Food Blurb: Herbs and Spices: 5 Exotic Spices

Asafetida, dried avocado leaves, epazote, grains of paradise, and juniper berries are 5 wonderful cooking ingredients. Which country should we thank for introducing these 5 exotic spices to the global community of food lovers?

• "Asafoetida was familiar in the early Mediterranean, having come by land across Iran." (Source)

• Dried avocado leaves are a secret Mexican ingredient.  (Source)

• "The epazote herb is commonly used in the cuisines and traditional medicines of central and southern Mexico and Guatemala." (Source)

• "Grains of paradise are native to Africa's West coast, namely the countries Ghana, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo and Nigeria." (Source)

• "The juniper is an evergreen tree native to Europe, Asia, and the northern parts of North America and it is especially abundant in central Texas and Eastern Oregon." It has an interesting history and folklore. (Source)

5 Exotic Spices: asafetida, dried avocado leaves, epazote, grains of paradise, and juniper berries. Do you know the country which introduced these marvelous cooking ingredients to the world? ~ https://t.co/Z4MjtPzEhF pic.twitter.com/H1O2Kgyh9O

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) January 26, 2019

Source: Virily.com

Herbs and Spices: There is Ginger and Then There is Blue Ginger

Spice Spotlight: Blue Ginger or Galangal 

One of my favorite Asian TV chefs is Ming Tsai. He had a restaurant called Blue Ginger, which sadly, closed in 2017, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. I never really thought about the name of his restaurant until I learned that there is a plant called “blue ginger”. It is not in the ginger root family but it looks like ginger; and its stems have beautiful blue flowers. So people call it “blue ginger”. If you accidentally put galangal or blue ginger in your recipe thinking it is ginger, you'll know as soon as you taste it that you made a mistake. Although, you might not mind the difference in the flavor.

This tropical plant is native to Indonesia and is a seasoning that adds flavor to numerous Southeastern Asian dishes. Blue ginger is used as a ornamental plant for home or garden; as well as a cooking ingredient. Also, like most herbs and spices, it has medicinal purposes.  

(NOTE: Also called Thai ginger or Siamese ginger.)

REFERENCES:

PropagatingBlue Ginger: Tips On Growing Blue Ginger Plants

Top6 Galangal Nutrition facts and Health benefits

What’sthe Difference Between Galangal and Ginger? | Kitchn

(The Kitchn article shares recipes that use galangal and recipes that use ginger.)

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Galangal is available on Amazon in Grocery and Gourmet.

5 Exotic Spices From Around the World by Melisa Marzett (Guest Post)

Even though many herbs and spices are now readily available in local grocery stores all around the world or can easily be purchased online, most of us don't know know the history of these marvelous cooking ingredients and which country is responsible for introducing these exciting flavors to the global community.  Sharing a brief introduction to five (5) exotic spices:

SPICE Spotlight: Juniper Berries

1. Asafetida. This is an Asian spice made from the roots of certain species of Ferula. It is a gum-like spice with a very strong and unpleasant smell.  Actually, the name of the spice has a Latin origin, which means “evil-smelling gum”.  Asafetida is common in Indian vegetarian cuisine and is often the main ingredient in rice and bean dishes. Additionally, it has a wide range of medicinal properties and is beneficial for people with digestive disorders, high cholesterol, and/or nervous disorders.  Asafetida is rich in minerals and nutrients, such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and protein.  Although most chefs and cooks rarely prepare a dish without onion and garlic, some people do not eat onion or garlic.  Certain people are allergic to onions and for some people, garlic causes extreme heart burn.  Asafetida is an ideal spice for those people.  In fact, its smell is similar to both onion and garlic.






2. Dried Avocado Leaves.  This spice (or herb) originated in Mexico. It is one of the most popular spices in Mexican cuisine.  Avocado leaves have an aniseed fragrance; however, these dried leaves are odorless and have a pungent taste. Dried avocado leaves are added to bean or meat dishes. Regarding health benefits, they are useful for people who have kidney stones and hypertension. Noteworthy:  Only certain varieties of avocado leaves are to be used in cooking or for medicinal purposes because some kinds of avocado leaves can contain toxic substances.

