brute strength of black ones. They are generally used for aesthetic purposes – in a white sauce, for example, where you might not want to have black specks. You certainly don’t need to worry about stocking both, but, as with all spices, it is better to keep them whole and grind them as and when you need them. The recipe for Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles ( see here ) uses Sichuan pepper, which is not actually pepper at all, but the pod of an Asian berry. It has a mild lemony flavour and causes a slight tingling around the mouth when you eat it.
BASIC SPICE KIT
We’re probably all guilty of having a few jars of spice festering at the back of our cupboards, but you should really have a clear-out at least every 12 months. Spices deteriorate very quickly, and after six months they’ll have lost most of their flavour, especially if they are already ground. So the first rule is not to buy in bulk. Only purchase what you think you will need within the next six months or so. Keep them in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight and heat (a tin is better than a jar for this reason). Whole spices will stay fresh longer than ground ones, so, where possible, buy whole and grind as and when you need them. Listed opposite are the basic spices I keep to hand. They’ll allow you to make your own Madras powder for the Curry-spiced Sweetcorn Soup ( see here ), for example, or a Moroccan-style ras el hanout mix for the Roasted Squash Houmous ( see here ).
CARDAMOM
A versatile spice with a warm, sweet flavour. You can either add the pod whole, or crush it to extract the seeds, which can then be ground if you like.
CHILLI POWDER
Made of ground dried chillies, the powder can vary in potency, so treat with caution. Cayenne pepper is specifically from the cayenne chilli.
CINNAMON
The rolled bark of a Sri Lankan tree, cinnamon goes particularly well with sugar. It’s also used a lot in meaty savoury dishes such as Moroccan tagines.
CLOVES
These dried flower buds, with their medicinal flavour, are essential in dishes as diverse as bread sauce, roast gammon, apple crumble and mulled wine. Go easy with them, as they can easily overpower.
CORIANDER
These dried berries have a sweet aromatic flavour that bears no similarity to the herb that produces them. Great with cumin in home-made burgers or poaching liquor for fish.
CUMIN
These small seeds have a strong, pungent aroma that lends a familiar backnote to many Indian and Mexican dishes. A little goes a long way.
FENNEL SEEDS
The seeds of the fennel plant have a more pronounced aniseed flavour than the bulbs and go particularly well with pork.
FENUGREEK
A bitter Mediterranean seed used in curry powders, with an aroma similar to celery. An essential part of home-made ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice mix also containing cinnamon, cloves, coriander and cumin.
GINGER
I use fresh ginger where possible because it has a much more lively, zingy flavour. But ground ginger is also useful, particularly in baking.
MUSTARD SEEDS
We are used to seeing these in wholegrain mustard. Their natural fieriness is tempered when they are roasted and they become nuttier in flavour. Essential in Indian cooking.
NUTMEG AND MACE
Both these spices come from the nutmeg tree, mace being the outer lattice covering of the nutmeg seed. Both have a warm, earthy, aromatic flavour, but mace is slightly stronger and sweeter; it works particularly well in custard-based desserts. Nutmeg is essential in a traditional white sauce or rice pudding.
PAPRIKA
A bright red powder made from dried peppers. It can be sweet or hot, smoked or unsmoked, and is a characteristic feature of Spanish and Hungarian cooking.
STAR ANISE
I love star anise more than any other spice. It has a fragrant, slightly sweet aniseed flavour and is a key ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder. It lends itself to everything from lamb casserole to tarte tatin.
SUMAC
A dark reddish spice, sumac is widely used in Middle Eastern cooking,
BASIC SPICE KIT
We’re probably all guilty of having a few jars of spice festering at the back of our cupboards, but you should really have a clear-out at least every 12 months. Spices deteriorate very quickly, and after six months they’ll have lost most of their flavour, especially if they are already ground. So the first rule is not to buy in bulk. Only purchase what you think you will need within the next six months or so. Keep them in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight and heat (a tin is better than a jar for this reason). Whole spices will stay fresh longer than ground ones, so, where possible, buy whole and grind as and when you need them. Listed opposite are the basic spices I keep to hand. They’ll allow you to make your own Madras powder for the Curry-spiced Sweetcorn Soup ( see here ), for example, or a Moroccan-style ras el hanout mix for the Roasted Squash Houmous ( see here ).
CARDAMOM
A versatile spice with a warm, sweet flavour. You can either add the pod whole, or crush it to extract the seeds, which can then be ground if you like.
CHILLI POWDER
Made of ground dried chillies, the powder can vary in potency, so treat with caution. Cayenne pepper is specifically from the cayenne chilli.
CINNAMON
The rolled bark of a Sri Lankan tree, cinnamon goes particularly well with sugar. It’s also used a lot in meaty savoury dishes such as Moroccan tagines.
CLOVES
These dried flower buds, with their medicinal flavour, are essential in dishes as diverse as bread sauce, roast gammon, apple crumble and mulled wine. Go easy with them, as they can easily overpower.
CORIANDER
These dried berries have a sweet aromatic flavour that bears no similarity to the herb that produces them. Great with cumin in home-made burgers or poaching liquor for fish.
CUMIN
These small seeds have a strong, pungent aroma that lends a familiar backnote to many Indian and Mexican dishes. A little goes a long way.
FENNEL SEEDS
The seeds of the fennel plant have a more pronounced aniseed flavour than the bulbs and go particularly well with pork.
FENUGREEK
A bitter Mediterranean seed used in curry powders, with an aroma similar to celery. An essential part of home-made ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice mix also containing cinnamon, cloves, coriander and cumin.
GINGER
I use fresh ginger where possible because it has a much more lively, zingy flavour. But ground ginger is also useful, particularly in baking.
MUSTARD SEEDS
We are used to seeing these in wholegrain mustard. Their natural fieriness is tempered when they are roasted and they become nuttier in flavour. Essential in Indian cooking.
NUTMEG AND MACE
Both these spices come from the nutmeg tree, mace being the outer lattice covering of the nutmeg seed. Both have a warm, earthy, aromatic flavour, but mace is slightly stronger and sweeter; it works particularly well in custard-based desserts. Nutmeg is essential in a traditional white sauce or rice pudding.
PAPRIKA
A bright red powder made from dried peppers. It can be sweet or hot, smoked or unsmoked, and is a characteristic feature of Spanish and Hungarian cooking.
STAR ANISE
I love star anise more than any other spice. It has a fragrant, slightly sweet aniseed flavour and is a key ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder. It lends itself to everything from lamb casserole to tarte tatin.
SUMAC
A dark reddish spice, sumac is widely used in Middle Eastern cooking,
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