Whole Spices

There is a place for pre-ground spices, such as in creamy sauces and soups, but for the most part, I like to use whole spices whenever possible. They stay fresh much longer and toast up beautifully, releasing wonderful aromas that fill the kitchen. If you try to toast pre-ground spices they will very likely burn the instant they hit the pan. 

Black pepper is one of those spices I NEVER use pre-ground. I have never found a pre-ground pepper that didn’t taste stale and flat. When you grind it in a pepper mill all the bits are fresh and filled with heat. The tiny pieces shower out in different sizes and lend a rustic feel to all that you cook.  When I need a large amount of ground peppercorns, more than 1 tablespoon, I will grind them up in a spice grinder or do it by hand in a mortar and pestle. No need to toast them beforehand.

The spices I most commonly use whole are coriander and cumin. I often combine them when cooking, so when I toast them, I add the coriander seeds first to a dry skillet and toast them off for a minute or two. I then add the cumin. I do it in this order because the cumin seeds are much smaller and don’t need as much time to toast. They will be ready when they release their fragrance. Immediately remove them from the hot pan to stop the cooking. You can use a spice grinder or, my favorite method, a mortar and pestle and grind them to your preferred consistency.

My favorite mortar and pestle is made of wood.  It’s much deeper than others, which helps keep flying pieces of spice in the mortar and not all over your kitchen.  Placing a towel over the top while pounding away will also help with that. I found this one at a Mexican market in San Jose.

Sometimes I leave spices whole, such as star anise and sticks of cinnamon.  These can get tossed into a jar of pickled veg to add a wonderful deep warm flavor.  You can also add them to stews and stir fries and then fish them out at the end of the cooking process.

I shop for most of my spices at international food markets in my local area. I always find some new-to-me products and they are much more affordable! If you can’t find what you’re looking for in your area, check online.

Spices will often come in plastic bags. For organizational purposes, I like to transfer them to a glass jar, label them, and store them in my pantry where it is dry and not too bright.