Additional References:

• 13 Health Benefits of Avocado Leaves and Side Effects
• 20 Health Benefits of Avocado Leaves (No.4 Potent)

Avocado Leaves: A Secret Mexican Ingredient

Avocado Leaves: A Secret Mexican Ingredient

Avocado Leaves: A Secret Mexican Ingredientby Victoria ChallancinLove at First Bite. Like any motivated foodie, I almost made myself sick sampling, musing, and guessing what unknown ingredient I was tasting in what appeared to be an ordinary black bean dip.

3. Epazote. This is another essential spice used in Mexican cuisine. Its extraordinary (or strange) scent can be described as a combination of kerosene, mint, and citrus. Epazote is made from the leaves of Mexican herb called dysphania ambrosioides (aka "Mexican tea").  It is used with bean and meat dishes. Additionally, it can be used in soups.

Additional Reading and Recipes:

• Mexican Magic: Epazote's Special Flavor

4. Grains of Paradise. This delicious spice is an integral part of West African cuisine. It is obtained from a flower called Aframomum melegueta. Africans believed that this flower grew in Eden. Grains of paradise look like seeds and have jasmine, citrus, and hazelnut odor. It can be added to meat, fish, and potato dishes.

Link of Interest:

Find spices ordered according to the region:

GEOGRAPHIC SPICE INDEX

Ras El Hanout (4.0 Oz) By Zamouri Spices

Ingredients include over 30 different herbs and spices, such as: 
 Grains of Paradise, Lavender, turmeric, ajawan seeds, kalajeera, ginger, galangal, oris root, rose buds, monk's pepper, cinnamon and more!

5. Juniper Berries. Actually, juniper berries are more likely to be cones than berries. It has the smell of fir and is used for cooking meat dishes, especially stewed rabbit or beef. These “berries” grow on the juniper tree, are common throughout Europe,  included in ancient Greek recipes, and have been found in the Egyptian pyramids.  A wide range of German traditional dishes are cooked with juniper berries.

♦♦  Hope you enjoyed this intro.

About the writer:  Melisa Marzett works for: bigpaperwriter.com.  She does excellent research and can pen articles and supply blog publishers or website owners with quality content on almost any topic. 

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Red Pepper Flakes Are a Secret Ingredient

Lidia Bastianich is an award-winning TV chef.  Her specialty is Italian food.  She says that the “secret ingredient” in Italian recipes is RED PEPPER FLAKES.  I did not know that.  I have tried to cook Italian food and never thought to add red pepper flakes.  Although I do sprinkle it on my pizza. 

I don't usually have red pepper flakes in my spice cabinet.  If you don't happen to have any, here are 6 alternatives or substitutes.

1. Ground cayenne pepper

2. Ground habañero pepper

3. Paprika 

4. Chile de Arbol powder

5. Hot sauce (Tabasco OR Sirachi)

6. Chili powder

REF:  Substitute For Red Pepper Flakes: 6 Fantastic Alternatives

Fortunately, I usually have Paprika OR Chili powder on hand.  

What about you?

If You Liked This, You Might Also Like:

Air-Dried Herbs Make Great Food Gifts

There is Ginger and Then There is Blue Ginger

6 Spices For Indian Cuisine

5 Exotic Spices From Around the World (Guest Post)

Food Blog Spotlight: Dinner Ideas: Duck with Star Anise Broth – Chef Kevin Ashton

Have you ever tasted duck?  I have only had one food-tasting experience with duck. Wish I could have had more. Nevertheless, that one experience was more than enough to condition me. Now every time I even see a duck recipe or cooking video, I start salivating.

My Facebook Memories reminded that I shared this recipe with my network of followers several years ago.  It's an awesome duck recipe from a food blog published by a chef based in the UK.  He uses star anise, one of my favorite exotic spices.

Duck with Star Anise Broth
– Chef Kevin Ashton

English: Ilicium verum, Schisandraceae, Star Anise, Atar Aniseed, Badiane, Chinese Star Anise, fruits. The dried ripe fruits are used in homeopathy as remedy: Anisum stellatum (Anis.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The spice star anise is distilled to make star anise oil (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SPICE SPOTLIGHT: Star Anise

Widely used in Chinese and Indian cuisine, this whole spice resembles anise in flavor. Some stars may be broken and not entirely whole.

