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Spice up Your Vegan Pantry Have you ever prepared a meal that should have been good, but for some elusive reason wasn't? All the components were right: good texture, nice aroma, fresh ingredients, but something was missing. Most likely it was ooomph. A little pizzazz. A hint of razzle-dazzle. How can you add more perk to your pasta? More bang to your bulgur? More zest to your zucchini? (All right, all right, you get the hint.) What you need, in a nutshell, is spice, spice, baby. Don't know cumin from cayenne? Come on, let's explore the wonderful world of spice. After visiting Spice Island, we'll take a quick little jaunt over to Liquid Land (sounds more delinquent than it is), wherein we explore the myriad possibilities of adding juices, vinegars and other sundry elixirs to our dull dishes. Guess what: Presto-Chango! The former mediocre meals are now packed with flavor, just waiting to intoxify your senses. So push those tired old salt and pepper shakers aside: It's time to make your taste buds on a little journey.
Allspice: Warm and somewhat pungent, the West Indian allspice has a similarity to nutmeg and cloves. Actually a berry, when powdered, it adds a subtle spice to savory dishes and desserts. As a berry, it can be used whole in mulling cider and soup stock. Basil: A member of the mint family, basil can be used fresh or dried. Deeply flavorful and aromatic, basil adds deep notes to a dish, and is often used in Mediterranean, Indian and Asian cooking. It has a slightly peppery, distinct taste. As in all spices, if using dried rather than fresh basil, less is needed, generally one teaspoon dried for one tablespoon fresh. Bay Leaves: Bay leaves add a warmth and depth to soups, stews, marinades and sauces. Frequently used in French and Mediterranean dishes, bay leaves help integrate the flavor of whatever dish it's cooked in. Caraway: Very flavorful, pungent and aromatic, caraway is often used in German, Austrian and Scandinavian cooking. Caraway is used in breads, cakes, stews, and potato dishes. Cardamom: A member of the ginger family, cardamom (also called cardamon) is an aromatic, warm, sweet spice. Cardamom is used widely in Indian, Scandinavian, Indonesian, and Middle Eastern cuisine. It can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, from pilafs to desserts. It is also used to add flavor to tea and coffee. After saffron and vanilla, cardamom is the most expensive spice, and it can be used as a whole pod or ground. Cayenne: Ground dried chilies, cayenne adds heat to savory dishes. A little goes a long way: added to a pot in increments is a way of assuring that the heat doesn't surpass what is intended. Cinnamon: Highly aromatic, warm and sweet, cinnamon's use goes back as far as 2500 B.C. when it was one of the first spices traded in the Mediterranean. Although American cooks usually only use it in the realm of dessert, cinnamon is used across the world, particularly in the Middle East and India, as a flavoring in savory dishes. Cinnamon aids the absorption of nutrients, but it should be added shortly before the dish is done cooking, because if it's cooked too long, it can become bitter. Cloves: Very strong smelling, cloves are bitter and warm. Like cinnamon, cloves can be added to both sweet and savory dishes, but it is better to use sparingly, because the flavor is so strong. Coriander: Used as a spice, these are the dried seeds of the coriander plant, and cilantro is the leaf. Coriander has a sweet, caramel-like taste, and is has a delicate essence that brings out the flavors of the other ingredients. Cumin: Aromatic, earthy and slightly bitter tasting, cumin us widely used in Indian, Mexican, Middle Eastern and Spanish food. When used as a whole seed, it is best to grind right before cooking, or it can become bitter and lose its aroma. Also, briefly toasting the whole seeds in a dry skillet heightens the essence. Cumin is frequently used in curries, masalas and grain dishes. Curry Powder: This is actually a blend of many spices, commonly used in East
Indian cuisine, but it can used in any dish to add a warm, sweet
spiciness. Store bought curry powders can vary a lot in aroma
and heat; if there is an Indian grocery store near you, this is
the best place to buy curry. To make one's own, Moosewood recommends: Dill: Lemony and sweet, dill adds a warm punch to breads, sauces, salads and grain dishes. Often used in Scandinavian, Russian and Polish cooking, it is mild, but aromatic. Dill should be added toward the end of cooking, because it's flavor diminishes when heated too long. Fennel Seed: Having some similarities to anise, fennel seeds are milder, sweeter and slightly bitter. It is used in curries, breads, pickling and grain dishes. Fennel seeds aid in digestion. Ginger: In Ayurvedic teachings, ginger is known as vishwabhesaj, or "universal medicine." It has a peppery, warm taste that stimulates digestion and boosts circulation. Powdered ginger is hotter than fresh and is best added in tiny amounts to sweet dishes, like cookies and puddings. Fresh ginger adds a clean, fresh flavor to savory dishes, and is best grated or very finely minced. Ginger is commonly used in Chinese and Indian cooking. Lemon Balm: A relative of mint, lemon balm is a sour, slightly spicy herb that gives a fresh flavor to