# Herbs, Spices, and Seeds...



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

Tonight I pulled my remaining whole spices/seeds out of the storage bin I'd had them in and got them into designated jars.

On hand I have:
- Star Anise
- Cassia Cinnamon
- Coriander Seed
- Cumin Seed
- Nutmeg Seed
- Peppercorn (Black)
- Szechuan Peppercorn

Going through them showed me I need to buy some more mustard seeds and I'm thinking of getting some cardamom pods.

This got me thinking, what whole spices/seeds do you like to keep on hand? What should I get?

What ground stuff that isn't so mainstream do you like to have? For example, I'm thinking about getting some sumac.

Do you buy blends (herb and/or spice)? I prefer mixing my own. If you do too, got any you favorite mixes you want to share?


----------



## stringer (Oct 21, 2021)

Chilies of all kinds
Herbs of all kinds
Peppercorns of all kinds
Cloves
Ginger
Galangal
Fennel Seed
Cardamom
Caraway
Sesame Seeds
Onion Seeds
Wasabi Powder
Mace
Allspice
Mustard Powder
Turmeric

Blends I buy:
Zatarains Blackened Seasoning
Badia Adobo
Herbs de Provence
Chinese Five spice
Garam Masala
Madras Curry
Togarashi
Montreal steak seasoning

Stuff I came across working in an Indian restaurant and would now feel naked working without:
Fenugreek (has a sweet maple syrup smell/flavor, used in many curry powder blends)
Ajwain (small seed that smells and tastes like thyme)
Asafoetida (pungent stinky goodness)
Mango Powder


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

I have a lot of those things and have really been on a Garam Masala kick lately.

But, there's a number of items you listed that I don't have and some I've never heard of which is exactly what I was hoping for!

Fenugreek is one I keep thinking I need. I had no idea onion seeds were a thing.

Za'atar?


----------



## BillHanna (Oct 21, 2021)

Sumac and za’atar are on my list to try. I just need to find a good source, preferentially local.


----------



## stringer (Oct 21, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> I have a lot of those things and have really been on a Garam Masala kick lately.
> 
> But, there's a number of items you listed that I don't have and some I've never heard of which is exactly what I was hoping for!
> 
> ...



Fenugreek, aka Methi, is great. You can buy fresh leaves, dry leaves, seeds, or powder. They all have very different textures and all have the same maple-y taste. The powder is the strongest/most concentrated. 

I'm not as familiar with Middle Eastern stuff as Indian. I almost worked for a fufu pizza place where the chef made his own Za'atar from local organic herbs that he dried himself and yada yada but it fell through.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

Kaffir leaves are another one I've pondered but always fear the dried version just isn't worth it.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

And on the subject, I don't think I've ever encountered fresh bay leaves in a store.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

Okay @stringer aside from salt and pepper...

- Your favorite herb?

- Your favorite spice?


----------



## stringer (Oct 21, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Okay @stringer aside from salt and pepper...
> 
> - Your favorite herb?
> 
> - Your favorite spice?




Herb - I'm a big fan of tarragon

Spice - chilies and peppercorns are both extremely important to me and the way I cook. But if I had to pick a non-chili/peppercorn spice it would be cumin.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

stringer said:


> Herb - I'm a big fan of tarragon
> 
> Spice - chilies and peppercorns are both extremely important to me and the way I cook. But if I had to pick a non-chili/peppercorn spice it would be cumin.



Cool.

I'm not a huge licorice fan. I like it in moderation in the right things so fennel, tarragon, etc. get used around here but sparingly.

For an herb, hands down mine would be sage. Love the stuff.

For a spice, cumin and smoked paprika would be in close contest.

How about you @BillHanna ?


----------



## MarcelNL (Oct 21, 2021)

O man, I will need to sit down next to the spice cabinets and write all the stuff down.

Kaffir lime leaves, young Ginger and Laos (Galanga) I keep in the freezer, ginger and tumeric I buy fresh, Thyme, Bay and Rosemary from the garden.
Fermented garlic
Pul biber
kashmiri chilli pepper
various types of black and sichuan pepper
marniquette pepper
poppy seed
nigella seed
allspice
saffran
ground porcini mushroom
paprika: regular, smoked and spicy smoked paprika
vadouvan
kemiri nuts
foil (the outer shell of a nutmeg seed)
musterd seed (black and yellow)
juniper berries
tonka beans


----------



## BillHanna (Oct 21, 2021)

It might be boring, but basil and mint are big for me. Thai or Italian basil. Thyme has been coming on strong, with chicken in particular.

