TOASTING SPICE
SHOULD YOU ALWAYS TOAST YOUR SPICES?
The short answer to this frequently asked question is no. Toasting spices changes the way they taste, and so it can radically alter a dish. In our Kashmiri family kitchens, we use untoasted spices except in very specific dishes that normally have to do with fresh curd, or yogurt. Like Bui’s toasted cumin raita recipe. If you’d like to learn more about what toasted spice is, and when to toast your spices, then follow the link below and find answers to our FAQs.
TOASTING SPICES
Q&A’s
What does toasting spices mean?
Toasting spices is a way of tempering of slightly cooking spices before they are added to food. Most often this is done in a dry frying pan of a lower flame.
When should I toast my spices?
Toasting spices should be done if a recipe calls for it. Toasting spices changes the aroma and the expression of spice. If a dish calls for toasted spice and you use raw spice, this will change the end taste of the dish. The same works in reverse. If a dish doesn’t say anything about toasting spices, then don’t presume that toasting spice is the right thing to do.
Do you have to toast spices in oil?
No. Toasting spices normally refers to dry toasting. Tempering spices is the term used for releasing the aromatic content of spices through fats or oils.
What’s the difference between toasted and untoasted spices?
Toasted spices take on a different character than untoasted or raw spices. This is because heat works as an aromatic release on spice. Dry toasting in a pan changes the taste of the spice, so that when it is added to a dish, it will react differently with all of the other ingredients in the pan. To get a better idea what toasting does to a spice, try them before toasting and then after.
MORE SPICE PROFILES