vegetable dishes, teas and salads. Lemon balm aids digestion and is helpful in treating insomnia. Marjoram: Sweet and mild, marjoram is related to oregano and a native of the Mediterranean region. It is much more flavorful as a fresh herb than as the dried variety. Often used in French, Greek and Italian cuisine, marjoram is best when added toward the end of cooking. Mint: Fragrant, pungent and intense, mint can easily overpower a dish it's added to, so use in moderation. A frequent ingredient in Middle Eastern food, mint's great in soups, grain dishes and teas. The menthol in mint is invigorating. Mustard Seeds: Use ground mustard seeds to lend heat to sauces, salad dressings, marinades and curries. As with most hot spices, a little goes a long way. Nutmeg: warm, sweet, slightly astringent and comforting, nutmeg is great over casseroles, potatoes, spinach, fruit, or any grain dish. It is also good in desserts. It has a full, fresh flavor, so exercise some restraint when adding nutmeg, or it will quickly overwhelm. Oregano: Peppery, spirited and a bit sweet, oregano adds an uplifting flavor to many Mediterranean and Mexican dishes, but, as with many spices, it's flavor can be so bold it overwhelms. It tastes especially good in tomato-based dishes. Rosemary: Native to the Mediterranean region, rosemary has a warm, pine-like, strong flavor. Often used in savory breads, rosemary also is good with roasted vegetables, sauces and vinaigrettes. It is a very assertive flavor, so too much rosemary can dominate a dish. Saffron: A deeply aromatic, uniquely flavored spice, saffron is also very expensive because it is the hand harvested stamen of many saffron crocuses. The smallest pinch of saffron, however, is all you need to imbue your dish with a rich, brilliant golden hue and a deep aroma. It should be added at the end of cooking so not to destroy its properties. It is often used in French and Spanish cuisine. Savory: Strong and sharp, savory comes in two varieties, winter and summer. Summer is the milder of the two. Savory goes well in bean and potato dishes, as well as marinaras and dressings. Tarragon: delicate looking but surprisingly tart, tarragon is widely used in French cuisine. It is often used in sauces, salad dressings, bean dishes and as an ingredient in flavored vinegars. It has a bold flavor that can easily overwhelm a dish if used to abundantly. Thyme: An assertive, fragrant herb, thyme was valued by the ancient Greeks and Romans for instilling bravery and courage in soldiers. Thyme is used frequently is stews, soups and sauces. It works well with other herbs because it does not dominate, and it's bright flavor remains even after a cooking for a long time. Turmeric: Bright yellow, turmeric originated in India and is still used primarily in Indian cooking. It has a warm, musky flavor, and it can be used to add a golden color to any grain or vegetable dish. The natural dye of turmeric is so strong that it will temporarily color any surface it comes in contact with. Be careful: Turmeric can stain clothing. Hint: If you ever question whether a certain herb or spice would go well in a meal that you're preparing, hold it in your hand, breathing it in as you taste your dish. If they combine well, than it's worth trying.
All right, on we go to the magical land of liquid additions you can add to a dish to enhance its flavor. Coconut Milk: Add to dishes to add a richness and sumptuous flavor. Although high in fat, there are often lower fat varieties available in the Asian section of a grocery store. Coconut milk is often used in Thai and Indian cuisine. Flavored Vinegars: Infused with everything from red wine to champagne, vinegar is a great addition to a dish you want to lend piquancy to. A little splash is all you need to add vibrancy to a meal. Lemon and Lime Juice: Lemon juice adds a wonderful freshness to stir fries, potatoes and grain dishes. It's also commonly used in desserts. Lime juices lends a zesty piquancy to dishes it's added to, sweet as well as savory. Lime juice is often used in Thai and Caribbean cooking. If for some reason you don't want to add the juice, a bit of grated rind imparts a lot of warm flavor. Hot Sauce: When you just can't do without a little spunkiness, this is what you want to add. There are many varieties that run the gamut from mild to extreme heat. Hot sauce can lend flavor to everything from a stir fry to a marinara. Mirin: This is a cooking wine brewed from sweet brown rice, koji and water. It has a mild sweetness, and is very good in Asian dishes, particularly stir fries, marinades and salad dressings. Tamari: I often use this as a flavoring devise in stir-fries, marinades, stews and just about anything I can get my hands on. Tamari has less salt and is stronger tasting than soy sauce, but it can be used in substitution for it in any recipe. I love tamari! Vegetable Stock: If you're trying to cut down on the oil added to a stir-fry dish, vegetable stock adds minimal calories and a lot of flavor. You can either make a stock of your own, or buy it in powdered or bullion form. Stock can be substituted for most of the oil normally used in a dish. A few tablespoons of miso soup can also be used in a similar fashion to make a dish taste more Asian. So there you have it. Spice it up, baby!
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