My Fridge MEME, New Poll and Cooking Games

Hey, I just found two CUTE COOKING GAMES:

OR

That was after Madhuli of My Foodcourt tagged me with What´s Your Fridge MEME. When She did, the first thing that popped into my mind was: `Thanx God, it was about the time to clean my fridge...` I just couldn't be asked. But now that I did it, it doesn't actually look that bad. And I also had a chance to throw out crap that was way useless just taking space in there, you know what I mean...

So, here is a fridge of a spice lover:

It has a freezer down there, but it doesn't contain anything special. Frozen veggies, fruit, okara and coffee. Oh, and ice cubes, of course...

But back to what you CAN see:

1. Top shelf - stuff to spice up your meal : Cooking wine (it s there only because it is way too big for other shelves), fermented bean curd 豆腐乳(something like blue Cheese, very stinky, but great), HP Sauce (behind it, never understood what it was actually doing there), Chilli Oil, Rapeseed oil flavored with French herbs, Vietnamese Chili Sauce and Pickled Green Chili.

2. Second shelf - spice up your cooking: Pickled jalapeno, pickled chili peppers, Horse-radish mustard, Dijon mustard (yes, all those could go to the top shelf, too), Korean Godzujang chili paste (amazing thing, really), Tandoori masala paste, dried shrimps and shrimp paste (for my Thai cooking).

3. Third shelf - sweeten it up: Blueberry syrup, two bottles of water, vanilla soy yoghurt, Kumquat marmalade, Orange peel marmalade, soy milk and vanilla yoghurt.

4. Fourth shelf - veggies (currently string beans and corn and inside the white box some fresh chilies, carrots, zucchini and ginger)

5. Fifth Shelf - fruit and beers (currently tamarind pulp and dates)

ON THE DOOR - there we store medicine, more sauces and more yoghurt and soy milk.

We like it simple. Everything else is freshly bought and successfully used up.

Now, I d like to know what is in YOUR fridge. I was always very curious about exotic fridge-content ....... like ....... Guyanese:

Yes, it is you Cynthia of Tastes Like Home. Reveal the secret of your wonderful dishes when you get a chance!
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Another thing (perfectly timed) is the expiry of my very first poll. It s been a long time since I asked you What your favorite chili feeling was. Thanx to all 64 of you that participated.

Here is the outcome:

• 32% (21 of you) thinks it is BURNT MOUTH (thank you guys, it makes me very happy to hear that).

• 32% (21 of you again) thinks it is RUNNING NOSE (good one).

• 14% (9 of you) voted for FIERY BUTT (ouch, these guys like it real hot!).

• 12% (8 of you) likes the SWEATY FOREHEAD (almost like running, huh? Burning calorieeees, not bad...).

• 1 person HATES SPICES (who is that looser? :-).

That was a lot of fun! Now I have another (hopefully) equally entertaining one. It´s on your left, so go for it.

Storage and Maintance of Spices (Part 6)

(The second part of 灶王 [zao wang] - The Kitchen God Series)

As for the storage, there are some general rules that, unfortunately, most of chefs (even the bestest ones) DO NOT follow. Too bad, because there is nothing nicer than a great want-to-sneeze feeling after opening a spice jar.
It is commonly believed that the spices are dried, therefore will last on your shelf for good couple o years or until bugs get to them. Well, .... yes and no. Yes, they last pretty much forever; and no, because as the time goes, their aroma and taste starts slowly disappearing.... So, here is a short list of wisdom for the diligent cooking mamas:

Before we start with particular rules, I would like to make a statement here: Proper handling of spices is the key not only to determine their shelf-life, but primarily, existence.

Speaking of fresh spices:

• Keep in the fridge, wrapped in a kitchen paper and use up within two weeks.

• Once processed into a paste with a bit of oil, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month or frozen for half a year.

As for dried spices:

• Dried spices should be stored in an airtight container in a dark, colder place. Direct sunshine, air, hot or wet environment ruins the quality of spices. Whole spices can stay fresh for up to 6 months, powdered only a couple. Therefore buy whole spices and grind them prior to cooking.

• Red spices, including red pepper, chili powder, paprika and cayenne pepper contain insect eggs in their tissues, even after they've been ground up. When the temperature or humidity are high, worms can grow.

• In order to keep the fresh color of red spices, such as paprika or chili powder, it is recommended to store them tightly closed in the fridge.
  

