Your top spices

[SobaAddict70]

curious to know what everyone uses their turmeric for. Just got a heap of it from turkey.  thanks!

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Indian food. sometimes garam masala.

occasionally I'll use just a tiny bit as a substitute for saffron -- not so much the flavor but the color.

[ScoopKW]

As I've posted elsewhere, my spice collection is really rather embarrassing (age and quality-wise)

My Spicy-Dozen are (in order of use):

1) Black Pepper

2) Cumin

3) Dried Basil

4) Bay Leaves

5) Herbs d' Provence

6) Oregano (I like it on panini)

7) Paprika (I have the contents of like four containers blended into one tin, embarrassing.)

8) Curry Powder

9) Saffron

10) Turmeric (almost always in conjunction with #8 and #9)

11) Cardamom (almost always in conjunction with #8)

12) My own ground chili pepper mix (air-dried overage from my garden, usually in conjuction with #2 and #8)

[Peter the eater]

curious to know what everyone uses their turmeric for. Just got a heap of it from turkey.  thanks!

Indian food. sometimes garam masala.

occasionally I'll use just a tiny bit as a substitute for saffron -- not so much the flavor but the color.

Me too, mostly for color. Turmeric is to yellow what beets are to red.

Daisy17, did you mean "from Turkey" and not "for turkey?

[daisy17]

curious to know what everyone uses their turmeric for. Just got a heap of it from turkey.  thanks!

Indian food. sometimes garam masala.

occasionally I'll use just a tiny bit as a substitute for saffron -- not so much the flavor but the color.

Me too, mostly for color. Turmeric is to yellow what beets are to red.

Daisy17, did you mean "from Turkey" and not "for turkey?

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ha! I did mean "from Turkey" - as in my parents brought back more vacuum-sealed spice packets than I could use in an entire lifetime. And they're not going to stay good that long. Looks like I'm going to have to pick up some new cookbooks.

[SobaAddict70]

curious to know what everyone uses their turmeric for. Just got a heap of it from turkey.  thanks!

Indian food. sometimes garam masala.

occasionally I'll use just a tiny bit as a substitute for saffron -- not so much the flavor but the color.

Me too, mostly for color. Turmeric is to yellow what beets are to red.

Daisy17, did you mean "from Turkey" and not "for turkey?

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I really like the combination of turmeric and chopped tomatoes.

Maybe I should do a demo one of these days.

[OliverB]

I use tumeric to color rice, chicken, anything I want with a nice yellow/orange tint. Little goes a long way for color, not as far as saffron, but still. I also use it in my pickled zucchini after the zuni cafe cookbook, awesome! And you can use it if you make your own mustard, which you should :-)

[chappie]

I forgot Szechwan peppercorns on my list.  You can't make Orange-Szechwan Pepper ice cream without 'em. 

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You must share this recipe. I love Sichuan peppercorns.

[Darienne]

I forgot Szechwan peppercorns on my list.  You can't make Orange-Szechwan Pepper ice cream without 'em. 

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You must share this recipe. I love Sichuan peppercorns.

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Hi chappie,

The recipe is in David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop. so of course I cannot put it online. If you don't have the book, you could always get it from your local library or even order it on Inter-Library Loan.

[Carlovski]

My spice selection is in a mess - needs a tidy up!

I also tend to just leave things in the bags I buy them in - probably not great for airtightness, but I do use them quite quickly. My housemate and I also share the basic spices between us - we get the big bags from the world food shop near us rather than the little jars from the supermarket.

Anyway, the most used are (in no particular order)

1 - Cumin - seeds and ground (If I'm making a masala for a particular dish I'll roast and grind the seeds, oherwise if I want powder, I'll just grab the ready ground)

2 - Coriander - as per the cumin

3 - Green cardamon pods (I have black too, but they are only used in a couple of dishes)

4 - Pimenton (The brand in the nice red tins) I do have a tendency to overuse this!

5 - Chat Masala powder

6 - Turmeric

7 - Chilli, a couple of types of whole dried, chilli flakes, and a couple of kinds of chilli powder

8 - Sichuan Pepper

9 - Black Pepper

10 - Fennel Seed

11 - Panch Poran mix

12 - Garam Masala

Plus a host of supporting spices,cassis bark, cinnamon, cloves, sumac, mustard seeds etc

[Darienne]

I decided that if folks also admitted to having messy plastic-bag filled cupboards, then I could have the courage to post a photo of my little spice cabinet which Ed built for me between two studs on a little side kitchen wall. I have other spices and stuff in my larger cabinets.

[kayb]

Spices I MUST have:

Lawry's seasoned salt

Ginger root

Garlic

Cumin

Ancho chile powder

Pimenton

Coriander

Oregano

Thyme

Rosemary

Peppercorns

Cinnamon

Other stuff I always keep around:

Cardamon

Caraway seeds

Galangal

Wasabi powder

Nutmeg

Allspice

Curry Powder

Hungarian Paprika

Adobo seasoning

And lots of other stuff, some of which I don't use that often but if I'm going to use it, I want it there.

[Corinna]

Great thread. I'm interested that so many have included sumac in their lists. I love the smell and flavor, but am never sure how to use it. I'd appreciate your suggestions.

[Shalmanese]

Great thread. I'm interested that so many have included sumac in their lists. I love the smell and flavor, but am never sure how to use it. I'd appreciate your suggestions.

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I use it to temper the flavors of a dish that needs it. It's a little bit sour, a little bit pungent. It goes it pretty much every spice rub I make that needs a bit of brightness.

For example, I made a simple grilled corn rubbed with a sumac compound butter and people proclaimed it the best corn they'd ever had.

[fooey]

Great thread. I'm interested that so many have included sumac in their lists. I love the smell and flavor, but am never sure how to use it. I'd appreciate your suggestions.

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I have a sizable collection of Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean books, and sumac is in many of the recipes.

The following are my 3 favorites:

1. May S. Bsisi's The Arab Table

2. Aglaia Kremezi's Mediterranean Hot and Spicy

3. Paula Wolfert's The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean

Edited August 31, 2009 by fooey (log)

[Corinna]

Thanks for your pointers on Sumac.

Brightness is just the right word. I will try to start incorporating it into rubs, etc. The corn idea is great, and right in season!

Those cookbooks also sound wonderful. I will seek them out.

Thanks again! Cxx.

Edited August 31, 2009 by Corinna (log)