Spices have been used in Ayurvedic medicine in India and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China for more than 5,000 years.

The most obvious path to health and healing is spices that aid in digestion, which in turn boosts the immune system. Some spices can also offer pain relief from arthritis and chronic pain.

Let’s look at a few of the top spices in Mother Nature’s medicine cabinet. Note that with the exception of the first one, most of these can be eaten fresh rather than dried so you don’t lose any nutrients.

[Read more…] about Nine Spices That Give Health Benefits

One of the fun things about learning how to cook from scratch is getting to experiment with different seasonings. If you love eating out and/or buying takeaway, just think how much money you could save if you decided to master your favorite recipes and were able to make them at home any time you wish? It’s easy once you know how.

Start with a Great Recipe

The important thing is to start with a reliable recipe from a cookbook or an online site. If there are star ratings for the recipe, pick the one with the highest rating. Also, look at the comments for the recipe. These often contain feedback from people who cook regularly and can offer helpful hints and tips about variations, whether the recipe needs more seasoning or not, and so on.
[Read more…] about Four Great Recipes Using Spices

Whenever people hear the word “spices”, they instantly think of savory dishes like soups and stews. However, the truth is that spices can enhance desserts and baked goods as well. Here are some ideas for adding a whole new dimension to your sweet treats, using either chocolate or white batter combinations.

1. Chocolate and Spice Combinations

There are a number of ways to add depth of flavor to recipes that call for chocolate.
[Read more…] about Ways to Use Spices in Desserts and Baking

Herbs and spices are a great way to enhance the taste and color of food. They can make almost any recipe more flavorful without adding a lot of sugar, fat or salt. Some even have medicinal properties and can help with digestion, pain relief, healthy circulation, and more.

In addition, they can help you explore new cuisines from around the world. If you want to cut cravings by adding fuller flavor, or get more adventurous with your recipes, here are some tips on how to cook with spices.

1. Use fresh when you can

Fresh ginger has a completely different taste from dried and powdered. The herb basil is amazing as the base for fresh pesto sauce to put on your pasta. [Read more…] about Tips for Cooking with Spices

A spice can be defined as a seed, root, bark, fruit, or other plant derivative, mainly used for flavoring or preserving food. Herbs are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants. The two are often referred to together as herbs and spices to be used in recipes in the various cuisines around the world.

A Little Bit of History

Many spices come from warmer climates and have antimicrobial properties, so they can also be used as medicine. Ayurvedic medicine in India dates back more than 5,000 years, and of course, Indian food is famous for its herbs and spices.

Spices could be used instead of refrigeration to preserve foods. The ancient Egyptians even used them to preserve mummies. The origins of spice trading can be traced back to around 500 BC, when intrepid Chinese and Korean junk boat captains would trade spices. The demand grew as the spices were sold more widely.
[Read more…] about Spices and Their Origins

Spices are no longer worth more than their weight in gold the way they were a thousand years ago when Europeans first started to discover the wonders of the Far East and the Spice Islands (now Indonesia), but they are still a considerable investment in your food shopping budget that you will want to make the most of.

Spices enhance flavor and color in food. They can also reduce cravings because what you eat is more tasty and satisfying. Some spices even have medicinal properties thanks to their chemical components, fatty acids and antioxidants.

Here are some storage tips that can help you get the most out of your spices and retain their potency and healing properties for as long as possible. [Read more…] about Spice Storage Tips

Cooking with spices can add a whole new dimension of flavor to your cooking. Creating your own blends can help you cater to your family’s taste, and save you some time as well. All you will have to do is sprinkle a little of your blend, rather than open a half dozen bottles every time you want to make Italian sauce or tasty tacos.

Here are some quick and easy blends. Organize some clean spice bottles, jars, or small plastic containers with lids, some sticky labels, and a waterproof marker, and you will be ready to start blending.
[Read more…] about Seven Great Spice Mixes to Make

Spices are used in every cuisine in the world to season food, and sometimes to color it or preserve it. Far Eastern cuisines tend to use a range of herbs and spices that grow locally. For other cuisines, spices have to be imported in many cases, and so were very rare and precious in the past.

Here are some of the most common spices to make it into our supermarkets and onto our tables as modern families explore recipes from around the world.
[Read more…] about Common Spices around the World and What They Are Used For

Most people stick to the standard spices you can find in any supermarket. But some people like to branch out and try something a bit more exotic. Here are a few rare or unusual spices to try.

1. Saffron

This is the most expensive spice in the world because it is made up of the thread-like filaments of the saffron crocus flower. Each flower has only three filaments, so it takes around 225,000 filaments to make up one pound of saffron.

Luckily, a little goes a long way, and it is ideal in rice dishes. If you can’t afford the high cost per ounce, you can use the bright yellow turmeric instead.