See also: SPICE SPOTLIGHT: Peppercorns

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MORE FROM KEVIN'S FOOD BLOG

Related or Similar Content

• 8 of the UK's most famous chefs share exactly how to make their signature dishes(businessinsider.com)

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• You’ll Love Making These 5 Super-Easy Duck Recipes – Center of the Plate | D'Artagnan Blog(https://center-of-the-plate.com)

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Make Sure the Saffron You Buy is Worth It

SAFFRON has been called "The World's Most Legendary Spice" [1]. It's not just legendary, it's expensive.  There are stories and myths about this spice from the Mediterranean to Arabia to India to Italy to Spain. If this spice could talk it could probably tell you of its interesting travels around the world. It has been used to dye fabrics, as medicine, as fragrance, and in cooking.

• IMPORTANT TIP: As stated this spice is very expensive, so don't get cheated. “If the liquid colors immediately, you have a fake on your hands. Authentic saffron takes about 10 to 15 minutes of soaking before it changes the color of the water.” [2]

For your information, since it is so expensive, you might want to know if you can grow it in your own garden. The answer is YES!! [3] The only thing that the flowers are so beautiful, you might not want to harvest them into saffron strands. [4]

♦ REFERENCES:

[1] “The History of Saffron: Mythology, Legends in Italy and Abroad.” CROCUS D'ORO, 2018, http://www.crocusdoro.com/en/history-of-saffron/.

[2] “Interesting Facts about Saffron.” Just Fun Facts, 2018, https://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-saffron/.

[3] Rhoades, Heather. “Growing Saffron: How To Grow Saffron Crocus Bulbs.” Gardening Know How, 1 July 2021, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/saffron/growing-saffron-crocus.htm.

[4] Grant, Amy. “Harvesting Saffron Crocus - When And How To Harvest Saffron.” Gardening Know How, 10 Oct. 2020, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/saffron/saffron-harvesting-information.htm.

• Saffron Market Outlook | Industry Statistics 2021-2027 | Global Market Insights

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Air-Dried Herbs Make Great Food Gifts

Air-drying is better than heat-drying because the heat evaporates essential oils. Drying solves the problem of food waste and learning how to air-dry herbs could become a hobby that you could turn into an income stream. Also, air-dried herbs make nice gifts. I would love to receive a jar of air-dried Herbs de Provence.

Learn how to air-dry and how to store the dried herbs. 

~ How To Air-Dry Herbs

Food Dehydrator - Electric 5 Tier Tray Machine with Adjustable Temperature Control & Hot Air Circulation - #Food #Dryer for Beef Jerky, #Vegetables, #Fruit & Dog #Snacks - Stainless Steel, 250W by VonShef ~ https://t.co/aZEeB892TP via @amazon #smallappliances #homeandkitchen pic.twitter.com/LfX0yMtnS9

— Everyday Exotic Spices Presents Food Ways (@EverydaySpices) August 21, 2021

What Are the 3 Obvious Reasons Why People Love Herbs and Spices?

Several years back I started looking for ways to earn income working from home. Affiliate marketing was suggested and since eating is one of my favorite things, I decided to kill two birds with one stone Watching a lot of cooking shows on television inspired me and I wanted to learn how to use different herbs and spices in my cooking. I signed up to become an affiliate marketer for various companies that sell cooking ingredients. In order to market the products, I learned about them: how to use the ingredients in various recipes, the medicinal benefits, etc. There are three awesome things about herbs and spices that I already knew but my knowledge and understanding have been reinforced. They are the 3 obvious reasons why people love herbs and spices.

• Number One: Spices and herbs can turn everyday meals into a sumptuous fare and make dining with family and friends a very enjoyable and memorable event. Not that sitting down at the table with friends or family and partaking of a bland meal doesn’t have its positives. I mean … you can have great fun with relatives and friends at the table – telling jokes, talking about sports, the weather, etc. Everything but the food! Oh, there won’t be any insults. But there won’t be any compliments dished up either. They probably won’t look forward to coming over for another meal and will likely make polite excuses about why they can’t attend the next time they’re invited.

• Number Two: Spices and herbs help you to develop a healthy respect and appreciation not just for various cuisines but for different cultures. One of my favorite TV cooking shows is “East Meets West” because the aim of the program is to blend the cooking techniques and ingredients of eastern and western dishes to make a fusion cuisine. My interest in learning more about herbs and spices started was because I wanted to use more than just salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, to season my food; and also wanted to make dietary changes for health reasons without having to eat tasteless food. Mind you, there was no excuse for me limiting myself to what one well known American chef referred to as “house seasoning” (salt, black pepper, and garlic powder). In the house I grew up in, my mother used oregano, bay leaf, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, Italian herb blend, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, etc. There were all kinds of herbs and spices in our kitchen cabinet. All used – whenever my mom was doing the cooking. When you have to do your own cooking; you look for easy street. Now that I’m older and wiser and there are lots of cooking shows on television all the time – there’s no lack of inspiration.

