We spoke to spice experts, Bart Ingredients from Bristol, to get the lowdown on achieving the best possible flavour from our favourite global spices…
What’s the journey your spices take to arrival at their best in Bristol?
“Herbs and spices are grown all over the world. Generally speaking most elements of a meal that have nutritional content need the flavours imparted by herbs and spices to make them interesting. Herbs tend to come from temperate climates, while spices come from tropical and subtropical regions. Every ingredient is different and every journey is individual, which makes our job exciting.”
Tell us how to get the best flavour out of your spices…
“By working their flavours together well. Good understanding of the different flavour aspects of cooking ingredients and how they can complement each other. Not forgetting that flavour is only one aspect of importance; colour and texture can also be given through the use of herbs and spices in cooking.”
Do spices have a shelf life and how long should we keep them for?
“Most foods are assigned a shelf life. Often this is simply to help shops manage stocks and to enable stock rotation. The flavour of herbs and spices is likely to decline or fade as they get older; some of the flavour compounds will decline more quickly than others, so the flavours can change rather than just simply reduce. However, spices do not become unsafe. Typically, as herbs and spices get older, you need to add more to a recipe and therefore you speed up your use of them – a neat trick.”
What is the secret to elevating your curry at home using spices and herbs?
“This is a bit like asking what your favourite piece of music is. Music and flavour is all about the moment and the mood. There are days and dishes when you want something light and subtle, and other days when hot and heavy are just right. The joy of herbs and spices is that there are ingredients and combinations that can suit every mood and occasion. It is great to try different ingredients and to experiment in the kitchen to arrive at a dish your family enjoys.”
What basic spice blend would you recommend for making a solid curry?
“The essential elements are turmeric for colour and earthiness, cumin for aromatic depth, coriander seed for length, mellowness and texture, and chillies for heat and colour. There are of course many other ingredients that will enhance and give variation, including pepper, cloves, nutmeg, thyme, bay, garlic, nigella, cardamom, mustard, fenugreek, cinnamon, palm sugar. The list is almost endless and there are different varieties and formats of most of these ingredients too.”