Home » Food & Cooking » Cooking Ingredients » Herbs & Spices

It's Time to Spice Up Your Life

Ranked #11,881 in Food & Cooking, #210,356 overall | Donates to Women's Peace Campaign

Spices in the Kitchen

Chinese Five Spice, Pumpkin Spice, Mixed Spice, Curry Powders. They add variety and flavour to your food dishes, whatever the cuisine.

These assorted spice mixes can also be quite costly at the shop so the temptation to buy in bulk when they're on sale can be high.

Don't do it!


Long before you can use that jar up, the spice mixture will have gone stale and lost its flavour.

Instead, by smaller amounts of the individual spices and make your own spice mixes at home. You'll save money, and benefit from the enhanced flavours.

My spice gear

A good reference book, and an even better grinder. A small coffee grinder works perfectly for grinding herb when making your own spice mixes. Just make sure you have a separate one for your coffee. If you like to do things by hand, then a good heavy duty mortar and pestle is what you need.
Loading

Chinese Five-Spice Powder


Place ingredients in a food processor or a coffee grinder. Cover and process to a fine powder.

Store it in a tightly covered container in a cool, dark place.

This makes 1/3 cup.

  • 3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 6 star anise (or 2 teaspoons aniseed)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons whole Szechuan peppers, or whole black peppers
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Plum Sauce

Several years back, I was eating lunch at a small pub in West Sussex. I had a duck in plum sauce that was absolutely delicious and on a whim I asked the landlady if the chef would be willing to give me the recipe.

He did, I made it. The recipe filled one pint jar and lasted for several months in the fridge. Measurements can be converted easily from metric to imperial at this online conversion web page .

1 kg plums
400 grams sugar
2 teaspoons Five-spice powder.
Small amount of water.

Wash and quarter the plums, removing the stone. Combine with the other ingredients in a large saucepan. Simmer over a low heat until it starts to gel.

This condiment goes very well served with duck, chicken, and pork.

He sent the recipe out on a sticky note

1 kg plums
400 gr sugar
2 tsp Chinese five spice

Cajun Spice Mix

Cajun spices


I use this mix for making jambalaya, but have also found that it is good mixed with olive oil as a marinade for chicken.

Mix these ingredients together thoroughly. Store them in a tightly covered container in a cool, dark place.

  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon barbecue seasoning powder

Cajun chicken strips

with swede chips

This is a quick, easy, and healthy meal.

Chicken strips

For 2 adults and 2 children, you'll need 2 chicken fillets.

Cut the chicken fillets into strips, about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long.

Put those into a bowl with 1 - 2 heaped teaspoons of cajun spice mix plus about 1 Tablespoon olive oil.

Let that sit for 10 - 20 minutes.

Heat a large skillet. Add half the chicken strips. Cook through. Remove from the pan and cook the remaining chicken. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Swede chips

The swede is also called a rutabaga.

Peel the swede and cut it into strips, 1/2 inch wide by 1/4 inch thick by 2 inch long.

Put into a steamer, and steam for 10 minutes.

Remove from the steamer and dry thoroughly.

Heat 1/4 inch olive oil in a skillet.

Lay the swede in the skillet in a single layer. Cook until 1 side is lightly browned then turn over and cook the other side.

Remove from the skillet and place on kitchen paper to drain.

Keep warm until ready to serve.

Dipping sauce

Mix 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon tomato paste.

Add a few dashes of tabasco sauce to taste.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Curry Powder

curry spices


The word curry is a corruption of the Tamil word kahri. This word evolved over time to mean any Indian food that was cooked in a sauce. Merchants and soldiers who visited India were keen to introduce these flavours to their foods when they returned home and the demand for commercial curry powders developed.

Curry powder is a blend of different spices and will vary depending on the region it comes from. It is not a traditional, authentic ingredient in Indian cooking.

The basic recipe below can be adapted and adjusted to suit your personal taste and the main ingredients for any particular dish.

This makes 16 tablespoons

  • 6 - 8 dried red chillies
  • 8 Tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 4 Tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
  • 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 1 tabespoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions for making curry powder

1. Remove the stalks and seeds from the chillies unless you like a fiery mixture, in which case leave a few seeds in the pods.

2. Roast or dry-fry the chillies, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat until they give off a rich aroma. Shake the pan constantly so that the spices are evenly roasted.

3. Grind the roasted spices to a powder in a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder, then stir in the ginger and turmeric.

Variations

Dry-fry 4 curry leaves and add them to the ground mixture; remove from the cooked dish before it is served as the curry leaves are not eaten.


For a milder result, halve the number of chillies, then add 1 cinnamon stick, 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds, and 6 whole cloves to the spice

Pork curry

This is something my husband created to use up leftover pork.

