Warning, spice habit can get out of control.
Comment on Daily Discussion Thread: đđď¸ Friday, August 9, 2024
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Hello wise people of the information superhighway. Iâve been trying to get a nice spice collection going, hereâs what I have currently. Any suggestions on other things to grab?
Chili powder
Paprika ground
Cumin ground (X2)
Mixed herbs
Curry powder
Cayenne pepper ground
Star Anise
Oregano leaves (X2)
Bay leaves
Sesame seeds white (X2)
Cardamom ground
Mustard powder
Onion powder
OXO chicken stock cubes
Thyme leaves
All purpose seasoning
Salt
Iâm going to buy some pepper and cinnamon today. I did have pepper, but naturally it was stolen and I forgot to buy any in my last shop
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
CEOofmyhouse56@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Far too much empty space. Double stack!
CEOofmyhouse56@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
There is a very good reason why I donât. My daughter sometimes uses my spices I hear my spices being dropped which hurts me.
What I am gonna do one day is make extra shelving. One day.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Ha. I have one of those things, but I ended up using it to hold masterfood recipe base sachet things. I have a small cupboard dedicated to spices! Will send pics when I get home
MeanElevator@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Garlic powder
Dill
Sechuan peppercorn (mouth numbing and spicy)
MSG - itâs not bad for you, but will elevate your dishes
Rosemary, oregano, sage and thyme are good for meats and stews
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Iâve never understood the hate for MSG. But I think I post date the MSG and fat freakouts, so maybe Iâm just too young to get it. Thanks for the reccos. Not gonna buy seschaun though, that sounds way too spicy!
StudChud@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
If you can source Australian pepper berry I highly recommend it
CEOofmyhouse56@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Thatâs a serious list there. Iâd get some oxo beef cubes.
Others you might consider but not necessary: cinnamon sticks, tarragon, chives, smoked paprika, garam masala, basil, Italian mix, parsley, garlic powder.
Seagoon_@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
I use star anise with my marmalade. After my make the marmalade before I put the lid on I put a star anise on top of the jam. It imparts a lovely flavour.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Thanks Goonsy. Iâve never made Marmalade before, in fact I donât even think Iâve eaten marmalade before
Thornburywitch@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
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 thatâs 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 itâs 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.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
What are whole cloves? Like cloves of garlic? Do whole cumin seeds taste different to ground? Iâm 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 donât eat lamb very often, so Iâve 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!
Thornburywitch@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
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.
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
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.
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Whole spices keep better than ground ones generally. Asian grocers will be much cheaper than the supermarket, but youâll be buying big quantities. Do consider the Australian natives; lemon myrtle and bush tomato especially.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Thanks! I keep hearing about this lemon myrtle stuff. Gonna see if I can track some down
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
My fav thing to do with star anise is a braised beef stew thing.
Cubed cow. Brown the fuck out of it. Onion, garlic, ginger, star anise, dried orange rind, honey, soy, stock. Chilli if desired. Simmer until sticky. Rice of course.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Omg this sounds super good! Could I bother you for a full recipe? Iâd like to try it. It sounds delish
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
I kind of donât do exactness in cooking. Iâm a pinch, handful, shake sort of Cook.
TinyBreak@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Cajun is basically my go to. Yes you can make it yourself but the big jars of it last ages and honestly probably go in 1/2 the stuff I make anyway. Same goes with Pizza topper.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Thanks!
CEOofmyhouse56@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Star anise has an aniseed taste. Kind of like liquorice but not that strong. Used in middle eastern and Asian stews and soups. It gives an added boost when used with other spices like cinnamon and cloves.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Ooh, thank you. I tried little choc coated aniseed balls (as well as choc coated coffee beans) while I was in Canberra (the place we went for lunch had a surprisingly large chocolate range). I donât mind the taste. Might give it a go in something soon
Dangerous_beans@aus.social â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
@CEOofmyhouse56 @Baku it also interacts interestingly with compounds in onions. A small amount, like one of the individual seed pods with the onions for a stew can add an interesting depth of flavour
Seagoon_@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Ginger
galangal
mild madras curry powder
turmeric
big pepper grinder with a blend of different peppercorns
spaghetti herb and spice mix from Mediterranean Wholesalers
mace
mustard seeds
mustard powder
mushroom stock cubes
whole nutmegs
dried fenugreek leaves
fresh ground lemon grass in a tube
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Thanks for the suggestions. I havenât heard of a few of these! Whatâs galangal, mace, and fenugreek leaf?
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Galangal is almost ginger,harder to cut milder flavour. Mace is nutmeg skin, milder, more expensive. Fenugreek is ⌠great for Indian food. Dunno how to describe it. Background thing that is good?
