Be it for any cuisine, spices are known to be the essential ingredient that adds a rich taste and aroma to the food. Most of these spices have oodles of health benefits and provide a unique flavor to the dishes, without adding any calories or fat. And irrespective of one’s own culinary expertise, choosing the right mix & quality of spices can go a long way in bringing your food to life.
In order to help you enjoy cooking and enhance the flavor of your meal, we have put together a list of most common spices that go well with any global whole food recipes.
- Pepper
Pepper is the second most popular spice used for cooking and garnishing in cuisines around the world. It can be used whole while cooking or ground with handy grinders of crushers for seasoning. You can spike your flavored meal with freshly ground or crushed pepper to add a bit of fieriness to it. A pinch of black pepper can be added to almost every kind of recipe, right from a salad, an elaborate Spanish omelette or a simple pasta dish. The best pepper cones in the world are known to emerge from the Malabar region in Kerala.
- Parsley
Parsley is one of the main ingredients in European, Middle Eastern and American cuisine, although you can track its origin back to the UK. Often used as a garnish, it is available in both, dry and fresh forms for cooking. It brightens the flavors and adds balance to savory dishes, making it the perfect spice partner for all your recipes. You can sprinkle some dry or fresh Parsley over your soups, meat stews, vegetable sauces or seafood preparations to experience the difference it makes.
- Oregano
Oregano is a Mediterranean herb, popularly regarded as an excellent kitchen-garden herb. Even though Oregano is branded for being an integral component of Italian food, it is widely used in Mexican, Greek and Spanish recipes as well. Its origin can be traced back to Turkey, where it is found in its best form. You’ll find Oregano in fresh and dry forms. So next time you enjoy a bowl of salad, bean dishes or grilled meat, sprinkle some Oregano to enhance the taste and aroma.
- Chili Powder / Flakes
It is usually made from grinding dried chilies or mixing it with other spices to deliver an intensely-hot and eccentric flavor. Chilli powder or flakes go well with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes belonging to the Indian, Southeast Asian and Mexican cuisines. However, Indian chillies are considered to be the finest of the lot. Add it to any dish in limited quantity, as the heat and color can vary depending on its origin and type.
- Garlic
Garlic is a universally loved ingredient with flavorful and aromatic properties. It a versatile ingredient that is generally used in combination with others to bring out the best in a dish. It can be freshly minced, crushed or powdered to add a rich & robust flavor to any meal. Roasted garlic along with salt adds a whole new flavor to any dish. In order to experience its vast culinary properties, add some to your ground meat preparations and sauteed, roasted and stir-fried recipes.
