Black pepper is are the still-green unripe berries of the pepper plant, which is a flowering vine, cultivated for its fruit. The berries are cooked briefly in hot water, to clean them and prepare them for drying. The berries are dried in the sun or by machine for several days until the fruit around the seed shrinks and darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer. Once dried, the fruits are called black peppercorns, which are used as a spice and seasoning. The same fruit is also used to produce white pepper and green pepper.
Poppy Seeds have been around since the Bronze ages and are used whole or in paste form. The kidney shaped, tiny, nutty tasting seeds are most widely used to garnish bread. It is one of the spices, that have a diverse culinary use – as a spice, a condiment, a decorative garnish, thickener and a main ingredient. They can be used in baked good, entrees as well as desserts. Poppy seeds can be pressed to yield oil. A pound of poppy seeds contain one to two million seeds.
The Immigrant Magazine, Smita Vasant Caraway Seeds (actually dried caraway fruit) are commonly used in European cuisine and is the distinctive ingredient in Rye bread. The seed is native to Europe (especially Hungary, Germany and Austria), West Asia and Africa. The essential oils in the seeds give off a pungent anise like aroma with a [...]
The Immigrant Magazine, Smita Vasant I’ve rediscovered a new spice lately, that I’ve been absolutely enamored with – Paprika. For all these years that I’ve been cooking, I had not realized the benefits of using this spice. Paprika is a chili powder, that is made from ripe red and dried bell peppers which are much, [...]
On the world’s most loved and used herbs, garlic adds a wonderfully pungent flavor to many dishes. It is part of the onion family and grows underneath the soil. The bulbs of the garlic are most commonly used and known as cloves. Although garlic has a strong and pungent smell, it mellows considerably when cooked; [...]
Turmeric, part of the ginger family, is native to Tropical South East Asia and has been around for 4,000 years. Most of us are familiar with the powder which is most widely used, although some cultures pickle the roots and serve it as a condiment. To make the powder, the roots of the plant are [...]
By Smita Vasant Basil, a culinary herb is frequently used in Italian and South East Asian cuisines. The taste is similar to anise, but the smell is warm, sweet and strong. One of the most widely used herbs, there are over 50 varieties of basil – the one most commonly used in Italian food is [...]
Cinnamon, a strong aromatic spice is the dried bark of a small evergreen tree and is native to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and India. Cinnamon is also one of the oldest spices and up to the middle ages, its origins were a mystery. At one time it was so highly prized among ancient nations that [...]
Bay leaf is the aromatic leaf used in cooking for its distinctive flavor and fragrance. It is often used to flavor soups, stews and rice. The fresh leaves are very mild, and develop their full flavor several weeks after picking and drying. The bay leaf originated in Asia and spread to the Mediterranean and other [...]
Mint, a highly aromatic herb is used in fresh, dried, in extract or an oil. The fresh form is always preferred when available. Mint has many varieties but the most commonly used is Curly Mint which is available fresh in supermarkets. The leaves have a sweet, aromatic fresh flavor with a cool aftertaste. Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages - both - alcoholic and non-alcoholic, jellies, syrups, candies and ice creams. Mint is widely used in the Middle east especially in lamb dishes. The essential oil of mint is used as a flavoring in breath freshners, toothpaste, chewing gum, desserts and candies.
