this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2024
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Good list. I would add whole cloves to that list, and whole cumin seeds rather than ground. I would also use whole cardamom pods in preference to ground, but that's just me. One is usually enough to get that citrussy/eucalyptussy taste & fragrance. Buy the greenest ones you can find. You can also take off the outer husk and just use the seeds for a milder flavour. I would also add sumac to that list - middle eastern spice that adds tang and is very yummy with fish, vegetables and anything with cheese in it. I would also invest in a rosemary bush in a pot, so that you can use a few leaves here are there for meat dishes. Very yummy with lamb but also goes good with beef, but it's easy to use too much so a few leaves is much better than a whole sprig. Dried rosemary from the shop is a pale shadow of the real thing. Smoked paprika is versatile, goes on practically any meat/fish and is also good with vegetables - sprinkle on potato or cauliflower for a delicious flavour.
Star anise is nice in asian dishes, but I find the flavour very strong so I usually just break off one of the spikes of the star and just use that.
One of my fab faves is to grate a couple of big carrots, and put in a frypan with 3 cardamom pods and 1 clove and teaspoon of whole toasted cumin seeds, then fill up the pan to juuuussst cover the carrot with milk. Simmer on a VERY low heat stirring frequently until all the milk evaporates and the carrot goes mushy. Add about 1/3 cup of sugar or to taste (varies with the sweetness of the carrots) and stir in. You may not need any sugar at all if the carrots are very sweet. Enjoy as a dessert with icecream or smear thickly on a biscuit of your choice.
What are whole cloves? Like cloves of garlic? Do whole cumin seeds taste different to ground? I'm not a huge fan of cumin, it smells and tastes like a packed peak hour train in summer to me. Thanks for the sumac suggestion! Never tried it, but I have heard of it. Can it be bought at a standard supermarket, or is that a speciality grocer spice?
I always forget about rosemary. I don't eat lamb very often, so I've never needed it before. The jungle box (herb planter box) in the backyard has some space after some of it died off, might look at chucking some in there. At the very least, the next person to move in might like to take some!
Thanks for the recipe as well!
Yes whole cumin is different to ground - smells nicer imo. Good basic spice that goes with everything (nearly). The whole seeds are usually dry roasted in a dry pan until they change smell to delicious. The change is unmistakable. Sumac is available at most colesworths, and sometimes at Aldi, and is probably included in most middle eastern spice blends. Rosemary is fine on potatoes too - I like a bit on roasted potatoes, not so much on mash - but its natural partner is pumpkin.
A whole clove looks a bit like a lawn bindie. A small spike with a round thing ing a flower shape. The smell is unmistakable. There are some old traditions about covering lemons with them, one as a wardrobe moth detersnt, the other as a kissing game.