All About Herbs and Spices

Ooooh, I like this thread, Pipperoo. I started cooking and baking when I was 4, and I cook most of our meals at home. It’s not quite so much fun when it’s an obligation but I still couldn’t imagine as enjoyable a life without being able to cook.

No help on the cardamom, but if you’re a milk drinker (could be one of them “alternative” milks) don’t some cultures like cardamom in warm milk? Might be nice in warm coconut milk?

I couldn’t live without thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, chili, tarragon, to name a few. Cinnamon can be great in some unexpected ways, like in Greek dishes with meat. Tarragon with eggs or chicken gets me every time. Good quality freshly ground pepper can make something really simple wonderful.

Does garlic count here? I definitely wouldn’t survive without that, either. Mint, too.

As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of Asian food, so herbs & spices are key for me when I cook.
Fresh coriander is practically impossible to buy here so I grow my own for Thai pastes.

I use cinnamon in Nepalese dishes. It doesn't take much to make the flavour proper authentic & I usually use the sticks which I have to fish out before serving, lest someone busts a tooth.
The powdered stuff's okay but it's so fine that when I open the tin off my rack there's an instant cloud of the stuff which gets me sneezing uncontrollably
I do like a pinch in apple crumble though

I also make my own masala mix which is really handy for when a recipe assumes you have simply bought masala mix in the shop & writes, "1tsp masala".

Ginger's another one that gets a fair bit of use. Gives a nice bite to curries when combined with the other spices.

Oh, & turmeric I like. It doesn't really have much flavour, but it's a wicked colour. Biatch to clean up the stains though (although denture tablets do the trick).


My main spice rack


The rest is in jars, packets or on the balcony

How do you all stand on cloves?
I sometimes use them in my wok cooking. Crush 4 or 5 up & bung them in the oilwhile it gets hot. Makes a super aroma that permeates whatever's cooking.

Yep. Nepal.
You can use the powdered cloves too, but it tends to burn if you're not careful

Google says it's kryddernellike

Does that make sense?

Ohhh that really makes sense! I used it last week hehe

In Denmark, when it’s christmas, it is a cosy and very nice smelling tradition to put a lot of cloves into an orange in a nice pattern, and bind a red silk ribbon around and hang it up!