• The most suitable spice containers are those made out of dark glass or ceramics sealed with a cork. It is always a good idea to keep one jar for one particular spice. This is true especially for the wooden jars, for they are the best in absorbing aromas from spices.

At last,other spices and mixtures:

• Pastes or pureed spices should be covered tightly and stored in the fridge. Try to use them up within two months.

• Dried spices, such a tamarind pods or vanilla will last for more than 2 years in cold, dark place.

Freezing tip:

• Pastes and curries can be successfully frozen (except for the ones with yogurt or coconut). To freeze a large batch of tomato-onion based curry, pour the curry into a plastic bag and separate the serving amounts with a rubber band. Since stuff should never be re-frozen, you will only cut off a particular amount when needed.
  

The bottom line is, spices and herbs are easy to handle in your kitchen. Now let´s move on to the REAL fun stuff. Yes, I am finally rolling up my sleeves to get down to the biz. Starting from next week, no more ABOUT crap. We are cooking, eating and impressing our loved ones :)

Preparation Of Spices (Part 5)

(The fifth part of 灶王 [zao wang] - The Kitchen God Series)

Do we all agree that preparing spice pastes and sauces is the most difficult and most time consuming part of preparing a delicious meal ? Hm,.. let me rephrase this. In oder to serve the most scruptious meal, we simply need to get the sauce right. Am I right ? R-right...

Therefore, I have prepared a list of basic methods that are being used all over the world with one single aim: to release their aroma and flavor. This does not mean to mix everything as it is, but to master techniques like dry frying, chopping, crushing, grinding, sauteeing, ... etc. Once the paste is ready, the rest of the cooking is just a piece of cake...

If you feel like you have no idea about what I just wrote, please have a look at my previous posts about :

• Suggested list of all the necessary kitchen equipment
  
• What spices are and which one are the most common
• Regional spices from major ethnic cuisines
• Edible Herbs out there
  

So, here they are (the methods) alphabetically disordered:

• Frying - used mainly to release the aroma or flavor of spices into the dishes. This is particularly true for fresh spices, such as onion, garlic or ginger.

• Frying in oil - a smart method on how to add color of a praticular spice to the oil, or before adding other ingredients, to incorporate its flavor to the whole dish. Some flavored oils (tadka or baghar) are prepared this way and then mixed into dry e.g. dhal curries.
  

• Dry frying - another method of preparing dry spices, such as cumin, coriander, mustard or poppy seeds, fennel, ...etc. Whole spices are dry fried together to release and combine aroma and flavor. To do this properly, heat oil in a heavy based pan over the medium heat. Add spices and fry for a minute or so, shaking the pan constantly. Take off from heat and transfer to a bowl.
  Most often, dry fried spices are then grinded in mortar into a powder (like curry powder or garam masala).

• Cutting or chopping - another usefull preparation of mostly fresh spices and herbs, like garlic, onions, spring onions, tomatoes. ...
• Slicing - a sub-method of preparing spices like ginger (in pickles or dishes, where it will be eaten as whole) or kaffir lime leaves. Remember! These both are SPICES, so slice them sooper dooper thin, otherwise the meal will end up being uncomfortably not delicious.

• Soaking - several spices release their flavor or increase size when soaked in hot water. This is particularly true for dried spices, such as galanga, ginger, lemon grass, mushrooms or chillies. Other spices like saffron are traditionally soaked in warm milk.
  

• Grinding - dry fried or crushed whole spices are often grinded to combine flavors. This is the most popular method of making not only spice seasonings or dry mixes, but also sauces, curries and particularly pastes; so you can grind about anything. There are several ways of grinding spices, the traditional one is by using a mortar and pestle. The more recent methods include coffee grinders or blenders (particularly for making ´wet curries´). I am a pretty conservative girl (true!), so I stick with old crap :) ... Here are some tips for effective grinding in a mortar:

• Always grind only a spoonful at a time.

• Help yourself with pre-grinding of spices: Onions, garlic, ginger, horseradish, lemongrass, nutmeg... can be pre-chopped or grated on a regular square grater prior to grinding them in a mortar.
  

• Start from the hardest and dryest ingredients (seeds, peppercorns, nuts...), gradually add the fresh (garlic, onion,...), softer (herbs, shrimp paste, lime eights,...) and juicer ones (tomatoes,...). Liquids (oil, lime juice, fish sauce) come at the end.

• Do not grind more than you need (the flavor and aroma evaporates very quickly)

Owing a mortar is a wonderful thingy. It enables not only grinding, but also crushing, pressing, rubbing... Below are some alternatives on what you can do when you do not own one, but I would strongly suggest to get one, because MORTAR ROCKS !....

