The Art of Balancing Spices

Have you ever wondered what to do when you put too much of a certain spice into a dish or how to flavour a dish such that you can distinguish between the different spices you have used?

Just as one would pair wine with cheese or food with wine to optimize our eating experience, the same is true of spices. Knowing which spices go well with each other can be crucial to getting an overall balance in flavour in any dish. You wouldn't eat a dish that is too salty or too bitter and nor should you eat a dish where one spice overpowers everything.

The lawyer in me likes to compartmentalize things and so with spices, this is exactly what I do. The taste buds can easily identify the sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness and savouriness in a dish. In similar fashion, I like to split my spices into five easily identifiable tastes:  Hot, Pungent, Tangy, Sweet and Mild. They are also in top-down order of the proportions (little-more) in which, in most but not all cases, they should be used when combined with other spices.

Hot - Often but Little

As the name suggests, these spices are the ones with the most piquancy and heat. They are also most prone to overpowering a dish. Hot spices such as chilis and black pepper are known for their health benefits and antioxidant properties so wherever possible, these should be used often but in small doses. The Mild spices and a natural sweetener would be good ways to counter a dish with too much heat.

Pungent - Always and in Equal parts

Pungency is most associated with aroma and the sense of smell but it is also an apt description for the next level of spices in our chart. Spices such as cardamom, cloves, saffron, cumin would fall under this category. There really should be sub-categories as each spice in this category has a different flavour and level of pungency. Cloves would be more at the stronger and more menthol end while saffron and cardamom at a more sweeter and lighter end. However, none of these spices have any heat but they are still strong in flavour and so it is really important to keep proportions equal or as close to equal when using more than a few of the pungent spices in a dish. The key is to get a beautiful balance of flavours and if a dish has twice as much cloves or cumin as cardamom, the dish would be menthol and earthy but lack the aromatic sweetness of cardamom.

Tangy -Occasional and Enough

If you have already used hot and pungent spices, a dish may call for some sourness to take the edge off the spices a little. The spice equivalent to lemon or lime would be curry leaves, tamarind, sumac or amchur powder. Again, as with the pungent spices, the tangy spices are individual in the strength of sourness they would bring to a dish. Sumac and amchur powder are at the lighter citrusy end of the spectrum with tamarind being at the opposite end. Use these when the occasion calls for it in a dish or spice blend and just enough to add tanginess into the flavour pot.

Sweet - Alone and More

Spices such as cinnamon, rose, nutmeg and vanilla are typically associated with baking or desserts and so no wonder these are appropriately allocated to the 'Sweet' category. That said, these spices are also just as effective and flavourful in savoury dishes when used in the right proportions and context. The other beauty of these spices is that they can easily be used on their own in so many ways without needing any other spice to accompany it. The Sweet spices also marry very well with the 'lighter' Pungent ones too such as cardamom and saffron.

Mild - Necessary and Most

The likes of turmeric, coriander and fennel  form part of this group of spices. These spices maintain their individual taste and tones but when combined with other spices, they tend to take a back seat in a dish - either not seen, not tasted or not overpowering. This, of course, means one can use more of these in proportion to other spices and coriander, especially, is a great countering spice with too much cumin or hot spices.

Not every dish requires a spice from each category but a good balance can be just as effectively achieved by some of the following combinations:

Hot + Pungent + Mild  

E.g. Chili + Cumin + Coriander

Pungent + Sweet + Mild 

E.g. Cardamom + Cinnamon + Fennel

Pungent + Sweet

E.g. Saffron + Rose

Hot + Sweet + Tangy + Mild 

E.g. Chili + Cinnamon + Amchur + Turmeric

Pungent + Tangy + Mild

E.g. Nigella + Curry Leaves + Turmeric

What pairing combinations do you use?

Spice Trivia: Fennel, Cloves, Ginger & Cumin

I love to learn something new everyday and so thought it would be fun to put together a list of interesting facts about spices which you may not have known.

Let's start this trivia series with Fennel, Cloves, Ginger and Cumin.

Did you Know?

