Herb & Spice Companion

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HERB & SPICE COMPANION

• 150 –

Dry-Roasting (or Toasting)

Dry-roasting is exactly what it sounds like. All you need is a dry pan—no oil or fat

required. This method is intended to dry out the spice, making it easier to grind. The

spices will become earthier, deeper versions of themselves, and they can be combined

into spice blends or used individually.

• Preheat a heavy pan over medium
  heat.


• When it’s hot, add whole spices and
  stir frequently until fragrant, about 2
  to 3 minutes for 1 tablespoon. The
  larger the batch, the longer they’ll
  need to cook.


• Watch carefully. When they become
  darker and begin to smoke, transfer
  to a separate dish and let them cool.


• Use roasted spices whole or grind
  them in a spice grinder or a with
  mortar and pestle.

For a batch of spices that’s too large

for a frying pan, roast them on a baking

sheet in the oven at 500°F, stirring occa-

sionally as they cook.

Grinding, Grating, and

Crushing

A blender or food processor may seem

like a good idea when it comes to grind-

ing spices, but in fact, you’ll get a much

more even texture using a spice grinder

or a good-old mortar and pestle.

A spice grinder or coffee grinder will

easily handle larger quantities. If using a

coffee grinder for spices, just make sure

to restrict its use exclusively to the spice

rack. (You won’t want coffee in your

steak rub or mustard in your cappuccino!)

SPICE PASTES

Used in many cuisines around the

world, spice pastes typically combine

fresh moist ingredients with dried

ground spices or herbs. Any spice

blend can be prepared as a paste

simply by adding crushed fresh ginger

or garlic, and then enough oil to reach

the desired consistency.

Laksa paste (Malaysia): red chili

peppers, coriander seeds, paprika,

cumin, turmeric, onion, lemongrass,

galangal or ginger, cashews, garlic,

shrimp paste, peanut oil

Harissa: dried hot chili peppers,

coriander seeds, cumin, caraway,

garlic, salt, olive oil

Chili garlic paste: ground red chili

peppers or chili powder, garlic

Curry paste: dried hot chili peppers,

fresh hot chili peppers, coriander

seeds, cumin, turmeric, paprika, garam

masala, lemongrass, peppercorns,

galangal or ginger, makrut lime leaves,

cilantro, garlic, shrimp paste, shallots

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