• Grating or chopping - as mentioned above, several spices, particularly the fresh ones are often grated or chopped prior to further usage. To grate, use the regular square grater. If you fancy chopping (like I do), use one of those giant Chinese cleavers (and enjoy the fabulous ´tum, tum, tum, tum´ .. sound).

• Pressing - As for pressing the garlic, we all are familiar with the useless garlic press (I actually own AND use one (shy)).
  

• Crushing - another method for mortar non-owners. There are several ways of crushing stuff:
  
• You can use your fingers for something easy like dried chilli (please, dont touch your eyes afterwards, it is NOT cool).

• Harder ingredients like nuts or hollow seeds can be placed in a plastic bags and rolled over with a glass cup.
  

• Use the side of the blade of knife and press strongly against garlic cloves or peppercorns. They should crush easily.

There are some additional less common methods of preparation, which you will most probably never use, but still.... they are worth mentioning:

• Steaming - an unusual method of preparation of tamarind or saffron. Tamarind pulp is soaked in warm water first, crumbled and then steamed. Once strained, a very strong citrus juice is achieved. Saffron is soaked in warm milk and then steamed for 5 minutes. This helps release not only the flavor, but also its yellowish color. No need to strain the milk, you can use it just as it is.
  

• Grilling - unique preparation of some pastes, such as shrimp paste. Since it shouldnt be eaten raw, some cooking method should be applied. I usually wrap it in aulie foil and dry fry in a frying pan or bake in the oven. Any method is ok (frying in oil, cooking in water...), just take great care not ot burn the paste.

Edible Herbs (Part 4)

(The fourth part of 灶王 [zao wang] - The Kitchen God Series)

I believe that gradually, herbs as well as spices, will become a part of your everyday cooking. Not only they enrich the flavour of your already awesomely awesome dishes, but also add colour and some vitamins. Since they are, of course, the tastiest when fresh, most of them can be easily grown at your home all year round. Here is a simple list of what you can do with following herbs:

• Basil – probably the most popular herb in European or Thai cuisine. Thais grow three kinds of basil:
  

• Thai basil - the most popular one. Valued for its sweet aniseed aroma, it is also known as Sweet basil, and can be substituted for the traditional European basil. I also possess its cultivate called Purple Ruffles.
  

• Holy basil - tastes more like cloves and is fairly spicy. Its true aroma escapes when cooked, therefore it is never eaten in salads.
  

• Hairy basil - slightly lemony taste, very refreshing. The most amusing to me is the translation of its Latin Ocimum Americanum into the local ´Hairy`kind :)

My little basil collection (from left to the right): Hairy basil, Purple Ruffles and Sweet Basil.

• Bay leaf - popular in soups, stews and other sautéed dishes. Bay leaf (particularly its powdered form) looses its aroma very quickly, therefore should be kept in an air-tight container.

• Celery - very aromatic and a pretty bitter herb, so be careful with amounts. Goes well with tomato sauces.

• Chives – there are several types of chives, depending on their origin. Western chives are tubular, while Chinese, or garlic chives are longer and flatter. They latter ones also often have little flower buds up top that are delicious stir fried.

• Coriander leaves (Chinese parsley, cilantro) – the most popular herb in Indian or Chinese cuisine. Used both, at the beginning of cooking as a curry ingredient, or at the end as an aromatic garnish. In Thailand, the whole herb is used (including stems and even roots).

• Curry leaf - my personal most favourite herb. The combination of fried curry leaves together with mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida will add the final 'kick' to any dry curry dish you have ever made.

• Dill - famous all over the world. Here in Scandinavia, you cannot get a fish without it. In Slavic cuisines, a milky dill sauce is quite popular. In India, dill with rice or dill with spinach are common combinations. And just for the record, Tom hates dill and refuses to believe in its insomnia-negative effects...

• Fenugreek leaf (methi) - only used in Indian cooking. For a short time period in summer, the young leaves, about 7 cm tall, with more delicate flavor are harvested. For the rest of the year, 25 cm long ones are available. Methi has a unique bitter taste. The dried version, Kasuri methi is not of the same botanical origin and since it is quite strong in flavor, only a pinch should do. Fenugreek seeds are also used in Indian cooking to add flavor o curries.
  

• Kaffir lime leaf – very thinly sliced and added to fish stews or curry dishes to release their aromatic and soury flavour. Freeze the leaves if you are not going to use them up within a month.

