Have you ever made a curry which you think is going to be gorgeously spicy, only to find that it is disappointingly mild? If so, it could be because your spices are past their prime. All spices have a limited shelf life and while they do not ‘go off’, if you keep them beyond their sell-by date they lose their intensity of flavour.
One of the problems is that as our tastes have widened and we have become more adventurous in our kitchens, we are buying a wider range of spices. Where once we were happy with just a jar of mixed herbs and another of mild curry powder, these days we have everything from star anise and saffron to fenugreek and tamarind.
But all too often, once we have used them a few times, these spices move further and further towards the back of the cupboard – and are soon forgotten about. According to a recent survey, here in the UK we have more than £240 million worth of unused herbs and spices lurking in our kitchen cupboards.
And part of the reason is that we all us aspire to be great cooks. From wowing dinner party guests to watching cookery programmes on the TV, we hope to create restaurant-standard dishes at home. Indian food, in particular, can have a huge number of spices in just one recipe. So we dutifully rush out to buy the 15 plus spices in our recipe of choice – many of which we may never see in another recipe ever again.
The secret to this problem is to be more imaginative in our use of these spices. Cumin seeds, coriander seeds and even garam masala can be used to flavour many more dishes other than curries. From biscuits and breads to salad vinaigrettes and fruit compotes, a sprinkle of Indian spice can make a good dish taste great.
If you are dealing with a large number of unused, unloved spices, then your best bet might be to blend them together and create a paste. You can do this by mixing the dried spices with some fresh ingredients such as onions, garlic and ginger. With the help of a blender it’s really simple to do and it can be frozen for use at a later date. If you are feeling particularly organised, you can freeze the paste in an ice-cube tray so it is in manageable portions and ready to use.
Of course, there is one obvious solution to the problem of out-of-date spices – use more of them. Don’t be afraid to chuck them into dishes with a flourish – if you like the flavour you can’t really go wrong. And with Christmas just round the corner, there are plenty of opportunities to get spice happy. Think mulled wine, mince pies, fruitcake, stolen and more. So don’t give up on that sad-looking jar of cumin seeds just yet…
If you want to get inspired about ways to use more spices then why not visit one of London’s best fine dining Indian restaurants? The chefs here don’t hold back on their use of spices – and neither should you.
Chutney Mary | Best Indian Restaurant 