• Number Three: Spices have a fascinating history. At one time they were considered such a highly valued commodity that nations fought wars over them. Indonesia was proclaimed a republic in 1945, and the islands which were formerly known as the Spice Islands are known today as the Moluccas Islands. Discovering these islands was quite an adventure for the explorers. As a result of their efforts and sacrifice, we can experience the joys of many flavorful and exotic herbs and spices every day because they can be easily purchased online or at our local grocery store. Even though obtaining them is now very convenient, their availability, not just for cooking but for medicinal purposes, should never be taken for granted.

Simply Ming: Easy Techniques for East-Meets-West Meals

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Source: Virily.com

* Follow my posts about Herbs and Spices on Noise.Cash.

Spices and Herbs - Harvesting and Storing Spices and Herbs in the Freezer

(Noise.Cash) 

Food Blurb: Cabbages (Without Kings)

If you are familiar with the 1904 novel by O. Henry, then you know it's not about collecting cabbage recipes for kings. 😊  It's just that in my high school Literature class we studied short stories and O. Henry was one of the writers we learned about. It was the year I learned that I liked short stories much better than reading books. You got to the ending quicker! 😊  

OK.  Back on point.  This food blurb is about cabbage recipes. 

If your goal is to eat more green leafy vegetables and you like cabbage anyway, then you'll probably enjoy this recipe. It's made with ground beef, but I vary it and use ground chicken or turkey. Also, I omit the cheese topping. For me that's unnecessary extra calories. You could use a bread crumb topping as a substitute or no topping at all. You might be able to also vary this recipe using escarole, napa cabbage, collards or Swiss chard, instead of cabbage. You might try purple cabbage instead of green. Purple veggies are just as good as green!

Cabbage Roll Casserole Recipe | EatingWell

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Eating Well is an excellent website. I subscribe to it. You find cooking tips and health tips. Here is a link to more cabbage recipes. If you're trying to lose weight, try the cabbage diet soup.

MORE Food Blurbs at Food Ways: 

• 100 Healthiest Foods ~ Is Your Favorite Food on the List?
• 3 Spices for a Long Life
• 5 Exotic Spices
• 6 Spices For Indian Cuisine
• Name the Sexy Spices
• Medical Advice About Super foods
• Top 10 List of Superfoods
• WARNING: Delicacies Can Be Dangerous!

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Sharing Info About Herbs and Spices in a Social Community

Noise.Cash is a new social community very much like Twitter.  Whereas Twitter has Lists.  Noise.Cash has Chambers and/or Channels where you can organize your content.  I created an Herbs and Spices Chamber on Noise.Cash where I share links and/or write short posts.  The content below is republished from my NC Chamber.

Image credit:  Amazon.com

• My 1st post in the NC Herbs and Spices Chamber is about curry.

Please be advised that I am not a professional chef, professional food blogger or any kind of expert. I just enjoy eating and experimenting with different herbs and spices because they can make an incredible difference in the taste of foods that I have been eating all of my life.

Another wonderful benefit of herbs and spices is that they have healing properties. Prevention.com is a website that publishes reliable healthcare information. This article lists “25 Healing Herbs You Can Use Every Day”.

I confess that many of these medicinal plants I know nothing about. However, there are a few on the list I have tried. One of them is GINGER.  I love ginger! When you read about its health benefits, I can speak from personal experience, it's true! You can make a tea with ginger or you can use it to season your food, including desserts. Either way it's good!

Read.Cash and Noise.Cash are partner sites. I published an article on Read.Cash about ginger.

• My Foodie Luv: Ginger is a Healing and Flavorful Spice

The Chinese and the Indians use ginger in many of their recipes. “Ginger first appeared in the southern parts of the ancient China. From there, it spread to India, Maluku Islands (so-called Spice Islands), rest of the Asia and West Africa. Europe saw ginger for the first time in the 1st century when the ancient Romans traded with the India.” (SOURCE).

You can use ginger, fresh or in powder form. You can buy the ginger root, cut it up, and freeze until you are ready to use. One of my favorite dinner recipes is Ginger Chicken.