2. Sumac

This is a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine and has become trendy in recent years thanks to its savory and tart taste, similar to a lemon. It is used as a rub on meat, a seasoning on salad and a tasty addition to hummus – the popular chickpea spread eaten in most countries around the Mediterranean basin. It doesn’t hold up well to heat, so add it as a finishing spice.

3. Garam Masala

This is another interesting seasoning that can be consider a finishing spice. Add it to Indian dishes before serving to add to their aromatic quality.

Recipes vary, but in general, you can expect garam masala to contain allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, mace, nutmeg and black pepper.

4. Cardamom

The pod and seeds can also be used on their own. The little green pods can give rice dishes a big flavor. The small black seeds are ground up for garam masala and can be found in apple pie spice and in Scandinavian baking, along with cinnamon and nutmeg.

5. Galangal

Also known as Thai ginger, it is related to ginger and used in Thai cuisine, but it has its own pine-like taste, with a hint of lime. It is delicious with fish and poultry, and adds a real depth of flavor to Thai curry and coconut milk-based dishes.

6. Juniper berries

These grow in Europe and are used to flavor gin, and to create tangy sauces for wild game such as venison and wild boar. You can also use it to season pork.

7. Oaxaca Chiles

These chiles have a unique smoky tasty that is causing them to trend in many dishes, particularly in vegetarian ones because the chiles lend a sort of meaty taste to a range of dishes.

8. Serrano chili powder

On a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the hottest, Serranos come in at about a 7, adding zing to Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes. Like their Oaxaca cousins, they can add smokiness as well if you use smoked Serrano chili powder.

9. Fenugreek

This seed is crushed into powder and added to Indian dishes. It has a distinct smoky flavor that tastes a bit like burnt sugar. Use sparingly in your curries.

11. Asafoetida

Asafoetida is an incredibly strong-smelling and tasting spice that is used mostly in Indian vegetarian cooking. It is definitely an acquired taste. It is a gum resin derived from a particular Indian plant.

12. Machalepi

This spice is made from the pits of sour cherries and is favored in recipes from around the Mediterranean. It tastes of roses and almonds and is a favorite in baked goods, including Greek breads. It might also be labeled Mahaleb.

Which of these spices are you going to try?

Even though spices are not as exotic, rare and expensive as they once were thousands of years ago, they are still a considerable investment and one most families would like to get the most from. They are best when at their freshest, and can enhance many of your favorite dishes.
The real question is what cuisines you enjoy. Choosing the most versatile spices will mean you can mix and match them, and enjoy deliciously seasoned recipes from around the world.
Here are some suggestions for a well-stocked kitchen, based on general need and particular cuisines.
The Basics
1. Sea salt – A little salt enhances the flavor of most savory dishes and is sometimes required to get the right rise and texture for baked goods.
2. Black and white pepper – These also enhance almost any dish. White pepper is milder and finer. It won’t affect the appearance of a dish.

Italian Food

3. Oregano is the main seasoning, and is used in soups, stews, and sauces.
4. Basil is more aromatic, and can be used along with oregano. Use fresh basil with some olive oil and pine nuts. Place in a blender and process until smooth, then add to your favorite pasta as a quick sauce, or use as a spread or the base for a salad dressing.
5. Fennel seeds give sweet Italian sausage its unique taste, so you can get the flavor in your red sauce even if you are vegetarian. Fresh fennel makes a delicious salad.

Mexican Food

Oregano is also used a good deal in Mexican recipes, especially those with tomatoes.
6. Coriander can be used in moderation either fresh or dried. It gives a savory taste with a hint of lemon.
7. Cumin is usually used with coriander. It has a deep, earthy taste that is a bit peppery.

Indian Food

Coriander and cumin are also used in Indian food, so they are a good addition to any spice rack. But there are many other wonderful spices to explore.
8. Cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon are often used in savory dishes, especially in ones with tomato-based sauces. Cinnamon is of course also incredibly useful for your favorite baked goods.
9. Curry powder is a blend of a range of spices, and is an easy shortcut if you want to get an authentic taste of India without buying a lot of different items. You can also make your own blend.
10. Garam masala is also a standard Indian blend you can buy to take the guesswork out of your seasoning. It is a “finishing spice” that you add just before you serve, rather that cook it.
11. Turmeric is a root related to ginger root. It is bright yellow, with a mild flavor. It gives curry powder its color. It’s useful as a natural dye for foods and will enhance any rice dish.
12. Ginger root is used in both sweet and savory dishes. It’s also used for candy and tea. It is a bit pungent, but goes well with chicken. It can be used fresh or dried and powdered. It is a staple of Chinese cuisine as well.

Chinese Food

Ginger is found in many recipes, in both its fresh and dried forms. You will also find coriander, fennel and cinnamon in Chinese dishes.
13. Star anise is very popular. This dried flower with seeds is used whole, or ground into powder. It is one of the five spices in Chinese 5-spice powder, along with coriander, fennel, cloves, and Szechuan peppercorns.
With these spices in your kitchen, you will be able to enhance and vary the taste of all your favorite meals.