CORIANDER
It is better to use coriander whole seeds rather than have them ground. Ripe coriander grains have a warm, nutty, slightly woody aroma and a sweet, slightly tart flavor, with a hint of citrus. The whole coriander seeds are usually slightly roasted in a dry frying pan before it is added to the dish. The only exception is when baking and making desserts. In this case they do not need a warm-up. Coriander is an excellent single spice that pairs with many spices and therefore it is one of the most popular ingredients for spicy blends. This spice is the main component of all kinds of curry powder. Virtuallym all the Middle Eastern and African blends are also based on this spice (dukkah, harissa, ras-el-hanout and others). The top picture displays European coriander, the one on the bottom is Indian one.
Coriander pairing:
Fruits and vegetables: artichoke, pear, potato, corn, carrot, parsnip, bell pepper, tomato, beet, plum, asparagus, pumpkin, citrus, spinach, apple.
Protein product: lamb, beef, game, legumes (peas, manga, lentils, beans, chickpeas), yogurt, kefir, coconut milk, sausages, seafood (especially crab, oysters), nuts, poultry (chicken, duck, turkey), fish (salmon), pork, sour cream, eggs.
Other foods: broths (especially fish and seafood), mushrooms, gingerbread, confectionery, various kinds of minced meat, vegetable oil (including olive oil), sugar, juice and zest (lemon, orange), dough.
Seasonings and spices: anise, basil, clove, mustard, cumin, ginger, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, sesame, turmeric, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, oregano, fenugreek, paprika, allspice, black pepper, chili, parsley, celery, caraway, dill, fennel, garlic, saffron.
Cuisines and dishes: Middle Eastern cuisine, Indian cuisine, Latin American cuisine, Moroccan cuisine, Pan-Asian cuisine, North American cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine, chutney.
CUMIN
Cumin is popular in India, Middle East, Southeast Asia, North Africa and Mexico. It has a strong spicy-sweet aroma. Its flavour is slightly bitter, soft and earthy. Cumin is a significant ingredient in such spice blends as panch phoron, garam masala, baharat, berbere, cajun, curry and dukkah. It pairs well with coriander resulting in an amazing flavour and aroma of those spices combined. Cumin is added in the early stages of cooking process.
Cumin Pairing:
Fruits and vegetables: pineapple, eggplant, cherry, zucchini, cabbage (including sauerkraut), potatoes, strawberries, gooseberries, corn, raspberries, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomato, radish, beets, currants, pumpkin, citrus, apple.
Protein product: lamb (including roasted), beef, wild game (including venison), legumes (including peas, buckwheat, rice, beans, lentils, chickpeas, tamarind), yogurt, kefir, sausages, seafood, nuts, poultry (especially chicken, turkey), fish (especially salmon, tuna), pork, sour cream, cheeses (especially feta), eggs.
Other foods: mushrooms, honey, beverages, sugar, juice (lemon), bread and pastries.
Seasonings and spices: anise, clove, mustard, ginger, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, sesame, turmeric, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, oregano, fenugreek, paprika, allspice, black pepper, chili, parsley, thyme, caraway, dill, fennel, garlic, saffron.
Cuisines and dishes: curry dishes, Vietnamese cuisine, Indian cuisine, Indonesian cuisine, Spanish cuisine, couscous, Moroccan cuisine, Mexican cuisine, Portuguese cuisine, Thai cuisine, hummus.
FENNEL
Fennel seeds have a fresh anise flavor and slightly bitter taste. After roasting frying in a dry frying pan, fennel seeds open up and reveal sweet flavor, regardless if used as single spice or as a part of a mix. Its main goal is to prevail over other flavours and to create flavor balances. It is generally thought that the best advantage of fennel is to improve gustatory components of fish and seafood. But in fact it is not the only its advantage. Fennel also presents itself well in sausages, pork dishes, cabbage and tomato dishes, marinades, including vegetable marinades (pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut and others). It is excellent in harmony with cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cardamom, fenugreek, mustard, ginger and chili. You will deservedly appreciate its importance in such blends as Kashmiri curry, panch phoron, chinese five-spice powder, some variations of garam masala and besar. Fennel is usually added at the last stages of the cooking process.
Fennel pairing:
Fruits and vegetables: eggplant, cherry, pomegranate, pear, green onions, zucchini, cabbage, potatoes, strawberries, leeks, carrots, cucumbers, olives, bell pepper, tomato, radish, arugula, beets, plum, asparagus, citrus, chive, apple.
Protein product: lamb, wild game (wild boar, venison), legumes (beans, peas, lentils, rice), yogurt, kefir, sausages, seafood (crabs, lobsters/crayfish, mussels, oysters, shrimps), nuts (almonds, walnuts), poultry (chicken, duck), fish, pork, sour cream, cheeses, veal, eggs.
Other foods: mushrooms, marinades and sauces, honey, beverages (perno, vermouth, sambuca, wine), vegetable oil (olive), sugar, butter, juice and zest (lemon, lime, orange), pickles, soups (especially vegetable), dough, vinegar, bread and bakery products.
Seasonings and spices: anise, basil, cloves, mustard, cumin, ginger, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, oregano, fenugreek, paprika, Szechuan pepper, black and white pepper, chili, parsley, rosemary, celery, thyme, caraway, dill, garlic, saffron, tarragon.
Cuisines and dishes: curry dishes, bouillabaisse, Italian cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Scandinavian cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine.
FENUGREEK
Many people are not familiar with this spice but it is a major ingredient in such blends as curry, some variations of sambar masala, panch pharaun and berbere. It has a pleasant slightly maple aroma and if overdosed, it will effuse bitterness resembling burned sugar. But with the right dosage, it will effuse nutty-maple flavors. To reduce bitterness, fenugreek seeds are heated in a dry frying pan and then ground into powder.
Fenugreek pairing:
Fruits and vegetables: eggplant, green peas, green beans, greens and lettuce (especially spinach), cabbage (including cauliflower), potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, tomato, turnips, beets, pumpkin.
Protein product: lamb, beef, wild game (especially rabbit), legumes (pea, semolina, oats, pearl barley, rice, millet, beans, lentils), yoghurt, seafood (especially oysters, shrimps), nuts, poultry (chicken), fish, cheese (especially creamy).
Other foods: maple syrup, lemon juice, sauces (especially creamy), stews (especially on tomato basis).
Seasonings and spices: anise, star anise, cloves, mustard, cumin, ginger, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, sesame, turmeric, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, paprika, allspice, black pepper, chili, caraway, fennel, garlic.
Cuisines and dishes: curry dishes, Indian cuisine, Ethiopian cuisine.
GARLIC
Garlic is an important component of many dishes and we are all familiar with this powerful flavor. It pairs with almost all products, spices and seasonings. Fresh garlic is good for pastes, sauces and marinades. Granulated and ground – it is favorite in dry spice blends and this book is devoted to it.
Garlic pairing:
Fruits