I would leave my wife for anthropomorphized ginger or garlic. I would eat garlic ice cream. I would use ginger toothpaste. I would love to try and grow ginger, to see what’s up with the rest of the plant.

In the spirit of KKF, I’ll go off topic. Honey is a mainstay in this house as well. THAT I can get local at a price I don’t mind.


----------



## McMan (Oct 21, 2021)

Yeah, sumac's good--bright, dry, citrusy. Good in salad dressing with dried mint, olive oil, and lemon. Good in yoghurt sauces. Good on red lentil soup. Good on cukes. If you're near a middle eastern restaurant but don't have access to a middle eastern market, just see if they'll sell you a bag. It's inexpensive stuff. Otherwise, Ziyad is a decent brand. But it's best if you can find freshly ground.

If you want to experiment a little, long pepper is fun, as is black cardamum. Dried mint for middle eastern, dried basil for southern french cooking.

Quality makes a huge difference--especially since a lot of the spices go such a long way--and so does storage (I used to buy from a place that sold everything in airtight mini-cans...).


----------



## MarcelNL (Oct 21, 2021)

long pepper, indeed!
same for black cardamom.

Try a good Indian cookbook (tthe type with an arms long list of spices for each step...and you'll learn about spices in a jiffy.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

BillHanna said:


> It might be boring, but basil and mint are big for me. Thai or Italian basil. Thyme has been coming on strong, with chicken in particular.
> 
> I would leave my wife for anthropomorphized ginger or garlic. I would eat garlic ice cream. I would use ginger toothpaste. I would love to try and grow ginger, to see what’s up with the rest of the plant.
> 
> In the spirit of KKF, I’ll go off topic. Honey is a mainstay in this house as well. THAT I can get local at a price I don’t mind.



Gotta say, ginger toothpaste don't sound too bad!


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> O man, I will need to sit down next to the spice cabinets and write all the stuff down.
> 
> Kaffir lime leaves, young Ginger and Laos (Galanga) I keep in the freezer, ginger and tumeric I buy fresh, Thyme, Bay and Rosemary from the garden.
> Fermented garlic
> ...



Sigh...I have to admit that upon seeing nigella seeds I immediately thought of Nigella Lawson and thought of several things to say...

Sorry KKF...


----------



## sansho (Oct 21, 2021)

BillHanna said:


> Sumac and za’atar are on my list to try. I just need to find a good source, preferentially local.



i suggest:









Sumac 3.5 OZ NW- Pure and Salt Free and 50% more Lemony/Tart and Bright


Sumac or Sumak - pure and salt-free. This is same sumac ingredient in our zaatar blends, and offers lemony flavor without the citric qualities. Grown in Lebanon at the base of Mount Hermon. Larger and bulk quantities available. By Customer accounts, it is at least 50% more lemony/tart than...




www.eatzaatar.com













Zaatar Classic Blend - Gluten-Free with Hyssop (Genuine Zaatar Herb - Origanum syriacum)


An authentic Zaatar seasoning blend with no fillings or substitutes. Made with genuine Za'atar herb (biblical Hyssop - Origanum syriacum) Small batch mixed and always fresh. Ingredients organically and sustainably grown in Lebanon. Free Shipping in U.S.




www.eatzaatar.com





i have not had better zaatar outside of lebanon. their sumac is good too but can't claim there aren't better sources. haven't looked as hard for sumac, and i don't eat it daily (unlike zaatar).

superior to crap i've gotten from middle eastern grocery stores in the US.
free shipping btw.


----------



## DitmasPork (Oct 21, 2021)

Oh, geez. My cupboards are packed with spices. Depends on what I’ve been cooking as to what spices are priorities.

Here’s what I brought with me to Hawaii for this trip. I spent a lot of time considering what are important spices to have.

Survivalist spice kit:
Asafoetida
Turmeric
Coriander seeds
Panch Phoran
Garam Masala
Japanese curry powder


----------



## sansho (Oct 21, 2021)

eating zaatar chili popcorn now!


----------



## stringer (Oct 21, 2021)

DitmasPork said:


> Oh, geez. My cupboards are packed with spices. Depends on what I’ve been cooking as to what spices are priorities.
> 
> Here’s what I brought with me to Hawaii for this trip. I spent a lot of time considering what are important spices to have.
> 
> ...


What does Japanese curry powder contain?


----------



## DitmasPork (Oct 22, 2021)

stringer said:


> What does Japanese curry powder contain?


