Cooking with spice mixes, pastes and sauces

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 and vegetables: eggplant, zucchini, cabbage (including broccoli), potatoes, lemongrass, leek, carrots, bell pepper, tomato, beets, chives, spinach.

Protein product: lamb, beef, game, legumes (peas, rice, beans, lentils), sausages, chicken, seafood (oysters, shrimps), nuts (almonds), fish (especially anchovies), pork (including bacon), cheese Parmesan), eggs.

Other foods: mushrooms, honey, beverages (red wine), vegetable oil (olive), sugar, soy sauce, juice and zest (lemon, lime), vinegar, bread.

Seasonings and spices: basil, mustard, cumin, ginger, cilantro, coriander, bay leaf, onion, oregano, paprika, black and white pepper, chili, parsley, rosemary, celery, thyme, caraway, fennel, sage, saffron, tarragon.

Cuisines and dishes: barbecue dishes (grill/shish kebab), Middle Eastern cuisine, curry dishes, Indian cuisine, Italian cuisine, Cajun and Creole cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Korean cuisine, Moroccan cuisine, Mexican cuisine, Pan-Asian cuisine, pesto, salad dressings, sauces (especially tomato), Mediterranean cuisine, soups and broths (especially chicken, vegetable), French cuisine.

GINGER

Fresh ginger is so rich with its saturation that, in most cases, it overlaps all other flavors. Therefore, ground ginger is very suitable for dry mixtures of spices presented in this book. Ground ginger is a warm spice that has a spicy hot, slightly fruity-lemon flavor and aroma. Ground ginger is widely used around the world, but it gained the most popularity in Europe and the Middle East. And Asian chefs use both fresh ginger and ground ginger. Ground ginger is perfectly combined with fresh pastries, beverages and fruits.

Ginger pairing:

Fruits and vegetables: pineapple, eggplant, banana, broccoli, grapes/raisins, green peas, pomegranate, pear, melon, green onions, cabbage, potatoes, strawberries, cranberries, gooseberries, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, leeks, shallots, raspberries, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper, peach, tomato, rhubarb, beetroot, pumpkin, persimmon, citrus, apple.

Protein product: lamb, beef, legumes (peas, manga, pearl barley, wheat, millet, rice, beans, tamarind), yoghurt, kefir, coconut milk, sausages, milk, seafood (crab, lobster, mussels, scallops, shrimp); nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts), poultry (especially chicken, duck), fish, pork, cream, sour cream, cheeses (especially ricotta, mascarpone), eggs.