WHAT DO SPICES ADD TO FOOD AND TO COOKING?

Herbs and Spices add exciting color and flavor to food. They are the perfect way to try different flavors, add different tastes to dishes, and transform them. Different cuisines use different spices and herbs to make them taste the way they do! A combination of different spices and herbs will easily change the taste, flavor and color of food. The right spices and herbs will add aromas to your dishes and will make the food tastier and more inviting. They are made to prevent you from eating bland meals.

Purposes of Spices while cooking

Aroma and Flavor: Spices can add exciting aromas to food which makes it enticing to eat through smell, and flavors. The flavors can be sweet, spicy or hot, but either way, the food will be transformed by adding spices/herbs.

Exciting Taste to food: Spices are a great way to add flavor and taste to bland food aside from just a bit of salt and pepper. Spices like Paprika, cumin, curry powder, etc. can all change the taste of a dish in seconds.

Color: Spices are also a great way to add color to your food. We are enticed by things that look good and certainly adding color to food is one of the ways to entice someone’s appetite. Spices that are great for color include Paprika, Turmeric, Curry powder, etc.

Intimidated by Using Spices?

Let’s be honest, cooking with spices can be very intimidating if you are just starting out, but like anything in life, an open mind, trial, and error and a bit of practice you will slowly discover different spices and what they add to dishes. So where can you start? We have created a short list of the most common flavorful spices that you can try out below

Basil: This is a sweet, flavored spice/herb that can be added to vegetables, pasta dishes, chicken, fish, pork, and salads. This spice also goes incredibly well with other herbs including garlic, oregano, and rosemary.

Cayenne Pepper: This is a hot spice that will add a kick to your food. Be careful not to use too much as it will end up ruining your food, so a little bit will add a sudden kick to dishes including curries, vegetables, roast chicken, beef, and pork.

Cloves: Cloves have an earthy sweet flavor and an incredible aroma. They are a great addition to curries; they can also be used in baking if finely ground.

Coriander: This earthy peppery spice is another ideal spice to add to soups, curries, and rice and can be combined with curry powder, cumin, and cinnamon.

Garlic Powder: A savory spice that is one of the basic foundational ingredients in transforming any dish. Whether its fresh garlic or powdered garlic, this can be added to all foods while cooking. Its an ideal spice for meat rubs and soups.

Ginger Powder: A sweet and warm spice that works well with garlic as a basic foundational spice and is a great addition to chicken, pork, beef and stews. Combine this with garlic and any other spices and you will transform your dishes.

Cumin: An earthy smoky flavored spice that can be added to beans, beef, and rice. A combination of this spice with garlic, ginger, and turmeric will not only add color but an incredible aroma to your dishes too.

Oregano: An earthy herb that can be added to salads, tomatoes, vegetables, and soups. This can be combined with basil or lemongrass to elevate the flavors in your dishes.

Paprika: A red sweet warm spice that can be combined with garlic, ginger, or cumin. This Spice adds a lovely red color to food and incredible flavor.

Rosemary: An earthy herb to be added to beans, mushrooms, roast chicken, and roast beef and can be combined with oregano and basil for the ultimate flavors.

Thyme: An earthy warm flavored herb that can be added to salads, soups, beef, chicken, lamb and Pork. Can be combined with Rosemary, Oregano and Basil.

Turmeric: A bitter Peppery Spice with vibrant yellow color. A must addition to any curries to provide that yellow vibrant color. This is an ideal spice for curries and can be combined with garlic.

If you would like to take the hustle out of figuring it out with spices, check our SHOP with all your favorite Spices already blended and mixed. We genuinely hope that this is a useful resource for you to start experimenting with spices and elevating your dishes.