Ginger Chicken - Authentic Chinese in30 Minutes! | The Woks of Life

Do you have a favorite recipe ~ food or drink ~ that has curry or ginger as a key ingredient?

Looking for foodie friends? Have fun finding and sharing food-related content on Noise.Cash. It's a global social community. The PLUS is that you can make friends and earn Bitcoin Cash$.

Food Blurb: Herbs and Spices: 3 Spices for a Long Life

Mao Shing Ni (Dr. Mao), is a board-certified anti-aging expert who asserts that there are 3 spices that promote longevity. That’s right. They can help you live longer. Ginger, evergreen, and garlic.

Try These Secrets Of Eating for Longevity from Dr. Mao Shing Ni | Epicurious.com

♦

"The 3 best spices for a longer life"
~ https://t.co/ydqoJySjV8 ~ “Traditional Chinese Medicine and other Eastern traditions have been using herbs and spices to cure common illnesses and maintain good health for centuries.” #spices #herbsandspices #foodandcooking #healthtips pic.twitter.com/QSAy9sBMXm

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) January 26, 2019

Source: Virily.com

Food Blurb: Herbs and Spices: Name the Sexy Spices

These herbs and spices are credited with spicing up your sex life: saffron, fenugreek, fennel, cloves, garlic, nutmeg, and basil. The Italians refer to basil as the “grass of kisses”. Perhaps for Valentine’s Day or any romantic occasion, you should get your beloved a basil plant.

Many #herbsandspices are considered #naturalaphrodisiacs. They are often used to awaken desire and passion. Can you name the sexy spices? ~ https://t.co/boPIC2W7yK pic.twitter.com/FV5utkeWpx

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) January 26, 2019

Source: Virily.com

Fenugreek Improves Sexual Performance in Men

In the study, 54 men with an average age of 41 were enrolled and divided into two groups. Twenty-seven of the men received twice-daily doses of 300 mg of fenugreek combined with 17 mg of magnesium, 15 mg of zinc and 5 mg of pyridoxine (the brand name of the fenugreek used in the study is Testofen).

Fennel - a source of estrogen and vitamin C - Eat Something Sexy

As an aphrodisiac, fennel is noted as more useful to women than men. You see, it is notably high in phytoestrogens, natural estrogen-like chemicals found in plants. In fact, in the 1930's, it was considered as a possible source for synthetic estrogen. Throughout history, fennel was linked with healthy circulation, improved vision and inflammation reduction.

The Benefits of Garlic for Men - Eat Something Sexy

Garlic is widely recognized as a health food. This relative of onion is a source of a surprising number of vitamins and minerals for something delivered in such a small package. The benefits of garlic include magnesium, selenium and vitamin C. And all of these nutrients are considered essential to sexual health.

"An Experimental Study of Sexual Function Improving Effect of Myristica Fragrans Houtt. (Nutmeg.)"

Nutmeg is a spice which has been used traditionally to treat male sexual disorders, such as erectile dysfunction. A study in rats demonstrated the ability of an alcohol extract of nutmeg to increase male libido and potency. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the sexual effects of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), it's side effects and toxicity.

Daily Basil Consumption Can Enhance Libido In Men - By Dr. Rahul Gupta | Lybrate

Basil leaves are small plants commonly eaten as fresh vegetables and has a distinctive aroma. Besides as fresh vegetables basil leaves benefits turned out to be one kind of food that can arouse sexual desire of men or so-called aphrodisiac substances.

Food Blurb: Herbs and Spices: 6 Spices For Indian Cuisine

If you love Indian cuisine and want to learn how to cook Indian food then to get started you should have these 6 spices in your kitchen cabinet:

1. turmeric, 
2. saffron, 
3. ginger, 
4. cumin, 
5. coriander (seed or powder), and 
6. cardamon. 

♦

Beyond Turmeric: 5 Indian Spices You Need in Your Pantry Now @OneGreenPlanet ~ https://t.co/7ZvQIB61k0 ~ #Indiancuisine is so delicious because of the use of many #herbsandspices. In addition to turmeric, there are five other spices you will need to cook authentic #Indianfood. pic.twitter.com/28hAHs8IWZ

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) January 26, 2019

Source: Virily.com

Foodie Friday : World Cuisine : Cooking : The Right Blend of Spices for Cajun Food Lovers

Enjoy Everyday Exotic Spices Every Day!

