Introduction
Spice plays an important in the cooking. It adds flavor to the cooking with its unique herbs. Market-based spices contain some harmful chemicals or inorganic spices that damage health. So it’s crucial to blend all these spices at home by yourself.
The use of freshly ground spices gives you a different feeling about your foods as far as their taste and smell. Mixing your spices makes it possible for you to use spices that have not been preserved and have no additives as those bought from shops. This also enhances the taste of foods that you cook in addition to making them healthier for your body. In this article, I’ll explain the DIY spice blend to elevate the cooking.
The major benefit of preparing your spices at home is that you get to decide what goes into your blends. This means that you can offer the best quality ingredients, exclude such ingredients as fillers and artificial additives into the mixture, and differently combine the ingredients according to the customer’s requirements.
Pre-made spices available at stores are usually kept for months before they are used hence they severally lack the strength they used to have. While on the other hand, freshly ground spices retain the taste and smell for quite a long time after preparation. Besides, if you make your blends, then you are sure that your spices are as fresh and as good as they can get.
Essential Tools and Ingredients
Spice Grinder or Mortar and Pestle: It is crucial to have these tools for grinding spices not only for pre-grinding but whole spices as well. Spice grinders are fast and easy, but if one wants to have that personal touch, then mortar and pestle would be more appropriate.
Airtight Containers for Storage: To ensure that your spice blends do not get stale, pack them in air-tight jars. This keeps the spices in a mode where they cannot come into contact with air, moisture, and light which are so destructive to spices.
Measuring Spoons and Labels: Every result must be accurate, and this can only be achieved if the measurements made are equally accurate. It is recommended to use the measuring spoons so that the correct ratios of each spice can be attained. The compiled blends need to be categorized according to the date they were prepared and the contents therein.
DIY spices recipes
Classic Italian Seasoning
Ingredients and Proportions
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes – or to taste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional).
The Best Foods That Give You Best Results When Mixed With the Product
Pasta Sauce: Toss a couple of teaspoons into your marinara or your Bolognese sauce to kick up the flavor.
Garlic Bread: Spread it on buttered bread and then toast to give you mouth-watering garlic bread.
Pizza: Sprinkle it into your pizza sauce as you prepare or spread over the pizza just before you put it in the oven.
Chicken: Apply the paste on the chicken before grilling or baking when you would like to prepare a tasty meal.
Vegetables: Try to sprinkle this blend on roasted or sautéed vegetables for an Italian flavor.
Garram Masala
Ingredients
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon cardamom pods
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon mace3
Cooking Tips
Cooking Tips: Roast the whole spices in an unfurnished pan over medium heat until you get their aromas; grind them into powder. To prolong shelf life, it is recommended that they be stored in an airtight and dry place.
Recipe Ideas:
Curries: Less use of spices in preparing the food, for example, garam masala should be added close to the period the food is done.
Roasted Vegetables: Coat the vegetables with olive oil and garam masala and then roast the vegetables.
Rice Dishes: To enrich the taste and add depth to the dish it is used to season pilot or biryanis
Taco Seasoning
Ingredients and Proportions
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp black pepper, coarse grind
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 ts cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano1
How to Prepare a Great Taco with This Blend
Cook the Meat: Brown 1 pound of ground beef, turkey or chicken.
Add Seasoning: Add 1-2 tbsp of taco seasoning mix and 1/2 to 3/4 cup water into the stove. To be continued until the content becomes thick.
Serve: Take warm tortillas or taco shells and preferably add the prepared meat and serve it with complimenting garnishes like lettuce, cheese, tomatoes or even sour cream.
Herbes de Provence
Ingredients and Proportions
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons dried savory
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon/dry fennel seeds
The second one includes 1 teaspoon of dried lavender, if wished.
Combining the soufflés and usage suggestions
Pairings:
Roasts: Apply on chicken, lamb, or pork before roasting it.
Vegetables: These can be used to garnish grilled or baked vegetables.
Soups and Stews: Use in soups to impart a herbal taste to the food.
BBQ Rub
Ingredients and Proportions
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper3
Tips for barbecuing with this rub
Application: The next step is to apply a liberal amount of BBQ rub onto your meat and allow it to stand for about half an hour before barbecue grilling. Preferably, allow it to marinate overnight or up to 12 hours for the best pot of beef stew.
Grilling Tips: To avoid charring the sugar in the mop, cook meats on low heat. Place the temperature to check the readiness of the meat using a meat thermomete
Strategies for Using Spice Blends for the First Time
Start with a small quantity
Over the years, it has been noted that people should begin with small amounts of fruit and then adjust with time.
When starting to use these spices, start with a small portion of the spice. You can afford to put more if the need arises but it becomes a bit difficult to withdraw if you have added excess.
Record your experiments in what you call a Spice Journal
Record the experiments and adjusting of spices where you have used different ration of the spices and meals you were preparing. This assists you in improving your recipes with time.
Pairing with different cuisine
Studying cultural spices found in different cuisines to develop the right blends. Thus, when cooking Indian recipes one should use turmeric, cumin, and coriander spices, while the Mediterranean recipes shall be garnished with oregano, thyme, and basil spices.
Used spices in desserts
There are no rules of how, when, and where it is appropriate to use spices, so do not restrict the usage of spices to only meals. Experiment by putting a small amount of garam masala on cookies or even a particle of chili powder on chocolates and cakes.
Conclusion
n this article, I’ll explain the DIY importance of spice blends to elevate cooking. It provides a natural flavor to the dishes. You need to blend the spices in a blender and the spices come in different tastes, sweet, bitter sour, and salty which gives a flavor to the tastebuds. The famous gram masala recipe and its use in curry, and Asian dishes. Italian spices that are used in pizza, soups, sauces, and vegetables. BBQ and grilling spices used for BBQ and grilling rub that enhances it’s flavor. Blend these spices at home for more freshness and flavor.
