My Kitchen Pantry Basics: Spices
My Kitchen Pantry Basics series is the new series of posts where I will be talking about my pantry staples that you can always find in my kitchen. This will include spices, sweeteners, non-perishables and canned food, super-food add-ons, and others. Having these items in my kitchen really enables me to create healthy, diverse, authentic and satisfying meals, such as salads, salad bowls, breakfast bowls, snacks, or staple meals from Thai or Indian cuisine, for example, anytime!
We all know that sometimes it's the small things that make the biggest difference. That relates, for instance, to that one tiny pinch of spice or herbs added to a meal that completely changes or enhances the flavor. But that also can be said about small adjustments or rearrangements you can make in your home or your kitchen that make your day-to-day activities so much more efficient or pleasant. Believe it or not, but one of my most favorite things in our new kitchen in San Francisco is my spice drawer organizer! In all our previous homes I used to keep spices in one of the cabinets above the stove. However, since most spice jars are pretty small, that way of storing them is quite inefficient: they take up the entire surface of the cabinet space but don't fill it up in terms of height. And you can only see the front row of jars and then you always have to move them around to get to the ones in the back.
In our new kitchen in San Francisco we don't have much cabinet space above the counters and oven, but we do have a ton of big wide drawers under the counter space. So in one of our trips to the Container Store I bought a spice drawer organizer. And it is one of the best kitchen organizing things I've ever owned! I feel such a grown up now!
I am a big fan of using spices in cooking. But I haven't always been. I honestly didn't really know how to use them until I started putting more effort into researching new recipes and diversifying our meals (especially after signing up for the farm vegetable delivery several years ago). By now I have quite some spices in my pantry and I use most of them regularly. And below is my top-5 list of spices that I truly love for their amazing flavors, aroma, warmth and health benefits. Did you know that spices were originally used in cooking and food preservation to fight food-born microorganisms and reduce food poisoning? So don't underestimate their power!
MY TOP-5 SPICE LIST
1. Turmeric
Besides adding an amazing flavor, aroma and beautiful yellow golden color to your meals, this spice is really a miracle as it is widely known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, is packed with antioxidants and is found to be helpful for arthritis, heart diseases, diabetes and cancer.
My most common use of turmeric: curries, pureed soups, energy and immune system boosting juices and smoothies (combined with ginger and lemon), as a topping on my savory breakfast porridge.
2. Curry powder
Curry powder is actually a mix of spices that most commonly includes cumin, coriander and turmeric. I love adding curry powder in cooking - it makes me feel that I almost can cook like a true Southeast Asian. It adds that authenticity and aroma that you can easily recognize from Indian, Thai or Malaysian restaurants. Besides that, curry powder also has a number of health benefits, such as prevention of cancer and heart diseases and protection of the immune system from bacterial infections.
My most common use of curry powder: curries, pureed soups, roasted vegetables, salad dressings.
3. Cumin (whole seed and ground)
Cumin is another very aromatic spice with a nutty, smoky and even a bit bitter flavor. It is also a magical spice with a variety of health benefits from fighting common colds, respiratory diseases and insomnia to cancer.
My most common use of cumin: curries, pureed soups, meats and ground meat, stews, roasted vegetables, salad dressings.
4. Garam masala
Garam masala has been a much newer addition to my top 5 spice list. It is a mix of various spices commonly used in Indian cuisine. I love Indian food but for the longest time I believed that I would never be able to cook Indian food myself. One day I asked my colleague who was originally from India to bring some traditional spices from one of his trips home. And that's how I got introduced to garam masala. Even a little bit of it added in cooking makes you feel like that dish on your plate is a takeout from an Indian restaurant. Garam masala literally means "warm spice" and it really makes every meal warming. And of course, just like other spices on my top list, it has a number of health benefits, such as boosting immune system, helping digestion and even promoting weight loss.
My most common use of garam masala: any type Indian inspired meals; ground meat, stir fried veggies, veggie latkes, eggs.
5. Cinnamon
What can I say? Cinnamon is simply delicious! I can add cinnamon to everything - it's so aromatic and sweet that it makes everything taste like a dessert. And the list of its health benefits is just never ending. Cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory qualities, helps fighting infections, and has a potential to lower risk of heart diseases and diabetes, and it can lower blood sugar as it is a great sweetener alternative.
My most common use of cinnamon: breakfast bowls, fruit bowls, smoothies, crepes and pancakes, desserts, pureed soups.
