Table of Contents
Introduction
If you love to cook, then you’ve probably spent hours of your life looking for the perfect spices. The truth is that cooking is a great way to get creative with your food—and it’s also a good way to add more spice into your life.
Cardamom
Cardamom is a spice that comes from the cardamom pod. It is used in many cuisines, including Indian and Scandinavian. Cardamom can also be used as an ingredient in desserts.
Cardamom is a wonderful addition to coffee and tea. The flavor has been described as spicy, sweet, and aromatic with hints of mint or eucalyptus. Cardamom pairs well with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and vanilla bean paste (for example: Nielsen Massey brand sells this online). You can also add it to cakes or other baked goods such as cookies (such as sugar cookies or gingerbread men) if you want them to have an extra kick!
Cayenne
Cayenne is a hot pepper, and it can be used to add heat to food. Cayenne can be used in many different cuisines, and it’s also often used in both sweet and savory dishes. It can even be added to make chili powder!
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a wonderful spice that can be added to many different types of food. Cinnamon is commonly used in desserts, but it also works well in savory dishes. This spice is great for adding to baked goods and can also be used to flavor coffee and tea.
Clove
- Cloves are the dried unopened flower buds of a tropical evergreen tree.
- They have a sweet, spicy, warm taste that adds flavor to meat and vegetables. Cloves are also used in cooking to make medicines.
Coriander
Coriander is a popular spice that you’ve probably seen in Indian, Mexican and Thai cuisine. It is an herb that grows in tropical regions of the world (including Southeast Asia) and looks similar to cilantro. Coriander is part of the parsley family; when it’s dry, its leaves are green with a slight orange tint to them.
Coriander has a citrusy flavor that adds depth to many different dishes—especially meat and fish! It can be used fresh or dried; if you have access to fresh coriander leaves (which are typically sold in bunches), try adding them directly into your dish for extra flavor!
Cumin
Cumin is a common ingredient in Indian and Mexican cooking. It is the key ingredient in curry powder, which is used to make curries. Cumin can also be added to chili, soups, stews and more. The seeds are sold whole or ground into a powder. When you add cumin to your diet, you’ll notice these benefits:
- Improved digestion: Since cumin helps aid in digestion it can help relieve heartburn and nausea caused by indigestion as well as gas and bloating associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Healthy heart: Cumin contains antioxidant compounds that may play a role in preventing cardiovascular disease by reducing blood pressure while lowering cholesterol levels according to research published in “Nutrition Research” journal.*
Curry Leaf
Curry leaf is a staple of Indian cooking, used in curries, soups, stews and chutneys. It has a strong aromatic flavor that adds an exotic element to your favorite dishes. You can buy curry leaves fresh or dried; they’re available in most grocery stores.
Fennel Seed
Fennel seeds are popular in Indian cooking. But they can also be ground into powder and used to flavor fish, meat and vegetables. Fennel is also used in Ayurvedic medicine as a digestive aid.
Fenugreek Seed
Fenugreek seeds are a wonderful addition to Indian dishes. They can be added to soups, curries, and stews. They are also a great addition to rice dishes. Fenugreek is used in a variety of pickles and chutneys depending on the country where it’s grown.
Garam Masala and Other Blends
Garam masala is a blend of spices, and it’s often used in Indian cooking. The blend usually contains cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom (although it can vary). Garam means hot or warm, so this spice blend adds heat to your dish. You can use it as a rub for meat or fish before cooking. If you’re making a curry from scratch, add some garam masala at the end of cooking and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Organic spices are great additions to a variety of meals.
Organic Spices
Organic spices are great additions to a variety of meals. They’re grown without the use of pesticides, chemicals and artificial fertilizers. This means they don’t contain any harmful residue that may be in conventional produce or soil because those things aren’t used during the growth cycle. Organic spices also aren’t genetically modified or altered in any way before being sold as organic, so you know exactly what you’re getting when you buy them.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many different spices you can experiment with. If you’re looking to cook more, it’s never too late to try something new!