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Spice me up

H

Hate

Guest
My palette needs a makeover. I need to get some new spices and seasonings. I’ve been using the same ones for a while now. I’m looking in my cupboard and all I have are:

1 Lawry’s salt-free 17 seasoning
1 granulated garlic powder
1 season salt
1 Mrs. Dash salt-free original blend
1 Kirkland organic no salt seasoning blend

I don’t know too much about seasonings or how to combine spices etc… I use them mainly for pan frying chicken and fish...

I need to get some new flavors in my life. So what kind should I go out and buy and how should I combine them?
 

miss fortune

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for throwing at chicken and such I tend to keep a couple of spice mixes on hand... if you have access to a good international grocery store you should be able to find them :)

shichimi is good... a mix of several peppers, sesame seeds, orange peel, ginger and nori

adobo seasoning (goya)- which is garlic powder, onion powder, oregano. pepper and salt (it's really my go to seasoning when in doubt)

I have some sort of spicy fajita seasoning that I bought which is awesome and I'm in love with it... it's spicy and fajita-ish but I use it on other things as well

the man bought a giant thing of creole seasoning which I use from time to time... it's good on fries as well

I also will happily throw chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika at almost anything :ninja:

fines herbs are awesome with potatoes and fish

I also tend to keep around some garam masala and berbere for in case I feel like Indian or Ethiopian spices with my foods... like I said, a good international grocery store :laugh:

though hunting any of these down is totally worth it :yes:
 
G

Ginkgo

Guest
Whatever you do, don't make it K-2.

spice-k2-synthetic-marijuana1.jpg
 
H

Hate

Guest
for throwing at chicken and such I tend to keep a couple of spice mixes on hand... if you have access to a good international grocery store you should be able to find them :)

I just googled 'international grocery store' for my city and found a pretty good one, I'm gonna go check it out later.

I'm excited. :happy2:

shichimi is good... a mix of several peppers, sesame seeds, orange peel, ginger and nori

This one sounds pretty good. I really like ginger.

adobo seasoning (goya)- which is garlic powder, onion powder, oregano. pepper and salt (it's really my go to seasoning when in doubt)

I'm getting this one.

I also will happily throw chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika at almost anything :ninja:

Smoked paprika has also been added to my list. That shit sounds good.

Whatever you do, don't make it K-2.

spice-k2-synthetic-marijuana1.jpg

ur silly
 
0

011235813

Guest
Chinese five spice powder and cayenne pepper powder is good on chicken.

Herbes de provence (fennel, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, lavender) is a really beautiful spice mix, smells and tastes great.

This is not technically a spice, but Asian Kitchen makes really good Thai red and green curry pastes ... heat it up with a smear of oil and add some coconut milk to it and then whatever stir fried protein and veggies you want, omg so good.

Sriracha is heavenly. I like whipping it up with mayo to make a dipping sauce like the spicy mayo they serve in Japanese restaurants.
 

Winds of Thor

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Some good ones: Cilantro, basil, turmeric - supposed to be good for something...I can't remember what..and Himalayan sea salt.

If you get Basil or Cilantro grocery stores usually have them fresh.
 

miss fortune

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I just googled 'international grocery store' for my city and found a pretty good one, I'm gonna go check it out later.

I'm excited. :happy2:

the best part about such stores is that things are usually quite cheap :yes:

This one sounds pretty good. I really like ginger.

I get made fun of all of the time because I use A LOT of ginger while cooking... I have my own spice mix that I use pretty frequently that's ginger, garlic powder, red chili flakes, black sesame seeds and salt... it's pretty perfect :wubbie:

I'm getting this one.

it's also a good seasoning when making rice... not to mention any meat that's being cooked :drool:

Smoked paprika has also been added to my list. That shit sounds good.

it makes chili taste like it's been cooked a lot longer than it has... and it makes everything deliciously smoky

I've seen this before on the tables of the Thai restaurant's I've been to, but never bothered to try it, I'll check it out.

it is, quite seriously, one of the best hot sauces EVER... it's both sweet and spicy :heart:
 

UniqueMixture

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I would also recommend garlic chile sauce which is also an asian thing. Just doing something simple like adding lime to something can bring a lot of flavor. I would also recommend mint or thyme perhaps. If you are willing to have higher flavor but with increased fat content I would look into curries, korean plum sauce, spring roll sauce, perhaps adding a bit of olive oil to something, peanut sauce, hollandaise, etc. It can be harder to find natural tasting low calorie options for seasoning/flavor, but make a soup with the bones of your favorite meat in order to add flavor without all the additional calories. Also, you can try something like lemonade with equal or something. It is not just about the spices in the food, it is about how the whole meal comes together to have an effect on your palette. Usually something sour/bitter works as an effective palette cleanser and ginger is a great thing to add to anything. I think you have to think outside of "seasonings" though and add new foods to the mix as well for flavor. Perhaps a mango ceviche for example for that nice sweet/umami mixture with a bit of a tart kick by adding a bit of onion and lemon. Think of combinations of foods in terms of the flavor profiles they bring to the table and which combinations you have tended to enjoy in the past then remake them with new ingredients by substituting one protein for another or one carbohydrate for another or an acid for an another, etc.
 
H

Hate

Guest
Chinese five spice powder and cayenne pepper powder is good on chicken.

Done deal, I'm getting them both.

Herbes de provence (fennel, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, lavender) is a really beautiful spice mix, smells and tastes great.

