Making Your Own Blends Of Spices

Submitted by Loring A. Windblad on March 3, 2010

Spices Curry Powder - Dried Herbs And Spices That Spice Up Your Foods

Spice blends not only add flavor to food but are extremely crucial in distinguishing the origin of a particular food. Similarly, preparing your own blends of spices can lend that special distinction to a prepared dish that can uniquely be attributed to you.

It is easy to prepare your own unique spice blend; a cursory glance at your kitchen tabletop or spice rack can help you conjure some magical preparation in your mind. Spice combinations can be made with a pounding of fresh spices and herbs but you would need to use them immediately, as storing the blends for longer periods of time would deplete the blend of its flavor and aroma. The best spice blend can be made with the help of dried versions of herbs and spices.

Start out with a small batch or a quantity to make sure that you have got the right blend.

Start by tasting a quarter of a teaspoon of each spice or herb; if you are unsure about the taste, try heating the spice in a sauté pan before tasting it as spices are more flavorful when heated and also have a more powerful aroma. Moreover, heating a spice is also a good indication of how a spice will taste in a prepared food dish.

It is important that you store your spice blends in glass containers with a tight fitting lid in a closed and dark corner without the exposure to sun or air.

Here are some spice blend recipes that can help to motivate and inspire you to break out on your own.

Spice blend for Mediterranean or Italian dishes:

1 tablespoon of dried basil leaves
1 tablespoon of oregano
1 tablespoon of marjoram
1 tablespoon of thyme
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds that are crushed by hand
1 tablespoon of dried lemon peels

Blend all these herbs together and store them in an airtight glass jar

Dried spice blend for Moroccan or Turkish foods

1 tablespoon of ground cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of ground coriander seeds
1 tablespoon of ground fennel seeds
1 tablespoon of ground and dried mint leaves
1 tablespoon of ground cloves
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon of ocean or kosher salt
1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper

Blend these spices together and store them in an airtight glass container

Spice blend for Apple pies
3/4th teaspoon of ground cinnamon powder
half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg powder
1/4th teaspoon of ground allspice powder
1/4th teaspoon of ground cardamom powder

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix it well. Remember to store the Apple pie spice blend in an empty spice bottle with a tightly screwn lid. This particular spice blend can lose its flavor if it is exposed to air and hence if you have any leftovers it must be stored correctly.

Savory spice blend for grilled/fried fish preparations

3 tablespoons of roasted and ground sesame seeds
3 tablespoons of dried and ground dill leaves
3 tablespoons of dried pimientos
1 tablespoon of dried garlic powder

Blend all these ingredients thoroughly and place the spice mix in a clean jar.

The spice must be stored in a dark and dry area. It can be simply sprinkled on the fresh fish before getting ready to cook it.