27 May
Spice Up Your Cooking!
Spices add flavour and colour to your cooking, and whilst they don´t add any real nutritional value, some spices do have properties that aid digestion. There are a huge array of spices on the shelves at the store, so try to experiment with flavours by using those whose smell appeals to you.
Spices should be stored in a cool, dark place and will keep for up to a year in these conditions. Any longer, and the taste and aroma will begin to disappear.
Here to help you make a choice is a handy guide to selecting spices with some ideas about the foods that each spice complements.
| Spice | Flavor | Good With.. |
| Aniseed / Star Anise | Sweet and fragrant, smells like liquorice. | Spiced bread and cakesChinese cookery |
| Cardamom pods | Sticky pods with a light, slightly lemony taste. | Can be used in coffeeAdd to curries and Indian cuisine
Sometimes added to aromatic rice dishes |
| Cayenne pepper | Hot chili pepper, looks similar to paprika. Has a fiery chili flavour. Use quickly as does not keep well. | Can be used sparingly to liven up egg dishes, cheese dishes , casseroles and stews. |
| Cinnamon | Can be bought as powder or cinnamon sticks. Has a sweet, slightly hot taste and spicy smell. | Good in apple dishes, fruit pies, cakes and puddings. Sprinkle a little over milky drinks.Flavour also goes well with chocolate. |
| Coriander | Sold as seeds or ground. Has a slightly cirtus smell. Warm , mild spice with a slightly sweet taste. | Used in curries, sausages, meat puddings and other savoury meat dishes. Goes well with cumin to give a Morrocan taste to stuffed peppers and lamb dishes. |
| Cumin | Can be bought whole or ground. Has a strong spicy aroma, slightly bitter. | Common ingredient in curries. Used in Mexican cookery, lamb, chicken and savoury rice dishes. |
| Fennel | Long seeds with a slight aniseed flavour. | Good with fish dishes. Used in Italian cuisine with pork. Can also be added to sausages and cured meats.. |
| Garlic | Ever popular, bulb like plant. Can be fresh, dried, flakes, salt.. comes in a range of forms. Avoid the salt form as it adds uneccesary salt to the meal. | Used in Mediterranean cookery. Good in stews, meat dishes, fish, vegetables, and added to butter to make a garlic marinade. Can be overpowering so use a little to enhance natural flavours. |
| Ginger | Fiery pungent root with a warm smell. | Used in cakes and biscuits. Good in stir fry dishes and Far Eastern cuisine. Said to aid digestion and reduce nausea, including morning sickness! |
| Nutmeg | Warm, nutty seed with a sweet and slightly woody aroma. The flavour deteriorates swiftly. | Used extensively in milky puddings and cakes. Can be used in cheese and egg dishes. Complements the flavour of cabbage, cauliflower and spinach. |
| Paprika | Mild , sweet pepper. Has a warm flavour. | Used in goulash, stews, egg dishes, fish and salads. |
| Saffron | Very expensive spice made from the stigmas of the crocus flower. Has a pungent aroma and a strong, honey-like taste. | Used as a colourant in many dishes, such as paella, risotto and fish dishes. Use sparingly. |
| Turmeric | Warm aroma, slightly woody. | Used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Add to curries, rice dishes, kedgeree and as a food colourant. |
| Vanilla | Rich , sweet spice with a lovely fragrance. | Used extensively in sweet desserts and puddings. Good with milk based foods, can add to cakes and confectionery. |