This sounds so good that I think I just got sexually aroused.

This is not technically a spice, but Asian Kitchen makes really good Thai red and green curry pastes ... heat it up with a smear of oil and add some coconut milk to it and then whatever stir fried protein and veggies you want, omg so good.

Just googled Asian Kitchen, found one close by, I'm doing this.

Sriracha is heavenly. I like whipping it up with mayo to make a dipping sauce like the spicy mayo they serve in Japanese restaurants.

Interesting, I'm gonna try that.

Some good ones: Cilantro, basil, turmeric - supposed to be good for something...I can't remember what..and Himalayan sea salt.

If you get Basil or Cilantro grocery stores usually have them fresh.

Got it.

I get made fun of all of the time because I use A LOT of ginger while cooking...

Ginger haters, I fuckin' love ginger, it's good for the stomach.

adobo seasoning it's also a good seasoning when making rice... not to mention any meat that's being cooked :drool:

Shit, I forgot to mention that I make a lot of rice, too, and now that I think about it, I never add seasonings to my rice, but I'm going to start. I just had a eureka moment about rice. I can't believe I've been eating it plain. :doh:
 
H

Hate

Guest
I would also recommend garlic chile sauce which is also an asian thing. Just doing something simple like adding lime to something can bring a lot of flavor. I would also recommend mint or thyme perhaps. If you are willing to have higher flavor but with increased fat content I would look into curries, korean plum sauce, spring roll sauce, perhaps adding a bit of olive oil to something, peanut sauce, hollandaise, etc. It can be harder to find natural tasting low calorie options for seasoning/flavor, but make a soup with the bones of your favorite meat in order to add flavor without all the additional calories. Also, you can try something like lemonade with equal or something. It is not just about the spices in the food, it is about how the whole meal comes together to have an effect on your palette. Usually something sour/bitter works as an effective palette cleanser and ginger is a great thing to add to anything. I think you have to think outside of "seasonings" though and add new foods to the mix as well for flavor. Perhaps a mango ceviche for example for that nice sweet/umami mixture with a bit of a tart kick by adding a bit of onion and lemon. Think of combinations of foods in terms of the flavor profiles they bring to the table and which combinations you have tended to enjoy in the past then remake them with new ingredients by substituting one protein for another or one carbohydrate for another or an acid for an another, etc.

Damn, I think I need to re-evaluate my entire method of cooking, Now that I think about it, I really have no idea what the hell I'm doing. I need to take a cooking class or start watching the food network or something.
 
H

Hate

Guest
You should try cooking rice in stock instead of water too, tastes so good. :drool:

Son of a bitch, I can't believe I never thought of that.

Can you expand on that though, i have a general idea of what stock is, but not really.

Teach me!! Stock for dummies, what is it?
 
0

011235813

Guest
Son of a bitch, I can't believe I never thought of that.

Can you expand on that though, i have a general idea of what stock is, but not really.

Teach me!! Stock for dummies, what is it?

It's basically clear broth with a flavor, whether chicken or beef or veggie or whatever. They sell it in pretty much every supermarket. The brands that come in cartons usually taste better than the ones in cans.

If you want to get fancy you can make your own, but the shop stuff has always worked fine for me.
 

skylights

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lemon juice + olive oil + dill + garlic (powder or cloves) + salt + pepper = one of my favorites for cooking chicken and fish.

also olive oil + oregano + basil + rosemary + sage + thyme + salt + pepper = perfect dip for bread.
 

kyuuei

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don't know what's been posted so far..

I definitely recommend trying blends first and see what suits your taste.

Italian seasoning blend or Herbes de provence -- Both very good blends for pastas and salads and to spice up instant food and side dishes.
Basil -- Almost everything tastes great with fresh basil. It goes great with roasted tomatoes, cheeses, pasta dishes, ground up it makes an amazing sandwich spread with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.. this herb is so versatile.
Chinese 5 spice -- It's popping with flavor and some spice.
Lemon pepper -- Really cheap, and blends well with almost anything.
Cilantro and lime -- these two were made for each other, they're very cheap, and they add a great flavor to rices, mexican dishes, soups, etc.
Cumin -- too much is a bad thing, but it is a really earthy sort of spice that enhances saucy dishes quite well and compliments savory-sweet things too.
Chervil, tarragon, parsley, and paprika -- Throw a bit of these four spices into any breaded dishes you're making to give them waaay more flavor. I'll bet my boots on those four spices being in KFC's chicken recipe.

Also, this isn't a spice.. but this combo almost always makes an awesome sauce:
- A bit of oil, garlic and onion sauteed until onion is soft
- Add mushrooms, let them absorb the oil
- Sear meat in pan until brown on both sides, transfer to baking dish
- Add wine to medium-high heat pan and use spatula to scrape off all the 'stuff' that stuck to the pan and pour it on top of the meat
- Bake until cooked. Serve over veggies or carbs.

Also, if you're lazy or indecisive, there are two things I highly recommend:

mccormick-recipe-inspirations-spices-168197.jpg


It's a sort-of-cheap way to try a variety of spices and see what you like or don't like.

Marinades. They're only about $1 each on the cheaper side of things, and you can marinate almost anything in the fridge all day and cook it in the evening as usual. (Lemon marinades on salmon fillets are absolutely amazing.) They also tend to have a ton of salt and spices in them already, so if you like a particular recipe you can always look up what gave it the flavor.
 
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