If you are a spicy food lover then more than likely Cajun food is on your list of most awesome world cuisines ever! Right? But you don’t know just the right blend of spices needed get that authentic spicy Cajun flavor. Also right. Huh?

Image credit: © Photographer: Ppy2010ha | Agency: Dreamstime.com
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Ever tried Slap Ya Mama seasonings?

Interesting name huh?. The way Walker & Sons advertise their food products is:

"Taste so good. Make you wanna slap ya mama!"

Say what??!! There is nothing in my entire life that I've eaten that ever made me want to slay my momma. But guess what? These are award-winning spice blends.

"Real Cajun Seasoning for Real Cajun Cooking."

How did I find out about these products? The Internet and Facebook, in particular, is a beautiful thing. This person saw my foodie website, Everyday Exotic Spices, which is advertised on Facebook via my business page, contacted me, and asked if they could send me samples. Of course, my response was “Yes!”
Received various products in a box delivered straight to my door. Tried them in different recipes and here's my reaction. Did I want to slap my momma? No. But I was ready go mano-y-mano with my spouse!
He wanted to keep it all to himself. I'm like: “Oh no! That ain't happening!!”

View the entire selection of Slap Ya Mama products.

Below are my favorites.

Slap Ya Mama Original Blend Seasoning

Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning White Pepper Blend

Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning Hot Blend

Slap Ya Mama Etouffee Sauce

"Étouffée or etouffee (pronounced: [e.tu.fe] ay-TOO-fay) is a dish found in both Cajun and Creole cuisine typically served with shellfish over rice." (Source: Wikipedia)

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Links of Interest:
Cajun Food History and Louisiana Creole Cuisine History
Cajun vs. Creole: What’s The Difference?

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Image credit: © Photographer: Moneca1 | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Previous #FoodieFriday posts? Indian Food: Hot n Spicy Samosas (Reblog)  Candied Jalapeño Peppers  Chinese New Year Recipes and Dishes  Pesto Around the World  Experiencing the Joy of Salsa   Spice Spotlight: Cinnamon  It's Flipping Foodie Friday!  Raw Coconut Fig Slice (Reblog)  Winter Salad Binging  Banana Brownies - Back for Seconds  Cool Foodies and Food Lovers Celebrating Their “Firsts” on Twitter

Spices in Filipino Cuisine by Carlo Villamayor (Guest Post)

It's no secret that Filipino cuisine is one of the best in the world, but like any good food, it has to have its secrets. Few people have really mastered authentic Filipino food, not the washed-down fare you get in fast foods and diners, but real, home-made native dishes. Although most of us can whip up something when we need to, it can be hard to capture that distinct Filipino taste.

So what really goes into our food? How do you make your food taste truly Filipino? There's really no single answer because no one can define our food; we come from a hodgepodge of cultures, after all. But one thing that sets us apart from our Asian neighbors is our heavy use of spices. Whereas other cuisines prefer subtle hints of flavor, we like a big burst of it with every bite.

So that's the first rule: be generous with the spice. If you want your dish to fit in with other Filipino recipes, get to know the spices that go into them. Here are some of the most common. 

Ginger

Ginger is used in most of Asian cuisine, and Filipino food recipes. In the Philippines, it is most commonly used in soups and stews; dishes such as arroz caldo (rice porridge), and tinola (chicken stew) use garlic as their main spice. It goes particularly well with chicken and fish dishes, where it provides a nice contrast to the strong meat flavors. Ginger is used both for flavor and aroma, although the flesh of the root is not always eaten. Most people just crush the root and drop it into the dish, then take it out just before serving.

Chili

We're not as wild about spicy food as the Thais, but we do like a bit of bite in our food. Virtually every Filipino dish can be spiced up with chili peppers, from rich meat viands to everyday soups and noodles. Sauces like patis (fish sauce) and soy sauce are often mixed with crushed chili and used as dips or marinades. Bicol, a region in southeastern Luzon, is known for using chili peppers in most of its dishes. Perhaps the most popular is Bicol express, made with meat, bagoong (saut'ed shrimp paste), coconut milk, and chopped green chilies.

Garlic and onions

These two almost always go together, especially in meat and vegetable dishes. You may be more familiar with Taiwanese and Australian garlic, which have larger cloves and are easier to work with. But if you want a stronger, spicier flavor, go for native garlic. Philippine garlic comes in smaller bulbs, with cloves less than half the size of other types. This makes them hard to handle, but it's well worth the trouble.