Duenan@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
I like to use Mild Moroccan spices from Hoytâs
Cloves and bay leaves for speghetti bolognaise sauce.
I have chicken salt. General seasoning and Italian herb mixes as well.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
OMG Chicken salt! Thatâs been a whole fucking thing. The drongo stole my damn chicken salt, and I forgot to replace it
It was actually hell at the air BNB, cause I bought chips but just assumed the house came with chicken salt, or at least normal salt. There was neither. I didnât want to waste them, so I just had chips with pepper and tomato sauce. It was damn depressing.
melbaboutown@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Itâs easy to go overboard on spices and they go stale/lose flavour quickly, so maybe build a collection up by starting with a few basics and then adding as you need them?
You might not need star anise or sesame oil unless youâre cooking Chinese, and the sesame seeds are a luxury sprinkle.
The list looks pretty solid though.
I used to use ground coriander seed with cumin and onion in a rice dish but itâs not an essential.
Paprika comes in a few kinds so pick your favourite. Thereâs the plain sweet paprika which adds a lot of colour but just a little bit of a capsicum taste, smoked paprika which is stronger in a good way, and also a hot paprika I havenât tried.
Some things you might like to have as well are soy sauce, fresh or jarred garlic, and white vinegar.
Also if you do anything sweet you might like to have some vanilla essence. Itâs good even just in a microwave mug cake.
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Good point. Iâve had this spice collection going for about a year (although most of its come from the last few months). But I despise not having a single ingredient I need for a recipe, and I like putting random shit on chips or in chicken flour coatings just to get a sense of the flavour (I make these knockoff popcorn chicken things and basically put random amounts of most of my spices in there).
I do also have some seasonings and spice mixes from various meal kit box things Iâve tried, and the old LT gave me some of his containers full of stuff from them. I think Iâve got a ton of "Mexican spice seasoning).
To be honest, cooking decent meals is something I really struggle with. If left to my own devices, Iâll just buy and eat pre crumbed chicken schnitzels from my butcher every night. I try to make at least one decent, well rounded meal a week, and try something completely new once a fortnight. But I primarily eat chicken, Iâm not a huge fan of beef or lamb, although I do occasionally eat those too for a bit of variety.
I always have white vinegar, but often end up using it as a cleaning product more than a cooking one lmao. I do keep white wine vinegar on hand as a replacement for sake and Mirin in Japanese dishes (ie teriyaki chicken). Seems to be the closest substitute I can actually buy. (Itâll probably stay that way until I move out, as weâre forbidden from having alcohol on the property)
Iâve never tried coriander, but I have one of those mutated tongues, so absolutely despise coriander. I canât remember if I have sweet or smokey paprika, I think itâs sweet though. Might look for a smokey one
I usually keep some vanilla essence on hand, but that too was stolen. It was only cheap imitation stuff, so I might buy a proper extract
Thanks for the help and info!
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Corriander leaf and ground are totally different things. If you have the gene that makes the leaf taste like soap the hound seeds are still fine
melbaboutown@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
No probs!
Yeah back when I cooked I used to just batch cook once or twice a week. As I got more tired it was usually something one pot with frozen veg thrown in so I didnât have to chop or have greens go slimy in the fridge.
Cooking decent meals is a struggle.
I have the soap gene and the coriander seed was ok but it was only added because it was called for.
Dangerous_beans@aus.social â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
@Seagoon_ a bay tree in a pot is a good option if you can (with housing arrangements and climate)
Catfish@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Bay tree at -approx 30 Commrrcail Rd Foots
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Whatâs that?
Dangerous_beans@aus.social â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
@Baku the tree you get bay leaves from. They're much better fresh
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurus_nobilis
useless_modern_god@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Donât buy anymore. A year from now, you will end up with half a dozen oreganoâs and multiple same spices because youâre at the market and canât remember what you have. So you buy yet another smoked paprika to add to the collection. I know Iâm not alone on this.
StudChud@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Hello, are you me? Wtf I do this too. I have so much of everything đ
Eagle@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
I have 3 cinnamons and 5 paprikas at home tooâŚ
Baku@aussie.zone â¨3⊠â¨months⊠ago
Haha, I reckon I will anyway :)
At the moment, I only have double ups of a couple of things. I took a reverse shopping list (a list of what I currently have) to go do a big stock up shop today. A lot of my spices and cupboard stuff went walkies while I was away, and now needs to be replaced. But I donât actually remember exactly what I had, so I figured itâs easier to treat it like a shop from scratch with a list of what I do have
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