Fennel

Fennel from India is prized for its strong and notably sweeter anise flavor. Turkish fennel has a somewhat subtle anise flavor and Egyptian fennel a very subtle anise flavor. 

Cloves

Good quality Cloves are easy to spot: heads must be intact, the heads should be a lighter brown colour than the stems and the heads will float vertically in water or sink. Good quality cloves should have 15-20% volatile oil content.

Ginger

The best ginger comes from Jamaica or India. Jamaican ginger is strong and pungent while Indian is lighter in colour and has a lemon undertone. Chinese ginger (mostly imported and sold in North America) is slightly more bitter and fibrous.

Cumin

The name for cumin came from the Sanskrit word, sughandan, which means "good smelling." No wonder most of the cumin grown in the world comes from India!

The Lawyer, The Cook & The Kitchen

The social media-verse is such a small place! Just this week alone, I have come across quite a few existing or former lawyers in the UK who have taken up their secret passion for food to start a blog, write a book or offer cooking classes and more. It is so inspiring to know that I am not alone or crazy in making this transition in my life. It seems that among all the analytical and intense work regime, there is a budding chef waiting to lose him/herself in a world of edible creativity.

Almost all of my blog posts to date have been about the health benefits of spices which is my new found passion but in this post I want to humanize my blog and business. For those that do not know me, I think to understand where I am at is to understand where I came from. 

My journey in this world started in Kenya and then I grew up and worked in London, England for most of my life until a few years ago when we moved to Canmore in Canada. For those that do not know Canmore, it is a world away from the big city life. It is nestled in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and just a mere 15 minutes away from Banff National Park. It is also a place where so many people come for a lifestyle change and end up reinventing themselves. So it seems I have have found the right place to not just change countries but career path too!

Food is such a big part of Indian culture and despite never taking an interest in cooking it until I went to university, I have always loved food! When I reflect back on how my taste buds have evolved, it is interesting to see that I have gone from a sweet tooth child, vegetarian to a pescetarian being in food heaven at gourmet restaurants and now am a vegetarian some days, vegan others and pescetarian others but I am all about whole & organic foods now. The one constant in my food journey has been that if I can't eat healthy or home cooked food, I would rather not eat at all. Of course, like anyone else, I give in to my vices every now and again but life would be boring without them!

In the last decade, it has all been about entertaining, experimenting and experiencing for me! They say "home is where the heart is" - for me the kitchen is where the heart is (sadly, the picture above is my dream kitchen and not my real one!). As part of the lawyer life, it became a welcome therapy and escape and it still remains my source of relaxation (in addition to other pursuits I have a bit more time for nowadays). When I cook from the heart, it shows. It is also inexplicably rewarding when someone I cook for really enjoys my food because it means I have opened them up to experimenting, experiencing and being entertained too!

If I had to classify my cooking, I would say it was contemporary Indian but really I cook a lot of international food and of course there is at least one spice in almost all of my dishes, making it fusion I guess. I remember as a child I could never understand why my mother for putting spices into a pasta dish and now I find myself doing the same! There is a probable reason why India has the lowest incidence of Alzheimer's, why Ayurveda has been an effective therapy used for centuries and why food from the Indian subcontinent is so tasty - SPICES!

With all the wonders spices bring to this world, I live to cook and cook to live. 

How has food changed your life?

A Spice A Day in May

One of my resolutions for the new year for Spice Sanctuary was to organize a fundraiser and so here I am posting a blog about it! Usually fundraisers involve some physical challenge and a lot of commitment. I wanted this fundraiser to be simple yet effective in not just raising money for a good cause but to promote my mission, which is to encourage people to incorporate spices more into their daily lives. I also wanted it to be something your friends and family across the country could get involved in. So here it is, a fundraiser that involves eating, is healthy for you and easy to commit to!


How does it work?

1.   Anyone resident within Canada can participate*. One entry per person.

2.   A donation of $10 per entry together with a valid email address will apply.

3.   Donations can be made via cheque or online**. Please let us know if you wish your donation to   go to only one of the two chosen charities, otherwise your donation will be split equally between the two.

