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The Spice of Life

Posted on January 4, 2010 | 2 Comments

Vast fortunes have been amassed and lost, nations have warred, powerful rulers seduced, and ailments cured, all because of spice. Spices have been the catalysts of some of the greatest adventures in human history, like Alfonso d’Alberquerque’s conquest of Malacca in 1511.

Even today, spices empower us as explorers, even if we never journey beyond the kitchen door. Spices energize our daily adventures in food and remind us of journeys to exotic places and favorite meals with loved ones. They titillate our senses – our eyes with their vibrant colors, our nostrils with their enticing fragrances, and our tongues with their distinct flavors.

Clove, cinnamon, star anise, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, pepper, mustard seeds, saffron, turmeric, cardamom, coriander seeds are but some of the many spices that blend into an olio of taste. So have you stopped to discover what actually goes into your favourite fish head curry? Do you know the secret to that delicious pan-fried cabbage? Have you ever wondered why Chinese mothers in confinement consume ginger and pepper by the kilos?

Spice is the Celebrity of Life

Here are ten little known trivial facts about the spices we consume almost every day:

Coriander seeds, aniseeds, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves and turmeric are ground into a fine powder to produce the aromatic curry powder for your favourite mutton curry.
Sliced old ginger and linseed oil are used in abundance with Chinese rice wine in all cooking for Chinese women in confinement to drive out “wind” and produce body heat for the recovering
Mum Fenugreek is used with a paste of ginger, turmeric and onions in the famous Goan vindaloo curries.
Cloves and a stick of cinnamon are mandatory for the magical taste of the pineapple jam in Eurasian pineapple tarts.
Star anise is a key ingredient in the famous “Bak Kut Teh” soup mix.
Mustard seeds are fried in oil till they are fragrant for any stir-fried Indian vegetable dish.
Besides being a powerful addition almost any curry powder mix, turmeric has also been used in a paste applied to smoothen and lighten dark skin.
The oil from the seed of the nutmeg is a powerful anesthetic that was used to dull the pain of toothaches, during our grandparents’ time.
Saffron was strewn on the streets of Rome for the newly crowned Julius Caesar’s welcome parade.
Cardamom is a pre-requisite in meat curries – to remove the gamey smell of mutton and beef.

These simple spices, often taken for granted, have made eating a culinary adventure and a treat for our senses. The next time you savour that mouthful of curry, or stir-fried vegetables, remember the ingredients that make up that explosion of flavour on your taste buds!

Category: Ingredients

Comments

2 Responses to “The Spice of Life”

Jeremy Hoo
January 4th, 2010 @ 11:16 am

I absolutely love spices especially when I cook, they are simply fabulous!
admin
January 7th, 2010 @ 11:30 am

They are the best as they breath life into any dish!