Over the last month, I’ve been cooking up Indian food at home. Up until this month, I had only tried making Indian food at home once, so this is all a fairly new experience for me. I have loved experiencing such new flavors. One thing that I’ve learned more about this past month is Garam Masala. (more…)
Chinese Five Spice Powder is a combination of five spices; star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel. It is a spice combination you can use in many dishes, including baked goods and desserts. My father makes a really delicious ginger chicken dish, a favorite in our home, and I love using it in soups, cookies, and desserts.
Although the name describes the number of spices used, it actually represents the five elements (wu hsing) that are believed in chinese philosophy to create harmony in all of nature, specifically the human body. Because each element is represented in the powder, balance is created.
norecipes.com says of the spice mix:
“…these elements [wood, fire, water, earth, metal, and water] manifest themselves in various parts of the human anatomy and imbalances in these elements are said to be the cause of disease. Various herbs and spices have been used for thousands of years to restore balance to these elements which is how 5 spice powder came into being.”
It is easy to make yourself, and it should also be easy to find at your local asian market. Keep reading for the recipe to make it yourself, and some recipes that highlight five spice powder. (more…)
I always find it interested to find where some of the everyday spices we use come from, because it’s something that I don’t usually think about. Like cinnamon. Did you know that it comes from a tree’s bark? Cinnamon is one of those spices that is well used in my kitchen, but there are more uses to it besides just using it in you cinnamon rolls! (more…)
Here in America, we use the word “curry” to describe many dishes from South Asian cuisines, and especially Indian cuisines. But, did you know there are many types of curry? There are Green, red, panang curries, just to name a few. Curry is a generic term, and means a gravy or sauce, rather than a particular spice.
Curry has more recently become widespread, and people all over the world are consuming it, making their own versions. {to learn more about different kinds of curry, click here}
Today, I am going to share an amazing curry dish that uses your basic Indian Curry, or Madras Curry. This Curry spice is a yellow powdered spice made of a blend of turmeric, coriander, and ginger and often infused with hot peppers. This curry has amazing flavor and is a great mix of sweet from the coconut milk, and also spicy from the curry and cayenne pepper!
Bay leaves add a layer of flavor that is subtle but distinct and luxurious. Used in many savory and even a few sweet dishes, they are an important part of a bouquet garni. Bay leaves can be used fresh, but are more pungent and flavorful after having dried for a few weeks. Learn more about these robust little leaves below. (more…)
Cardamom, an intensely aromatic, gingery spice is perfect for use in autumn. Use it in any pumpkin recipe, or when you mull some fresh apple cider, or simply when you want to fill your home with the smell of autumn spices. Here are a few fun facts and recipes that debut this wonderful and too often overlooked spice. (more…)
Have you ever been in a conversation and a sudden craving comes over you that you just can’t shake for days? I got one of those cravings the other evening while talking about pesto with a few friends. They were sharing their ideas and variations of pesto and I just couldn’t get the green stuff out of my mind. So I did what any intelligent person would do; I went to the market, bought all the necessary ingredients, came home, and gave into that little craving until properly satiated. (more…)
I love flavoring olive oil. You can use it on garlic bread, pizzas, pastas, sandwiches (especially ones you want to grill/toast), add it to meats, grilled veggies, anything you like. It adds delicious flavor to everything you put it on. (more…)
A few weeks back, I had a recipe on my blog that used aniseed. I had someone ask me what aniseed was and what it tasted like, so I decided to do a bit more research and share some facts about this lesser known spice. (more…)
If you have ever had a slice of rye bread, you will recognize the distinct flavor or caraway. This very aromatic seed is used to enhance many different foods, as well as many other uses. (more…)