4.   Upon receipt of the donation, we will email you a calendar for May.

5.  Throughout the month of May, you will need to complete the calendar with the names of the spices you consume each day.

6.   To be eligible for the prize draw, there must be at least one spice eaten and logged everyday during the month.

7.   Please email us back your completed calendar(s) by no later than June 10, 2012.

8.   The prize draw will take place on June 11, 2012.

9.  Prizes will be given for the entry with (a) the highest number of spices consumed throughout the month (this can include the same spice multiple times and use of a spice blend will equal 3 spices) and (b) the most amount of different spices used. Where there is a tie, a draw will take place for these prizes.

10.  There will also be a prize draw for all other entries.

11.  Prizes include:

·       Gift certificate for Fairmont Hotels

·       Spice Sanctuary Hamper Box

·       Rocky Mountain Soap Company Gift sets

·       Yoga Accessory from EmbodyActive Pilates

·       Chocolate treats from Le Chocolatier

*If you live outside of Canada, you can still participate but you will not be eligible for the prize draw.
**online donations only available once our store website is live.

Our contribution

1.     We will donate an additional 15% of all donations received for each charity.

2.     We will provide support throughout the month on recipe ideas.

Two worthy causes

This year, we are supporting the following two charities:

Child Haven International

Child Haven International is a Canadian based charity providing homes for orphans and impoverished children in India, Nepal, Tibet and Bangladesh. The children are raised to the highest ideals of their own local cultures and religions. Non violence is taught and lived. Child Haven also strives to improve the condition of women through training, employment  and sometimes legal and medical aid. To find out more about this charity, please visit:

http://childhaven.ca

Dream a Dream

Dream a Dream is an Indian based charity founded in 1999. Its mission is to empower over 3000 children from poor socioeconomic backgrounds with critical life skills through sustainable engagement in sports, creative arts, IT skills, mentoring and adventure camps.

For more information on this charity, please visit:

http://www.dreamadream.org/

For any questions or to enter, please email us: info@spicesanctuary.com

We really hope you can help us raise us much money as possible!

Making a good Cooking Class GREAT!

For the past couple of years, I have now been on both sides of the kitchen table (so to speak), both as a cooking class participant and instructor and so I thought of writing a few recommendations on how to get the most out of any cooking class you take. These are also principles that I try to follow when giving cooking classes (which hopefully my students will attest to being a positive experience!).

1. Type of Class

Typically, most cooking classes are offered either as hands on or in a demonstration format. Which one you choose is really a personal choice on whether you wish to watch someone do the cooking or want to get stuck in yourself. It also depends on whether you are attending a public class or having a private class for a celebration. I think what is more important is the size of the class. The smaller the class, the more benefits each student will get from the class. You naturally have more opportunity to ask questions and to get fully engaged in the class. An ideal class size, in my opinion, should be 6-8 depending on the facilities and resources available.

2. What to take

There are three essentials to take with you. First, take your partner, relative or a friend! Classes are so much more fun if you take someone else. Second, take notes too. Most classes should give you recipes after but you may wish to take down notes on techniques or other advice offered by the instructor. Finally, take some containers to go. Whether you eat the meal at the class or not, take a little bit home with you to have the next day. Most meals taste even better the next day and this will allow you to consolidate what you learnt in the class and really absorb the textures and flavours of the dishes.

3. Learning something new

A cooking class should not just be about learning new dishes or getting new recipes but there should be at least between 3-5 things that you learn throughout the class which will resonate with you. This will be the real value of the class. If you are asked to fill out a feedback form, think of whether you did learn a handful of things you did not expect to or know before and which you will easily remember beyond the class. I am always keen to find out what people want to get out of the class at the beginning so that I can try and ensure I meet their expectations.

4.Timing

I only put this one in as I did experience a class where time keeping was pretty poor and it meant that we did not see everything that was being made which was a real shame. With multiple dishes going on, the class should be well timed so no one dish is rushed and every student has ample time to digest how it is cooked. That said, it is better that a class overruns a little than be rushed to keep strictly  to the allocated time. There should also be plenty of time to ask questions. It is your class so make sure you get as much out of it as possible.

