Herbs and Spices — Tips for Vegan cooking

By Compassionate Cooks





Which Spices/Herbs to Use



How many of us have spice racks with jars of spices we bought years ago and never used – whose sole purpose is to collect the dust in your kitchen? ☺ Now is the time to dust them off (or replace them) and start adding flavor to your dishes-The correct spice or herb (whether it is fresh or dried) for any food is the one that tastes right for you-When you're at a loss about what to add to a dish, try something from the list below



WHICH SPICE GOES WITH WHAT FOOD?



Beans - cumin, cayenne, chili, oregano, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, thyme

Breads - anise, basil, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, lemon peel, orange peel, oregano, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme

Fruits - allspice, anise, cardamom, Chinese 5-spice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mint

Potatoes - basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, tarragon, thyme

Salads and Salad Dressings - basil, caraway, celery seed, chives, dill, fennel, garlic, horseradish, lemon peel, lovage, marjoram, mint, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sumac, tarragon, thyme

Soups - basil, bay, chervil, chili, chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, star anise, thyme

Sweets - allspice, angelica, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, mace, nutmeg, mint, orange peel, rosemary, star anise

Tomatoes - basil, bay, celery seed, cinnamon, chili, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme

Vegetables - chili, chives, curry, dill, marjoram, parsley, savory, thyme



WHICH SPICE/HERB GOES WITH WHAT FOOD?


Allspice: An ingredient in many baked goods as well as "Jerk" sauces

Anise Seed: Mild licorice flavor, used in cookies, or candies

Arrowroot Powder: Use as a thickener in puddings, pies, soups, sauces, and gravies

Basil: used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking, especially good with tomatoes

Bay Leaves: Perfect use in stews, sauces, soups, and marinades

Caraway Seeds: Great in baked goods and with fruits

Cardamom, ground: A wonderful addition to Indian dishes

Cardamom, whole: Dry roast the whole cardamom seeds for more flavor in your recipe

Cayenne Pepper: Wonderful heat for any Mexican dish

Chervil Leaf: Similar to parsley, a mild flavor for any meat, soup or vegetable dish

Cilantro: Used in Mexican cooking & salsas; may also be used in Indian dishes-

Cloves, ground: Popular in desserts, syrups, and sweet vegetable dishes-

Coriander seed, ground: Citrusy, sweet & tart flavor to be used at the end when cooking

Cream of Tartar: Adds consistency and stability to any cookie or cake-

Cumin Seed, ground: Wonderful with tomato dishes, chili, salsa & Indian dishes

Dill Weed: Great in dressings and sauces and on potatoes

Ginger, crystallized: Sliced ginger partially dried in a sugar syrup solution - For sweets

Ginger, ground: A sharp, aromatic spice is used in many sweet baked goods and curries

Lemongrass: A grass with citric oils, very popular in Thai cooking-

Marjoram: Like oregano & from the mint family, it has a sweeter and subtler taste

Nutmeg, ground: A sweet, nutty spice is used in custards, pastries, and vegetables

Oregano, Greek: A must for Italian cooking, Greek oregano has a mild, delicate flavor

Oregano, Mexican: Slightly stronger than Greek and less sweet, used in Spanish cooking

Paprika, hot: Mixed with cayenne, these red peppers make the Hungarians famous

Paprika, sweet: This sweet, milder Paprika will add radiant color to any dish

Parsley: This versatile herb can be used as a garnish or with anything other than sweets

Poppy Seeds: Used in baked goods, breads & to flavor noodles

Rosemary, ground: Use ground in sauces or stocks to avoid the "needle" look

Saffron, whole threads: Use for saffron rice and Indian dishes

Sage: Well known for use in stuffings

Salt, Kosher: Coarser than regular granulated, easier to control in cooking

Savory: Strong, peppery taste, good with veggies & stuffing

Sesame Seeds: Used mostly for baking breads & rolls, nice for stir-frys

Spearmint: A popular tea flavoring, used in sauces and veggie dishes

Tarragon: Aromatic herb used to flavor vinegar, dressings, breads- Great with potatoes!

Thyme, ground: Great for Greek & Italian cooking, use ground for sauces & soups

Thyme, whole leaf: Versatile in flavoring veggies, pizza, stews & herb blends

Turmeric: Used as a natural yellow coloring for soups, sauces, rice, curry, & tofu scramble


TIPS FOR USING SPICES/HERBS STORING


• Store spices in a cool, dark place- Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor more quickly- Although the most convenient place for your spice rack may be above your stove, moving your spices to a different location may keep them fresh longer

• As a general rule, herbs and ground spices will retain their best flavors for a year

Whole spices may last for 3 to 5 years-Proper storage should result in longer

freshness times

• Because the refrigerator is a rather humid environment, storing herbs and spices there is not recommended-To keep larger quantities of spices fresh, store them in the freezer in tightly sealed containers


USING


• For long-cooking dishes, add herbs and spices an hour or less before serving

Cooking spices for too long may result in overly strong flavors

• Use restraint! In general, ¼ teaspoon of spice is enough for 4 servings

• Do not use dried herbs in the same quantity as fresh- In most cases, use ¼ the amount in dried as is called for fresh-

• Seasoning food is an art, not a science-..................Experimenting with herbs and spices can be fun and educational, and while you may occasionally be eating a less than perfect dish, you may also end up creating that recipe that will become a classic in your household