online, but all I can find is "add water and oil to reach the desired result", e.g. here. ...
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11answers
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What is this fungus/lichen in my Garam Masala? (“Trifle”/truffle?)
I just bought a lovely bag of Garam Masala, and was all ready to grind some when I got home! But when I opened it, I found something I didn’t recognise — at first I thought something had gone mouldy, ...
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1answer
62 views
whole spices vs garam masala?
There are usually two ways of adding khada masala spices(cloves, cardamom etc) to a curry:
Add the whole spices in the beginning in oil
Add garam masala in the end
What kind of difference in flavor ...
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8answers
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Chili and bell pepper substitute due to allergies?
I recently learned that I am allergic to ALL forms of pepper except black pepper. Bell peppers, chili peppers, etc. I am allergic to and it makes my throat swell up. I have several recipes using ...
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1answer
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Adding cayene early makes it less hot
I have a favorite jambalya recipe. I usually saute the trinity (celery, onions, green peppers) for a short while before adding garlic and then a longer while later I will add my Cajun seasoning. For ...
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7answers
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What is the world's hottest pepper?
I'm growing some bhut jolokia peppers, and they are almost ready for harvesting.
However, I've since seen that the naga viper pepper has beaten the bhut jolokia as the hottest pepper. I've also seen ...
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2answers
162 views
What are those spices?
I was organizing and labeling my spices cabinet when I run into those two spices that I cannot recognize. I'm assuming one of them is fenugreek. I'm quite sure I bought them when I had 'Indian cuisine'...
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2answers
2k views
Is it normal for hot mustard oil to foam strongly when ingredients are added, and why does it?
I noticed that my mustard oil (of indian brands, as bought outside india, from specialty grocers carrying indian ingredients) tends to foam/bloom much more than other strongly heated oils when adding ...
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6answers
4k views
How to deal with strong, sizable spices?
I've been making a lot of Indian food, and I've repeatedly had problems with certain spices being "overpowering" when you get a bite of them. I'm talking specifically about cardamom and ...
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4answers
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Can you season skewers after cooking them?
Firstly, I write, not cook. A character in my story drugs some honey chicken skewers, saying it's seasoning in front of my protagonist. Would it be okay if he was called out about it or are there ...
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2answers
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Do I need to remove clove stems before grinding?
I have whole cloves and need to crush/grind them. Should I break the berry parts off the much-harder stem and just grind that, or is the whole thing meant to be used?
(I'm using a mortar and pestle, ...
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2answers
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Solubility of turmeric powder
I wonder if anyone mixes turmeric in milk, almond milk or water, and if you still have those insoluble bits interfering in the beverage.
What I've been doing is mixing milk, turmeric powder, honey ...
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1answer
78 views
What does ginger lose if puréed or ground and left over time?
I know with certain herbs and spices once you cut them open or grind them they can lose aroma, volatile oils and vitamins.
I’m wondering about ginger. People either use it fresh, use a prepared ...
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0answers
116 views
Gritty Mouth Feel from Moroccan Spice Blend
I made a tagine style chicken dish that was very tasty, but the sauce had a subtle but fine gritty mouth feel that I'd like to eliminate the next time I try this.
I haven't experienced this with most ...
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6answers
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What are the possible substitutions for Cumin in Indian cuisine?
I've always been interested in trying to make some type of dahl or other Indian cuisine but I'm severely allergic to Cumin. This typically strikes me out for recipes with curry or chili powder. Does ...
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3answers
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Substitute for horseradish?
What are some good substitutes for horseradish?
I've heard mustard is one, but I still struggle a bit to see how it would do a very good job...
Anybody ever try mustard with success?
I've also seen ...
4
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1answer
421 views
How to get spices off pan - even after washing
I cooked using spices a lot, and I notice this problem most after cooking with turmeric. I wash the pan after I'm done using it, with dish soap, and allow it to soak, then scrub with a scourer or ...
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2answers
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How do caraway and ajwain differ in taste and use?
These two seed spices seem confusingly similar. I have never used ajwain before. A new recipe I intend to try out calls for jowan (carom seeds) which, according to Google and Wikipedia, are also ...
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2answers
225 views
Solutions for a bland vegetable curry
Over the years, I have developed a recipe that is effectively aloo gobi and saag aloo mixed together: Potato, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach curry. (I used to make it with sweet potato, but to &...
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4answers
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Does vanilla really bring out the flavour of other foods?
I can't count the times I have heard that vanilla brings out the flavour of other foods. For example it "makes chocolate taste more chocolatey," etc... I have also heard that it's the only spice that ...
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3answers
474 views
Is there a “color wheel” for spices
Are there "models" proposing relationships between spices as there are between colors?
(I understand that color is based on the physics of light and that there is no (afaik) "physics of flavor". I am ...
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2answers
185 views
How critical is it to store spices in constant temperature?
A typical bit of advice on the subject says:
Store your herbs and spices in a cool, dry place. The ideal temperature is one that remains fairly constant, averaging right around 70° F."
You're ...
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2answers
2k views
Mild chili powder?
My mother and I are having trouble finding pure mild chili powder in our area (Superstore, Walmart, Your Independent Grocer, and an Indian grocery store or two. We don't got much else in the suburbs).
...
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3answers
275 views
Flavor of wasabi, horseradish, mustard, capers, and jalapeño
What is the name of the flavor of wasabi, horseradish, mustard, capers, and jalapeño?
Unfortunately, I'm not fond of the taste of the above ingredients.
To me, they taste similar.
I don't mind the ...
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5answers
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How can I prevent spices from lumping together?
I notice that sometimes, some of my spices become one hard block. I have this especially with my garlic powder, in a smaller degree with my chili powder (that contains the same garlic powder). I'm ...
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6answers
4k views
Removing turmeric colour from mortar and pestle
We have a large granite (I think) mortar and pestle, and while keeping it clean generally doesn't seem too difficult, I have absolutely no idea how to avoid it staining when it's used with turmeric ...
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3answers
6k views
How can I remove whole peppercorns from a sauce after cooking?
I've heard that whole black pepper is put in sauces for flavour, but it is not supposed to stay there in a finished dish, because it's quite unpleasant to bite on one during a meal. But how does one ...
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1answer
2k views
can ice help with spicy food?
This is more just out of curiosity then anything. I just wondered could eating ice or somehow making you mouth colder before eating spicy foods, such as chill peppers or such, help lessen the ...
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2answers
4k views
Equivalent of cracked fennel seed to ground fennel seed
I have a recipe that calls for a 1/2 cup of cracked fennel seed. If I wanted to use a light ground fennel seed what would be the equivalent?
Thanks!