5. That little bit extra

What will make you take another class with the same company or instructor? Excellent food is probably quite high up on the list, rapport with the instructor  (especially if it is a celebrity chef!) is huge as are the educational and fun elements but it is usually the littlest things that make a difference. A little gift, a returning customer incentive or wine pairing ideas are all great ways the class provider can leave a lingering impression but they also serve to do a good job at making you feel valued!

6. Gratitude or Gratuity?

Depending on what the etiquette is in the country in which you are taking a cooking class, you may be asked to consider leaving a gratuity. I cannot speak for all instructors but for me, gratitude and positive feedback is more important. After all, it is my mission to getting more people to live a healthier and tastier life with spices so if the class is going well, so is the mission!

Learn it! Cook it! Love it!

If you have any other ideas to share, please leave me a comment! 

If you are interested in taking any of the cooking classes that Spice Sanctuary offers, please click here for more details.

 

Spices Against Cancer

To say that almost all spices have cancer preventative properties would be a sweeping statement but it is actually true.

Antioxidants inhibit free radicals that get into the body from oxidizing our cells and tissues which often go onto cause serious diseases such as cancer. Different foods have different antioxidant levels and each of these work differently to help neutralize the free radicals. The National Institute on Aging in the USA developed a system of measuring the antioxidant values of certain foods, the theory being that foods higher on the ORAC scale will be more effective at penetrating the free radicals. The value is known as an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) value.

Spices and herbs come really high on the overall scale and among the spices themselves, Cloves, Cinnamon, Turmeric and Black Pepper do quite well.

Cloves:

The ORAC value of Cloves is 290,283 which would translate into approximately 3144 units per gram. Cloves can also help with regulating blood pressure, acting as an anti-inflammatory and has good Vitamin A levels.

Cinnamon:

The ORAC value for Cinnamon is 131,420 which would translate into approximately 2674 units per gram. Cinnamon in its true form is a real super spice. From helping with Type 2 Diabetes to Cholesterol control, it is also a good antiseptic and antibacterial.

Turmeric:

The ORAC value of turmeric is 127,068 which would translate into approximately 1593 units per gram. There have been many studies showing turmeric's positive effects fighting against cancer, particularly breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer. Turmeric is also well known for being an effective anti-inflammatory and it is now being linked to helping with Alzheimer's too.

Black Pepper:

The ORAC value of black pepper is 34,053 which would translate into approximately 306 units per gram. The substance in black pepper that is believed to be the cause of its sneezing effects has been found to increase the bioavailablity of potent cancer-fighter curcumin (the active polyphenol found in turmeric) by 1,000 times, which means that when combined together, black pepper and turmeric pack a powerful anti-cancer punch. One study even found that black pepper and turmeric combined, eaten in normal dietary amounts, was able to destroy breast cancer stem cells. Cancer stem cells are difficult to get rid of with chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.

If you like this post, please feel free to leave a comment or share this on Facebook or Twitter as that would help me greatly to continue to raise awareness about just how important it is to have spices as part of your daily diet! 

Spice Substitutions

Ever wondered what to do when you don't have the right spices for a recipe?

There are so many different spices and herbs to choose from and almost impossible to have access to all of them at any given point in time. Some spices have such unique flavour that they cannot really be easily substituted (like turmeric and saffron) with another spice but here are some that can be replaced if you don't have exactly what a recipe calls for. Even if a recipe doesn't call for it but you want to be a little daring, I've put together a few tips for using these spices in an easy and everyday way!

1. Cumin <=> Ajwain seeds

 
Sprinkle these over vegetables before roasting

2. Red Chile <=> Cayenne

Add a little to rice or a tomato salad for that extra bit of kick!

3. Nutmeg <=> Mace (sweeter and milder than mace)

Pairs well with the sweeter fruits so great in a smoothie or shake.

4. Cinnamon, Cloves Nutmeg & Black Pepper in equal parts <=> Allspice

An easy home-made BBQ rub for chicken, steak, and lamb.

5. Garlic Powder <=> Asafetida  

Just a little to add to soups, stews or curries.

Remember: Spices need a home too!