Spices are the carrier of the dish, you can master them it will be more fun to both cook and eat. Without spices, your food will not be lifted to great heights, and risk being flat and boring. In this post, we will help you reach success in the kitchen with the help of spices – and how you should use them.
What spices do you need?
It depends on how experienced and used you are with spices, and what you like to cook. Salt, black pepper, white pepper, chili, and some herbs are a good base in the spice shelf. Then you can fill with exciting flavors depending on what you like or are curious about. Curry, onion, and turmeric are flavorful spices that can also be great to use for many dishes.
Different types of pepper – what is the difference?
Pepper is a basic spice that should be present in every spice box. Black pepper, white pepper, and green pepper come from the same plant. The peppercorns have different character and taste depending on where they grow, how ripe they are when harvested, and how they are handled after harvest.
Pepper gives the food heat, taste, and aroma. But different varieties give a different taste. Which do you use in your kitchen?
Black pepper has a pleasant, warm heat with hints of raw mushrooms. It is suitable for example for seafood, beef, pasta, and pizza. White pepper has a full and warm, slightly stinging heat and is well suited for fish, seafood, pork, veal, and lamb and bechamel sauce, among others. Green pepper is tart and fresh with a herbal flavor. It fits well with fish and seafood, pork and lamb, chicken and dairy products.
How should you store spices?
Are the spice cans in a row above the stove? It’s not the best place. The heat can affect the durability and the light bleaches many spices, which means that the taste does not come right. Instead, keep your spices cool and dark, such as in a kitchen box – where they last longer and you get a better overview of your spice storage.
A common mistake and risk that many (especially beginners) make is season too much. So how can you prevent this? Taste. Continuously. We are often a little cautious about the spice and it is probably more common to spice the food too little than too much. We simply feel insecure. The best way to get more control is to test and taste while you cook.
Measure out the spices with a measure, or in your hand, instead of seasoning directly from the jar. Then you get a better sense of how much seasoning you use and the spice stays fresher unless moisture from hot food is spread into the jar.