Cooking with spice mixes, pastes and sauces

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, panchphoron, chinese five-spice powder, some variations of garammasala 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.

Other foods: broths (especially beef, chicken), mushrooms, custard, maple syrup, sweets, pasta, vegetable oil (olive, sesame), butter, honey, ice cream, beverages (tea, wine, rum), biscuits, cakes, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, juice (lemon, lime), dough, vinegar, chocolate (dark chocolate, white chocolate).

Seasonings and spices: anise, star anise, basil, vanilla, clove, mustard, cumin, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, sesame, turmeric, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, paprika, allspice, black and white pepper, chili, celery, thyme, caraway, dill, fennel, garlic, saffron, tarragon.

Cuisines and dishes: Asian cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, curry dishes, Moroccan cuisine, sushi and sashimi, chutney.

MARJORAM

Not many people are familiar with warm aroma of this spice. Marjoram is a close relative of oregano. It goes well with fatty foods (pork and duck). Just like caraway, it is characterized by the balance creation a in herbaceous mixtures. It harmonizes well with rosemary, sage, savory, thyme and, of course, with oregano. Dukka is a shining example of the use of marjoram in spice blends. Having a delicate fine aroma, marjoram is added at the very end of cooking process.

Marjoram pairing:

Fruits and vegetables: apricot, artichoke, eggplant, broccoli, cherry, green peas, greens and lettuce (especially spinach), zucchini, cabbage, potatoes, corn, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomato, beetroot, asparagus, pumpkin, citrus, chives, apple.

Protein product: lamb, beef and veal, wild game (especially rabbit), legumes (especially peas, beans), sausages, seafood (especially oysters), poultry (chicken, duck), fish (especially halibut, tuna), pork, cheeses (especially goat, mozzarella), eggs.

Other foods: broths and soups, mushrooms (especially wild ones), pasta, vegetable oil (olive, peanut), butter, various kinds of minced meat, juice (lemon), tomato sauces.

Seasonings and spices: basil, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, oregano, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, celery, thyme, savory, garlic, sage.

Cuisines and dishes: Middle Eastern cuisine, Italian cuisine, risotto, North American cuisine, North African cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine, French cuisine.

MINT

Mint flavor can be described as refreshing, pleasantly-tart, with notes of lemon, sweet-spicy, with fresh cool aftertaste. Mint is a good supplement to almost all meat dishes (pork, chicken, lamb, veal), vegetable dishes, fruits, desserts, stews, soups, salads and beverages. Mint accentuates well fried poultry dishes and fish. Although there are plenty of varieties of this herb, chefs usually divide it into two of the most popular types in cooking: classic mint and peppermint. This refreshing herb is great not only in dry combinations, but also in pastes and sauces.

Mint pairing:

Fruits and vegetables: pineapple, watermelon, eggplant, melon, green onion, zucchini, potato, strawberry, leek, raspberry, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, pumpkin, citrus, apple.

Protein product: lamb, beef and veal, wild game, legumes (beans, peas, rice, lentils), yogurt, milk, seafood, nuts, poultry (chicken, duck), fish, pork, cheese (especially feta).