Is Bina Insane | Imamother

smss

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 9:31 pm

gp2.0 wrote:

I like being adventurous with spices too. I don't have that many but I enjoy using spices like cilantro, basil, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin and cayenne pepper.

There are a few spices in my cabinet that I don't use. I'd appreciate ideas.

Sage - is it good in anything except stuffing? I don't make stuffing very often.
Rosemary and thyme - seem to stay crunchy even after cooking - am I doing it wrong?

The only other recipe I've seen sage in is homemade sausage. I haven't actually made it though!

I think rosemary and thyme do get crunchy pretty quickly if you put them on something you're baking open, I would cover the pan or else (like if it's chicken) keep on basting with the juices to keep them moist...

gp2.0

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 9:33 pm

smss wrote:

Thanks. I tried thyme in a cream of chicken soup recently. It was delicious but the thyme was still too crunchy even after being cooked in liquid. Maybe I didn't cook it long enough?

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 9:43 pm

Rosemary, sage and thyme are perfect inside a roast chicken, thyme is excellent with fish, so is sage. Any of these alone or combined work in chicken soups too.

These are all spices I have in my garden so I get to use them fresh. I've found that grocery store thyme and rosemary contain the twigs as well as the leaves so that can be a part of the problem.

If you are buying spices dry find a place that sells in bulk and moves a lot of spices. Buy rubbed sage rather than whole leaves (but whole leaves are wonderful below the skin of a roast chicken or duck). You can also use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder if you think the spices are too dry after cooking. Reduce them to a powder before cooking. They are great on roast veggies or in salad dressings.

If you are buying spices off the shelf in a super market they will be dry, most are imported and irradiated and that causes drying. Find a health food store or market that has domestically grown spices or carries Frontier. I'm not promoting Frontier but they do provide high quality bulk spices that are fresh and not irradiated.

Last edited by MagentaYenta on Mon, Jan 16 2017, 9:44 pm; edited 1 time in total

smss

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 9:44 pm

gp2.0 wrote:

Thanks. I tried thyme in a cream of chicken soup recently. It was delicious but the thyme was still too crunchy even after being cooked in liquid. Maybe I didn't cook it long enough?

Hmm, not sure. I don't think I've ever tried it in a soup. I've tried rosemary and thyme on both salmon and chicken before though and don't remember them being crunchy...I wonder if yours have gotten stale or something, if you've had them for a while?

greenfire

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 9:46 pm

glamourmom wrote:

I'm looking for new spices to go with regular baked potatoes. anyone?

switch the potatoes to baby red ... leave them in their skin but quarter them ... a little olive oil, fresh garlic, diced onions, garlic powder & rosemary

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 9:49 pm

greenfire wrote:

sounds like a FUN variety ... but I must admit this is one spice I never heard of

It is the sap of giant fennel (which really isn't fennel). It smells a bit weird but its lovely in some Indian foods, when cooked it tastes a bit like leeks. It's great in lentils and it reduces flatulence. ( I use a pinch in all my bean dishes.)

yaelinIN

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 9:54 pm

greenfire wrote:

sounds like a FUN variety ... but I must admit this is one spice I never heard of

asafoetida is an Indian herb, actually it is the sap of a plant, dried and then you or the company powders it. It smells horrible (hence the name asafoetida - like fetid). But it has a unique flavor- a little oniony and garlicy. Indians who don't eat onions and garlic use it a lot.

ETA: I had been looking for a heckshered version of this spice for many years. I finally found out that Frontier Spices make it. I was so thrilled. I was speaking to the manager of my favorite Indian restaurant (Amma's in Cincy) and asked them if they used it. He sighed and said he couldn't find it kosher. I went to my health store and bought a large bag of it (2lbs) and gave it to him. He was excited about giving a better taste to his food!

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 10:17 pm

yaelinIN wrote:

...
ETA: I had been looking for a heckshered version of this spice for many years. I finally found out that Frontier Spices make it. I was so thrilled. I was speaking to the manager of my favorite Indian restaurant (Amma's in Cincy) and asked them if they used it. He sighed and said he couldn't find it kosher. I went to my health store and bought a large bag of it (2lbs) and gave it to him. He was excited about giving a better taste to his food!

That is so cool!!

Have we yet figured out what the exotic spices were in the magazine?

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 10:45 pm

amother wrote:

brown butter and sage sauce is great on all kinds of pasta.

btw, fresh thyme and rosemary are often used as aromatics, not for consumption.

They can be used either way, it's perfectly ok to consume them. With fresh rosemary I merely use scissors to cut the spurs, with thyme, I run the twig between my fingernails to get the leaves off. They are perfect herbs in a chicken pie or in chicken with biscuits or chicken and dumplings.

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 11:15 pm

gp2.0 wrote:

How do you use them as an aromatic?

And are there any companies that sell only the leaves without twigs?

Frontier sells leaves with no twigs. I use a handful (literally) of thyme and rosemary in the cavity of a chicken, on the sticks. Other dishes may call for the leaves chopped and measured or just give you a measurement of how much to use. Some cookbooks tell you to use more if you are using a dried herb as opposed to fresh.

amother

Emerald

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 11:20 pm

gp2.0 wrote:

I love the Savory Southwestern Chicken recipe in Kosher Palette. Nice heaping spoonfuls of sage and thyme and a few other spices... yum!

anon because I make it all the time

gp2.0

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 11:20 pm

MagentaYenta wrote:

Ah that makes sense. If they're still on the stick they're easier to remove afterward.

I'll definitely check out Frontier thanks!

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 11:31 pm

amother wrote:

I love the Savory Southwestern Chicken recipe in Kosher Palette. Nice heaping spoonfuls of sage and thyme and a few other spices... yum!

anon because I make it all the time

I make a faux sausage using chicken thighs sage and thyme.

amother

Emerald

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 11:33 pm

So... once we're onto exotic....
Who can help me figure out what to do with the black cumin seed I was gifted? I think it is called Ketzah in Hebrew.
They have such a strong aftertaste - are they used in food? Or is it more medicinal?

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jan 16 2017, 11:42 pm

amother wrote:

Black seed is actually nigelli sativa and not cumin. It's primarily medicinal, it can be mixed with other spices and eaten after dinner as a digestive in the Indian culture. It's used in nan bread and papadums. I've never used it.

Last edited by MagentaYenta on Mon, Jan 16 2017, 11:47 pm; edited 1 time in total