• Marjoram – my second favorite herb, particularly when used in European cuisine, together with its botanical sister Oregano. I am sure, you will also appreciate its citrusy flavor, next time you are making pasta sauce.

• Mint – very aromatic, mostly used in Thai salads as a garnish or in drinks (Who wouldn't know Mojito, yummy). If cooked, it is usually added towards the end, since fried mint leaves turn black very easily and will spoil the color of the whole curry. I grow lemon balm mint, which is milder in aroma and has more sweeter and slightly lemony taste.

• Oregano - another one of famous Italian herbs used in pasta sauces, meat or veggie sauteed dishes. Particularly appreciated in southern regions, since oregano is the only Italian herb that goes very well with spicy cuisine.

Oregano and marjoram

• Parsley – as for Europe, it is enjoyed exactly the same way as its botanical sister Coriander in Asia. Two most famous types include curly parsley or flat leaf parsley; both are very easy to grow at home.
  

• Rosemary – The fresh and dried leaves are used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Its bitter taste complements oily foods, such as lamb, potatoes or fish.

• Sage – popular in baking as well as for its medicinal purposes. Sage is considered being an all-cure. As for tea, it is believed to relieve stomach pain as well as cure sore throat. As for cooking,widely used for baking, eases up the digestion of legumes or root vegetables.

• Savory – best known for its flavoring beans or as a seasoning in salt-free diets. Savory has long been reputed to be a general tonic to the digestive tract, as well as a powerful antiseptic or disinfect. Even today, it is commonly used in toothpaste or soaps.

• Tarragon – also called the "King of Herbs" by the French, since it is the main flavoring in many of their sauces, such as barnaise, rigavote and tartare. Together with chopped sprigs of fresh parsley, chives, and chervil, you have the traditional seasoning blend known as fines herbs.
  

• French tarragon - its worldwide popularity lies in sweeter taste and more delicate leaves

• Russian tarragon - more bitter and tougher :)
  

• Thyme – a key element in the traditional aromatic blend Herbes de Provence or one of the primary components in a classic bouquet garni. There are over 100 varieties of thyme, but here are the three most popular ones:

• Lemon thyme - great for seasoning seafood, fish or to lighten up the fatty dishes. In medicine, lemon thyme is believed to cure asthma.
  

• Caraway thyme - particularly tasty in combination with garlic and wine. Very easy to grow, since it reproduces superb quickly.
  

• Common thyme - takes its time to release the flavor, so make sure you are stewing it for a long time

Do you guys know any kick-ass self-explanatory herb and spice poster that I could stick on my wall in the kitchen ? I see them in Asian stores a lot, here, around the town... (jealous)

Regional Spices (Part 3)

(The third part of 灶王 [zao wang] - The Kitchen God Series)

In my last chapter about common spices, we discussed what actually spices are and which of them should be kept on the Spicy Cook´s Emergency Spice Shelf. Now, I believe that as the time passes by, the muse of most of you will whisper one day about the other spices out there, that you haven't tried. Having woken up your curious eye, let us have a closer look at the most famous ones:

• A few spices commonly used in THAI cuisine:

Thai meals are rich in flavor, aroma and colors. This is achieved by using preferably fresh spices, such as:

• Galanga - from the ginger family, yet milder and more peppery in taste. Together with garlic, chili and shallots makes the base for pretty much any curry paste used in Thailand.

• Lemon grass - long, hard stem with strong citrusy aroma. Commonly added to soups or stews. If using the whole spice, bruise the stem in order to release its flavor. Only the white part is used in curry pastes. When chopping, take your time to do a really good job, otherwise, the hard parts will itch your throat. You can puree bigger amounts of lemon grass with few drops of peanut oil and store in airtight container for up to two weeks in the fridge. One tablespoon of the ready made paste equals to 1 lemon grass stem.

The famous Thai trio: lemongrass - the three long stems on the right, kaffir lime leaves on the bottom and galangal of ginger family in the middle...

• Palm sugar (jaggery) - made from cane sugar and coconut palm sap. Sold as solid balls that crumble easily. It is less sweeter than the regular sugar, but dark brown sugar is a good substitute.

• Tamarind - widely used as a souring agent in curries. Sold as fresh bean-shaped pods, dried cubes, pastes or concentrates. Dissolve in water and strain to utilize its juice. Can be substitute by lemons or limes, but you should use double as much, for lemons are less sour than tamarind.