Philippine onions are strong and pungent, making them a great source of flavor. Use native red onions for saut'ing and pickling, but use the white ones for salads and sandwiches. If you're making rice porridge, top it with chopped green onions for extra spice.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass has strong-smelling leaves and stalks commonly used in soups, teas and sauces. The leaf is slightly sweet with a hint of citrus, a perfect complement to gravy and other meat sauces. There are several ways to use lemongrass, but the most common method is cooking the fresh leaves (sometimes the entire stalk or bulb) with the food to release the flavor. If you're using the stalk, take only the soft inner part and chop it up before dropping it in. You can also use dried and powdered lemongrass, especially if you're in the city and fresh leaves are hard to find. 



Pandan

Pandan is mostly an aromatic ingredient, most commonly used with plain white rice. Just add a couple of leaves to your rice as it boils, and it comes out with a strong, inviting aroma. Some regions even weave it onto rice pots for an even stronger scent. You can do the same with rice cakes, puddings, and other Filipino desserts recipes.

Bay leaf

The strong, pungent taste of bay leaves makes them a perfect fit for Filipino cooking recipes. The leaf has a wide range of uses, from meat sauces and dips to main dishes like adobo, menudo and mechado. Dried bay leaves are traditionally used; fresh bay is seldom available in local markets. The leaf itself is not usually eaten; like ginger, you can take out the leaves once you're ready to serve. However, most people just leave them in and set them aside when eating.

About The Author:   Carlo Villamayor is a devoted cook, he makes it his personal mission to spread the joy of one of his Filipino food recipes with food lovers the world over. Bon appetit!  (Source:  ArticleCity.com)

EES shares recipes, cooking tips
and all things foodie!
 

Everyday Exotic Spices

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Sri Lanka Ethnic Cuisine by Melisa Marzett (Guest Post)

Sri Lanka national cuisine is based on plant products:  rice, corn, peas, lentils, and other beans.  Also, all sorts of flour made out of pulse crops and vegetables are an integral part of the local cuisine.

Spice shop in Kandy Market, Sri Lanka By McKay Savage [CC BY 2.0],

Rice is the basis of many of the national dishes in Sri Lanka. It is spiced with curry, seasoning and other local ingredients here, with seafood and fruits, coconut flakes and vegetables.  The combinations, at first sight, are unbelievable!


Traditionally, the food is prepared in either handmade crockery-ware or metallic crockery over an open fire. There are a lot of seasoning and sauces in traditional Sri Lankan cuisine, which is why it is practically impossible to define its unique taste. Curry is the most popular seasoning. But there is also, a hot sauce antiaris made of fruits with seasonings, red hot sauce masala, miti kiri dry coconut milk, cut thin mix of onion and salt, dry fish, red pepper and lemon lunumiris, a ginger hand in syrup and other exotic seasonings are common.


The Ceylonese (Sri Lankans in Singapore) consume a huge number of fruits and greens. They make salads out of different fresh vegetables and fruits or just some greens using traditional tomatoes, pepper, onion, bamboo runoffs and a various exotic assortment, including some special tree leaves, banana palm flower, and algae. Meat is not consumed much due to the cows to being considered holy animals. Instead, they eat a lot of and a variety of seafood.


Sri Lanka courses:

• Roti, which is a rice cake, a daily course in Sri Lanka
• Appa, which is rice-flour and coconut milk pancakes. They look like typical pancakes but whiter and more transparent.
• Indi appa, which is rice pasta made of rice flour of course.
• Pitta, which is boiled steamed rice-coconut mix in bamboo handle.
• Kiribath, which is pink rice, boiled in coconut milk.

Tea is the main drink in Sri Lanka. But fruit juice and coconut milk are preferred drinks as well. As for the local alcohol, it is better for a traveler not to become familiar with it. Alcoholic beverages are available but there is basically no purification procedure for making the local alcohol so most Europeans or westerners may not appreciate the taste. As for the local Lion beer, it is brewed in accordance with classic recipes. It is not expensive and some who drink it say it's very delicious.

About the author: Melisa Marzett whose current activity is writing for Pure writing company always welcome a new writing challenge. She is passionate about writing, which is why what comes out is interesting to read.

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