Add A Fresh Flare To Your Food

If you’ve been looking for ways to liven up your home cooking, you can bring a new dimension of flavor to your repertoire by experimenting with spices. A well-stocked spice rack can spark the imagination every time you enter your kitchen, and there are many spices that you can grow and prepare at home.

Chile Peppers

From barbecue sauces to Cajun classics and beyond, paprika adds a hint of heat and brilliant red color with just a dash or two. Paprika is made from dried and pulverized red chiles, and you can use mild red peppers or even sweet red bell peppers if you prefer. Cayenne chiles can also be dried and ground, and the resulting cayenne powder is much hotter. When handling hot ingredients like chiles, always remember to wear gloves and avoid touching your eyes.

Get to the Root

Ginger is refreshingly easy to grow since it only needs shallow soil, and its aromatic roots can be pickled or used fresh for a variety of delights, from homemade ginger ale to piquant curry. When you want to peel the ginger, use a spoon instead of a vegetable peeler, as it’s much easier to navigate those uneven surfaces. Turmeric is another healthful root that’s perfect for enhancing sauces and marinades, but keep in mind that it’s also used as a potent yellow dye.

Know the Difference

While you might see some recipes used the terms “herbs” and “spices” interchangeably, there are some specific differences between these ingredients. Herbs are derived from the leaves of plants that sprout, seed, and die on an annual, biennial, or perennial basis, like cilantro or parsley. They can also be used fresh or dried. Spices are made from a plant’s fruit, seeds, or bark, as well as from leaves that don’t meet the criteria for herbs.

Mix and Match

Many spices play well together, and some of the most wonderful combinations might surprise you. In the U.S., we often associate cinnamon and nutmeg with fall and Christmas, as they mix well with clove for sweet treats. In North African cooking, they blend with ginger, paprika, turmeric, and a host of other savory spices to make the wonderfully aromatic ras el hanout. This combination is a staple of Moroccan dishes like tagine.

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