• Some more spices commonly used in INDIAN cuisine:

Indian cuisine focuses mainly on harmonizing dried spices together with the common fresh ones, such as onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes.

• Asafoetida - also referred to as the ´devil´s shit´, thanks to its sour atrocious smell. Commonly used in vegetarian dishes of Indian cuisine, because it helps against flatulence, which is why it is widely used with legumes. It smells of garlic an onion, which are two ingredients strictly forbidden in certain Hindu castes. Asafoetida is therefore highly praised within e.g. Brahmans or Jains.

• Cardamom - harvested manually, therefore it is, together with saffron and vanilla, the most expensive spice. The cheaper powdered version is made from pods that have cracked while frying out, thus released their unique aroma).

• Cumin - the most favorite spice in Indian or Middle Eastern cuisines. Highly addictive for its wonderful smell, increases appetite and speeds up digestion process No wonder it is proclaimed to be a symbol of fidelity.

• Coriander seeds - together with cumin makes the base for most curries in India or Middle East. Strongly valued for its pharmaceutical usage: digestion and skin friendly with a pleasant smell, therefore added to perfumes or liquors and gin. The seeds can be grounded to a paste and used to cure sore cold or rash. Back when there was no toothpaste in the world, chewing on coriander seeds was a common mouth refreshing activity.

• Fennel seeds - Taste very similar to aniseed. Some cookbooks even mention aniseed in their recipes, but it is actually fennel they are referring to. Aniseed is not used in Indian cuisine at all.

• Fenugreek seeds - very aromatic, used in any curry spice mix. As one of a very few spices, it is rich in iron. The seeds are irregularly shaped and very hard to grind. A quick dry fry will help them release their flavor, but once they brown, they taste bitter. Sometimes they are soaked overnight (to become softer and gooey), so it is easier to mix them with a curry paste. The leaves are called methi and are usually combined with spinach or potatoes.

• Mustard seeds - there are three types of mustard seeds, differentiated by their color: white (alba), brown (juncea) and black (nigra). The seeds themselves do not smell much, but once crushed and mixed with water they activate an enzyme that gives out the characteristic aroma. When dry frying them, cover the pan with a lid, because mustard seeds like to jump around.

• Nigella seeds (kalonji) - tiny triangular black seeds, commonly mistaken for black onion seeds. Once crushed, they give out a peppery-like aroma with oregano aftertaste. Widely used as garnish on naan breads or in pickles.

• Turmeric (curcuma) - the magic ingredient that gives the specific yellow color to any curry or masala powdered mix. Often, it is used as a cheaper substitution for saffron.

Indian spices starting from turmeric (the bright yellow pile up top) clockwise: green cardamom pods and their powdered form (the pile on the left closer to the camera), coriander powder, curry leaves, nigella seeds, yellow mustard seeds, asafoetida, fennel seeds on the right closer to the middle and the last one up top is cumin powder.

• A few unique spices used in CHINESE cuisine:

• Cassia bark - very similar to cinnamon, which is though in Chinese cooking considered inferior. Sold in long strips, outer layer is dark brown, while the inside is more of caramel color.

• Sechuan peppercorns (anise pepper or sansho) - widely used in China, particularly in Sechuan region (guess why it is called Sechuan pepper then)... Famous for its numbing, tingling feeling and mouth-watering side effect. When dry fried, it releases its wonderful aroma.
  

• Sesame seeds - usually added roasted as a garnish, particularly for its nutty flavor. Commonly available as oil, paste (called tahini). The black variety is widely used in Thailand mostly in sweets, drinks or deserts.
  

• Star anise (badyan) - called 八角 [ba jiao], translated as 8 corners (referring to its shape). Badyan has a distinguish deep aniseed fragrance and is widely added to mainly pork stews, pickles or sweet dishes, not only for its beautiful shape, but also fr its medical impacts. Badyan is said to relieve stomach pains, bladder problems or constipation.
  

Additionally, you might consider a few extra non-spice ingredients:

• Coconut - mainly used for its liquid. The flesh is usually grated and soaked in water for 30 minutes to extract coconut cream (or for its thinner version, coconut milk). There are several substitutions available, such as tinned cream of coconut, dried shredded coconut, frozen or powdered. The flavor of the fresh one is undoubtedly the best, though. When buying fresh coconut, shake it well to see whether it has some liquid in it. This indicates, that the fruit is still fresh. I sometimes use soy milk as a substitution.

• Dried shrimps - Used as garnish or grounded in curry pastes. Should be soaked in hot water prior to using.