1 large onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound cooked pork, cut into cubes
1 Tablespoon flour
1 - 2 heaped Tablespoons curry powder
1/2 pint chicken broth
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin diced pineapple, drained
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
cooked rice

Saute the onion in olive oil until softened. Add the cubed pork.

Add the flour and curry powder. Stir and cook for a couple minutes.

Add the chicken broth. The tin of tomatoes, tin of pineapple, and tomato paste.

Season to taste.

Let cook at a low simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, until it's thickened.

Serve over rice.

Talk about spices

People like to talk about food and with that comes talking about spices. Favourite spices, favourite foods, the flavours that come when the two are combined.
Cook du Jour Modestine Tardif finds magic in herbs, spices
"Then I change it up by using spices, because I know my herbs and spices ? and how they work well." Secret: Cooking with love; knowing what your herbs and spices can do. The right thing: It hasn't been easy, Modestine Tardif admits, but she's ...
Recipe: Chilli chicken and 13 herbs and spices chicken
2 Place herbs in a bowl and add remaining ingredients. 1 Preheat oven to 165;C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 Place potato flour and cornflour in a bowl. 4 Dip chicken pieces in egg white mixture, then roll in flour and then spice mixture.
Cooking with herbs and spices ... fresh is always best
Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Connecticut Post | Buy This Photo Keeping it spicy Here's a few tips when it comes to dried herbs and spices. It comes from Wauwatosa, Wis.-based Penzeys Spices, which sells more than 250 spices, herbs and seasonings online and ...
Powered by Google

Mixed spice


This is a typically British spice that can be bought ready ground. It can be used in a variety of cakes and puddings.

The usual components are allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger but some cooks like to add some cardamon and coriander seeds as well.

Makes 2 Tablespoons

  • 1 teaspoon allspice berries
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Making mixed spice

Grind the allspice, cinnamon and cloves to a fine powder and mix well with the nutmeg and ginger. Use at once or store in an airtight jar away from strong light.

Porridge

simple but filling

Mixed spice is best known for its use in puddings and cakes, but in our house it is most used when making that most basic of breakfast foods, porridge.

Measurements can be converted easily from metric to imperial at this online conversion web page

For one person:

Put in a small saucepan

150 ml milk
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 small handful sultanas
1/2 apple, diced

Heat in a small pan until near boiling.

Add
2 heaped tablespoons porridge oats

Stir until oats are fully cooked. 4 - 5 minutes.

If you like your porridge thicker as I do, just add a bit more oats.

Spice up your life

Have a look at other lenses that have been written about spices and spice mixes.
Loading

Spice Center

Everything you ever wanted to know about spices

but weren't sure who to ask
The Epicentre Exotic Herbs and Spices
Exotic spices and herbs info, recipes, ethnic cuisine, wine, cooking with herbs and spices, spices in history

a percentage of all money earned is donated to

The Women's Peace Campaign helps women find peace within and share it with others.

Thanks for stopping by.

Leave me a note. Let me know what you think. Or, just say hello.

  • Oct 23, 2010 @ 10:03 pm | delete
    Some really great ideas here. Dry frying a curry leaf is something I must try, I've only ever used them chopped fresh.
  • awelldressedbullet Sep 29, 2010 @ 6:28 pm | delete
    Had to read at least one lens, so started here. Some yummy looking recipes, my mouth is watering! - Kathy
  • flordeliza Jul 23, 2010 @ 10:06 pm | delete
    i am looking for a coplete list of herbs and spice, its uses and picture
  • NanLT May 22, 2009 @ 9:04 am | in reply to JaguarJulie | delete
    Ya know --- that would make a great group.

    Let's do it once the groups are opened up again to create new.
  • JaguarJulie May 22, 2009 @ 8:24 am | delete
    OMG, Nan! When I saw your lens this morning -- I had a brainstorm -- you, me and some other gals on Squidoo -- we could start our group or movement -- The Spice Girls on Squidoo!
  • Load More
Show All

About the Author

Loading

Herbs and Spices

Loading

by

NanLT

NanLT has been writing at Squidoo since January 2009 and in that time has established herself as an authority on such diverse topics as home cooking and... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Explore related pages

More on Herbs 

Your Backyard Herb Garden: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Over 50 Herbs Plus How to Use Them in Cooking, Crafts, Companion Planting and More

Your Backyard Herb Garden: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Over 50 Herbs Plus How to Use Them in Cooking, Crafts, Companion Planting and More

by: Miranda Smith

Amazon Price: $4.47 (as of 05/27/2012)Buy Now

Related Tags