advice on standard spices

[mamadee730]

okay here is the deal I have discovered that I am getting bored with my spices I want some new flavors but dont want to spend alot of money on them and I dont want anything too different. I guess what I want is spices that I would use often not just every now and then

Right now I have in my spice rack

Garlic Salt
Salt
whole Pepper
chilli powder
cumin
cinnamon
italion seasoning
ground sage
basil
nutmeg
paprika
and dill weed

so any ideas? what are some of your favorite seasonings

thanks
dee

[AWAaviatrix]

Re: advice on standard spices

okay here is the deal I have discovered that I am getting bored with my spices I want some new flavors but dont want to spend alot of money on them and I dont want anything too different. I guess what I want is spices that I would use often not just every now and then

Right now I have in my spice rack

Garlic Salt
Salt
whole Pepper
chilli powder
cumin
cinnamon
italion seasoning
ground sage
basil
nutmeg
paprika
and dill weed

so any ideas? what are some of your favorite seasonings

thanks
dee

fresh ground sea salt (better than regular salt)
Adams Black Malabar pepper (ground and coarse)
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Tones Rosemary Garlic Seasoning (rosemary, garlic, salt, onion, red bell pepper, lemon peel, paprika)
Curry powder

Misty

[mamadee730]

Curry powder sure seems to be popular I am curious about it dont think I have ever tried it. I know it is used in alot of indian dishes
what kind of flavor does it have??

thanks
dee

[colinwants2bthin]

Hi you nearly have all the ingredients for a basic curry powder, or as the Indians call it Garam Masala.

1 tbs Coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds (Roast in pan for 2 mins)
1 tsp whole pepper
2” stick cinnamon
5 cloves
4 Cardamon pods (2 green, 2 black if possible)
2 Bay leaves

Place all the dry spices in a grinder whole and grind.

This would be the basic spice for a curry. To these you would add chilli powder, turmeric and a selection of other spices depending on the dish or region where that curry comes from. In the UK curries are big. Probably outselling the good old fish and chips. Do not get the idea that all curries are hot, they range from the mild and creamy to ‘wish I hadn’t eaten that’ the following morning.
The trouble is they nearly all use tinned tomatoes or yoghurt for the base sauce.
I’ll try and put together a few low carb versions if anybody wants to try.

[illinitailgater]

I love Old Bay seasoning for adding to tuna and salmon salads. Also, you could go to Penzey's web site, www.Penzeys.com, and check out some of their spice blends. They ship (not sure about the cost), and they do provide recipes on their site and in their catalogs. I find them cheaper than the grocery store, with a much better selection of spices and sizes.

Happy low-carb spicing!

[MotherOfGizmo]

I love Old Bay too! You can use it for lots of things. We even rub it on chicken when we're doing a whole chicken along w/ other spices.

Its also good rubbed into a London Broil w/ some worchestshire sauce and allowed to marinate overnight or longer before grilling.

Of course its great on steamed shrimp or crab legs, fish or anykind of seafood!

[sadie147]

We don't get Old Bay sesoning here...When i was in florida it was one of the things i wanted to pick up to bring home but forgot. What kind of flavor does it have?

Mamadee I also like:

Montreal steak spice (goes great with chicken as well as steak)

Oregano - great for greek lemon chicken. marinate the chicken in oregano, lemon juice fresh garlic and olive oil then grill. Keep some of the marinade aside before you put it on the chicken for brushing on while it's grilling.

I have a Mesquite seasoning made by Club House. NOt sure if you get it down there..or something similar? I love it on Ribs!!! it's excellent.

Cayenne Pepper. couldn't live w/o it!

[MotherOfGizmo]

Old Bay is a seasoned salt only better, to be honest I don't know how to describe it, lets see, have you had a cajun crab boil spice before? Its similar to that.

[tickletussler]

1 tbs Coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds (Roast in pan for 2 mins)
1 tsp whole pepper
2” stick cinnamon
5 cloves
4 Cardamon pods (2 green, 2 black if possible)
2 Bay leaves

These spices can be used individually on food for different dishes.

Cumin - whole seeds sprinkled onto fish like salmon and pan-fried give is a fantastic "morrocan" flavour

Cinnamon - add it to something like mince dishes gives it an unusual sweet and savoury dish

Cloves - don't use too many, but Aussies use it to flavour their hams. One or 2 cloves in a milk tea gives it a sweetish spicy smell

Cardamon - FANTASTIC in soup with lamb/beef/chicken. Just incredible aroma. Cardomon Chicken dish - stirfry onions, garlic, chilli in oil, add plenty of whole or crushed cardamon to oil, add chicken, finally coconut milk (only available to later rungs of OWL). Try it!

I know some of these spices may be too "exotic for you", but why not give them a go?

Fennel seeds - can be used in tea, or on fish, sprinkled on like the cumin, roasted or pan-fried

Turmeric - ginger used a lot in Indian food. The known ground turmeric gives the yellow colour in curries, turns pink for a flash when tap water has chlorine, has a different taste to normal ginger, used in the Indian yellow peas dish called "dhal"

Black mustard seeds - allow to pop in oil, gives a mustard fragrance

Curry leaves - yumm... use with black mustard seeds in stirfries with either vegetables or fish - it just smells heavenly. Also, pat leaves onto both sides of fish and pan-fry in oil - you can also really smell the curry leaves then.

Lemon grass - fleshier lower part of the lemon grass used. Has a bright lemony flavour and used in many Thai curries, the hot & sour soup, and stirfries

Kaffir lime leaves - also give a lemony flavour without the sourness of lemons. Added to curries and fantastic in poached fish-in-a-bag dishes

Coriander ROOT - don't throw away the roots! Wash off the soil, chop finely and it forms part of the paste for Thai Green curries.

Be adventurous, try these out!

[NulloModo]

Coriander Root/Leaf is called Cilantro here, btw.

Turmeric isn't really ginger-like in flavor, actually, it doesn't really have a flavor other than almost dirt in my experience, but maybe I have gotten bad turmeric.

Try a variety of different dried chiles and chile powders.

Chipotle powder has a sweetish smokey flavor, great to add to BBQ-ish dishes.

If you can find Red Savina Habanero powder is has a great kick and a really pleasant fruity flavor.

There are also a variety of cayenne pepper heat levels, so get a variety.

[MotherOfGizmo]

Coriander Root/Leaf is called Cilantro here, btw.

ensive I thought Cilantro was the leaf of the plant and Coriander was the seed.

[colinwants2bthin]

Turmeric powder is a mild, delicate flavour similar to saffron. It has a slightly bitter flavour and is used in most Indian dishes. It is also used as a cheaper alterative to saffron.

[tickletussler]

ensive I thought Cilantro was the leaf of the plant and Coriander was the seed.

Karen, NulloModo is right! Coriander in the US is known as cilantro, just like what you call "cantaloupe" is known as rockmelon... one of many different words referring to the same thing

There are 3 forms of cilantro used:

Leaves - used in soups, garnish, salads
fresh root - ground to a paste for thai curry pastes
Seed - what usually falls into your spice rack, and can be used whole (same size as black peppercorns) or ground cilantro - one of ingredients to make an Indian curry.