• Fish sauce (nam pla, nuoc nam, patis) - made from fermented fish (similarly, oyster sauce is made from fermented oysters). Widely used around Southeast Asia in sauces, marinades or dressings, ... just like its vegan version - Soy sauce.

• Oil - There are way too many varieties of oil used in cooking. The choice mainly depends on the region of a desired spice mixtures. Generally, olive oil is popular in European cuisine, rapeseed oil in oriental cuisine, mustard oil in some savory dishes of India, thicker oils from seeds or nuts (walnut oil, sesame oil, ...) in Chinese cooking, ... etc. There are also a variety of flavors involved, such as chili, ginger or pepper oil. These all can be made at home by adding certain spices to the plain oil and let sit for couple of days.

• Peanuts - usually roasted and grounded coarsely or into a paste (which is then similar to peanut butter) or simply added as a garnish.

• Shrimp paste (kapi, ngapi, trassi, terasi, blachan, belacan...) - widely used in curry pastes around Thailand or Myanmar. Made from dried fermented salted shrimps. Usually sold in blocks, should be cooked prior to eating. The best way to prepare shrimp paste is to wrap it in aluminum foil and dry fry it from both sides for about 3 minutes.

• Soy sauce - Typical Chinese ingredient in any savory dishes you can think of (as innevitable as salt in Western cuisine). There are several varieties, particularly in neighbouring Japan, such as Shoyu - milder version of Chinese soy sauce, or Tamari, which is darker and stronger.

• Sugar - I always use dark brown sugar or palm sugar (if available). The main reason of using sugar is to mild down the hotness of chili peppers, so the amount is pretty much up to you.

• Tomatoes - used in Indian curries as a souring agent (avoid then the Spanish sweet variety) or to thicken sauces. Cherry tomatoes are mainly used as garnish.

• Vinegar - mainly used in dips, marinades or dressings. Special flavored vinegars (chili, garlic, ginger, apple...) are also widely available. The Chinese Rice vinegar is milder in taste.
  

• Wine - generally, red wine is more popular in European cooking, while in Asia, white version is lot more popular, particularly Rice wine. Made by fermenting rice, there are many varieties to choose from. Dry sherry is generally a good substitute to Chinese cooking wines. Japanese Mirin is a milder sweet sirupy-like wine that is used in marinades or dipping sauces. 1 tablespoon of Mirin can be substituted for 1 teaspoon of honey.

And, of course, we should not forget about all the wonderful edible herbs out there...

Common Spices (Part 2)

(The second part of 灶王 [zao wang] - The Kitchen God Series)

In the first part (read here), I was discussing all the necessary tools that you should keep in your kitchen in order to prepare the most delicious curries, pastes or other spice mixes.
Today, I would like to focus briefly (that doesn't sound like the luckiest combination of words) on all kinds of spices (followed by the 4th chapter devoted to herbs) commonly used in curries, pastes and mixes all over the world. This will be a very long list, so I will not go into lots of details. I am preparing a series of articles devoted to a deeper explanation of particular herbs and spices that I use in my little miracles (published periodically, so don't leave for good- Thanx).

So how should we make this a bit easier for you ? I sugest that before I get to the further details, I shall start with the most basic question :

WHAT EXACTLY ARE SPICES ?
Generally speaking, seeds are dried parts of plants. Here are some:

• Seeds - cumin, coriander, cardamom, mustard seeds
• Buds - cloves
• Flower parts - peppercorns
• Bark - cinnamon, cassia bark
  
• Roots - galangal, ginger
• Leaves - curry, bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves

Most of them are of tropical origin and almost all of them come from Orient. A few exceptions would be vanilla, new spice or chilli (originally from Central America).

I decided to focus on the most common ones and therefore orgnized them in several sub-categories according to their frequency of usage...

Let me start with the absolute irreplaceable 'Duh' spices:

• Salt - I prefer coarse sea salt for it is rich in minerals. Used mostly as seasoning or a preservative. But remember! Excessive salting may lead (in a long run) to several non-pleasant health conditions, such as high blood pressure. Grind in a mortar prior to seasoning. If using fine salt, store in a salt shaker together with a few grains of rice (this prevents salt from getting clumpy).
  

• Black pepper - available whole, crushed or powdered. Together with salt forms an inevitable seasoning of any kind of dish.
  

• Chili pepper (chilli or chile) - there are all together more than 400 kinds of chillies out there available fresh, dried, powdered, as a paste or sauce. The hotness of different chillies generally depends on their size, color or their ending. The general rules are: the smaller, the hotter; the pointier the hotter; red ones are 2 - 3 times spicier than the green ones...What makes a chili pepper hot is not its skin, but seeds and veins. So if you don't fancy a real burntmouth effect of most of them, de-seed them prior to using in cooking. Paprika powder is also a good substitute, for it is not that hot.

Additionally, some fresh spices will fairly often come handy. Here are some of them:

• Ginger - can be bought fresh, powdered, pureed, dried, candied or pickled. In some curries, ginger is very thinly sliced and eaten as an ingredient. In Japanese cuisine, the pickled ginger (pink or white) is used as an accompaniment to sushi. The Chinese variety has less flavor. In Asia, candied ginger is often eaten as candy after meal. Ginger tea is also famous for its digestive friendly effect (burning calories, frankly speaking).
  

• Garlic - the most common fresh spice ingredient, an essential in almost any spice mixture you can imagine. Available fresh, pureed (soaked in water and blended to a paste) or pickled. always fry sliced garlic at a low heat and take great care not to burn it, otherwise it will turn brown and taste bitter.

• Onions - there are several varieties of onions, depending on the origin of a particular spice mixture. Generally, the taste doesn't differ that much, but you should keep in mind the nneed of adjusting the amount then. Shallots or scallions are at least 3 times smaller, generally less juicier, sweeter, but spicier than the Wester type. Spring onions are mainly used as garnish rather than in spice mixtures.
  

• Limes, lemons (or less commonly oranges) - both, grated zest and juice are used. When buying lemons, always check on the growing conditions. Most of the store bought skin fruits have undergone a chemical treatment, so it is not the best idea to use the skin in cooking. If this is the case, you might want to look for its dried grated version instead.
  

Basic spices starting from lime (the green ball up top) clockwise: Onion, shallots, garlic, chili flakes, crushed black peppercorns, coarse sea salt, dried orange peel, red chili pepper, plus powdered ginger and fresh ginger in the middle.

These guys, you might want to have ALWAYS handy, but most of the time will bring you nowhere, so : On your next trip to the store, you might want to stack up on a couple of easy-to-get spices like (widely used all around EUROPE):

• Cinnamon - in its powdered form particularly popular in puddings, cakes, mulled vine,.. while whole sticks are added and later discarded in Indian curries or in Chinese dishes.

• Cloves - favorite accompaniment of cinnamon. Usually added whole, but discarded before eating.

• Caraway seeds - very common in European cuisine notorically present in potato dishes, breads or on cheeses. Reacts well with alcohol, therefore it is added in liquors, gins, schnapps or akvavit (up here, in Scandinavia).

• paprika powder - the national spice of Hungary, comes as mild or spicy. Paprika powder is very sensitive to high temperatures. Always stir in after taking the frying pan off the heat for a minute to release all the flavor.

• nutmeg and mace - both of them very aromatic, used grated, mostly in sweet cooking, such as puddings or in milk or cream based sauces. Nutmeg is generally a tiny bit sweeter than mace.

Advanced spices starting from bay leaf (the green leaves up top) clockwise: whole cinnamon and its powdered form (the little pile on the left), cloves, nutmeg powder, paprika powder mild, paprika powder strong and caraway seeds.

These are always handy in the kitchen, just to enrich the flavor of your everyday dishes.
Later on, depending on the region where a particular spice mixture comes from, you will definitely need to strengthen your spice collection with a few regional wonders.

Cooking Tools (Part 1)

(The first part of 灶王 [zao wang] - The Kitchen God Series)

Chinese people believe that there are several domestic gods that guard ones household life. One of them is the Kitchen God (In Chinese known as 灶王 [read zao wang] or 灶君 [zao jun]，灶神 [zao shen]…), who makes sure (if you are good to him, of course) that your food doesn't burn or tastes bad, that your fridge is always full and your guests never hungry. Even today’s homes, hotels or restaurants place a little Zao Wang statue up on their shelves in the kitchen, just to make sure… The Kitchen God Series of 6 articles deal with the Spice Mixture Basics – the basics of what kitchen equipment, spices and herbs you should keep in, various methods of preparation and finally, the maintenance and storage of herbs and spices. With these little tricks, together with your day-to-day kitchen performance, I am sure, you will keep Zao Wang a pleasant company.

Okay, let us get down to the business.
In order to start making all these wonderful curries just like grandmas do, you might want to evaluate your kitchen equipment. This is the first thing I thought of after I moved up here, to Sweden (couple of weeks ago, to be accurate). My hedonistic habits were confronted. Are couple of rusty knives, a pair of scissors (what for, anyway ? Aaah, clipping the chives, you mean… hm, I guess) and a crappy frying pan REALLY enough to make wonders? Sorry, Tom, I didn’t mean to dis your kitchen :)

Anyway, after couple of minutes of a serious self brain-storming, I came to conclusion:
If it was me, I would suggest having the following in my Spice Magician Starting Kit:

• Chinese cleaver – the number one essential kitchen equipment from all the essential kitchen equipments. Plus, great for loud chopping (I just loooove the tum, tum, tum, tum, tum sound). If chopping is not for you, cooking is not for you.

• Mortar and pestle – grinding spices by hand is the most effective way of preparing any kind of pastes. It provides an even blend of different flavours and aromas and turns it into a perfect consistency. I prefer stone heavy mortars, for I love the way they sound. Do not forget to wash it each time used with plain water. Do not use soap or any washing detergent (particularly with the wooden ones), because all the grinding afterwards will adopt the soapy aftertaste.

• Cutting board – my absolute most favourite is the Chinese wooden one with 4 little legs underneath (again, the sound…. Ahhhh). But I am also just a regular young woman with a regular Ikea bought wooden chopping board.

• Containers and jars – the airtight ones are the most suitable for storing all your yummy condiments.. Teaspoon and a tablespoon – good for measuring (I assume most of the readers are not restaurant chefs or mega hungry giants) Measure cup – anything that lets you know how much liquid you are about to mix in.

• Frying pan – most of the curries require dry roasting seeds, frying onions or sautéing tomatoes… I prefer the one made of cast iron, because it holds the heat and spreads it evenly (great for simmering, sautéing, Hindu curries or European sauces).

• Beer – pickling or paste grinding is a tough job, u really need to replenish your body with lots of liquid.

Other fancy (or should I say useless?) little helpers would include :

• Peeler - apparently you can use a regular knife
• Or better - fancy lime, lemon or orange peelers - Who uses those anyway ? Apart from my mum, who proclaims to use everything what is in the house, so she doesn't have to throw it away. And two days ago, I even saw a pineapple peeler here, in a local store ....

• Juicer - squeezing lemons by hand is not a big deal, just cut them in eights first…

• Garlic press - use a mortar or a regular cleaver: crush the garlic clove with the side of a cleaver blade and chop finely

I am sure you can come up with other what-is-this-thing-for kitchen equipment...

Anyway, I would strongly suggest considering my additional vanity essentials:

• Lots of cute little ‘spice cups’ – this is my key equipment during the prep-phase. I like to peel, grate, chop and otherwise prepare all the ingredients first, place them in little cups and only after then start cooking.

• Red scale – some things need to be measured (especially when you are following the recipes) and there is no cooler tool to do that than a red scale.

• Crappy old grater - anything that can be chopped can be also grated (but grating saves lot more time)

• ‘One-button’ red blender – widely use all over the world. How wonderful is this machine? Forget all chopping, grinding, peeling, just press the button and ignore it all (The only reason why I do not have one (yet), is because I deeply inside believe in the hidden magic of grinding stuff in mortar (but I am soooo tempted by my evil laziness every time I cook).

• Fancy labels and ‘container hats’ – come on, you just spent hours of making a paste (or pickles), don't you just want them to look yummy as well ? (tr: no logical explanation)

• Cheap traditional Chinese Wok – we have just bought our first wok and became fairly addicted to it. Made of steel with round bottom it slides perfectly on the stove, so nothing burns. Perfect for dry roasting seeds or frying onions. Plus, you can show off with your newly self-taught flipping omelettes or stir fried stuff skills.

I know, excuses, excuses, excuses…. But trust me, the outcome is worth every penny (or öre, to be politically correct), for we all know that love goes through stomach… Just have a look at what I happened to achieve with my cooking :)
From left to right in four rows :
Chinese wok, cast iron frying pan, grater, scissors, mortar and pestle (wooden chopping board behind), scale, beers, ... juicer, spatula, fancy spice cups, airtight glass jar, measuring cup, glass jar with fancy hat and 'empty jar' label, ... garlic press, big spoon, grater tablespoons and teaspoons, ... and knives.

Not bad, eh ? Well, there is always a lot out there to learn, but I am getting there（慢慢来)..