Here’s the ingredients of S&B—pretty clean ingredients compared to Japanese curry roux cubes which have a tonne of things, like cheese, apple, stablizers, msg. I bring this along because it’s pretty good for making Hawaiian style curries.


----------



## Luftmensch (Oct 22, 2021)

We have a pretty good spice collection... quite a few of the ones mentioned here. If I am feeling frisky... maybe i'll write them up later.



HumbleHomeCook said:


> smoked paprika





Probably my favourite...


Perhaps this belongs in the unpopular opinions thread... but I believe dried herbs have a place...

fresh herbs > dry herbs > no herbs at all!

I use fresh herbs when I am planning out a meal - particularly if I want it to be nice. The bunches of fresh herbs are often a little to large for us. Unless we drown our meals in fresh herbs, there is a risk of some wilting and being unused (though occasionally I save it for stock). So fresh herbs are not an ingredient we routinely stock. I would prefer to have dried herbs than no herbs if I am improvising a meal with whatever is in the cupboard.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 22, 2021)

Luftmensch said:


> We have a pretty good spice collection... quite a few of the ones mentioned here. If I am feeling frisky... maybe i'll write them up later.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I routinely use dried herbs. Especially sage, basil, oregano, and thyme. I have others of course but those see a lot of uses.


----------



## LostHighway (Oct 22, 2021)

Great thread!
Almost everything I use has been mentioned at least once with these exceptions:
Coriander seed has been mentioned but no leaf, am I the only one who loves cilantro?
Epazote
Curry leaves (Kaffir/Makrut lime leaves are a good substitute but not quite the same)


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 22, 2021)

LostHighway said:


> Great thread!
> Almost everything I use has been mentioned at least once with these exceptions:
> Coriander seed has been mentioned but no leaf, am I the only one who loves cilantro?
> Epazote
> Curry leaves (Kaffir/Makrut lime leaves are a good substitute but not quite the same)



I love cilantro but my wife is one of those folks who is sensitive to it so if I use it in something we're sharing I have to be very conservative with it. As a result, I nearly always use fresh.


----------



## coxhaus (Oct 22, 2021)

I grow herbs doing warm weather but winter I have rely on dried. The big glass jars are New Mexico red pepper, ancho pepper and curry.


----------



## MarcelNL (Oct 22, 2021)

we're also using these Bormioli jars, but have been keeping them in drawers with stickers on the lids for quicker access during cooking. Right now they sit in trays as our current in between rental home has a flea sized kitchen


----------



## ian (Oct 22, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Kaffir leaves are another one I've pondered but always fear the dried version just isn't worth it.



You can order fresh leaves from many places, Amazon even. I have a bag of them in the freezer. Probably can do the same with bay if you can't get them locally.


----------



## Lars (Oct 22, 2021)

My ethnic grocer stocks frozen Kaffir lime leaves, they freeze very well.

Here is the sorry state of my spice drawer - I organize it regularly, but it somehow always ends up a mess


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 22, 2021)

Lars said:


> My ethnic grocer stocks frozen Kaffir lime leaves, they freeze very well.
> 
> Here is the sorry state of my spice drawer - I organize it regularly, but it somehow always ends up a mess
> View attachment 148107




Set yourself free Lars.


----------



## ian (Oct 22, 2021)

My kid is taking over our spice rack with his artwork.


----------



## Jovidah (Oct 22, 2021)

This is going to sound autistic, but I have my jars of spices and herbs organized alphabetically. Really cuts down on the time wasted on digging through stuff. Actually have them standing on top of the cupboards because I'm pretty tall.
As to what I have.. a bit of everything, mostly 'the usual stuff'. I actually use a good amount of dried herbs too. IMO while there are a lot of crappy dried herbs around, they don't _have_ to be crap. If you find some that are good and don't have them sitting for ages they're quite fine, and for stuff like sauces I have to say that the taste difference with the usual storebought fresh herbs here was actually surprisingly marginal. I don't have a garden or even a balcony so growing my own is out of the picture; putting pots of fresh herbs around here just always led to dead herbs.


----------



## ian (Oct 22, 2021)

Jovidah said:


> This is going to sound autistic, but I have my jars of spices and herbs organized alphabetically.



My wife keeps telling me to do this, but I stubbornly like my “organization by use” system better. Pepper of various sorts at the top, then other stuff of a certain type, then other stuff. There’s totally a system. You just have to intuit it.


----------



## Jovidah (Oct 22, 2021)

You could compromise by sorting all the peppers under 'Pepper, specific type'. They'd still line up in a row.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 22, 2021)

Fenugreek users: Do you usually just get the ground stuff or prefer getting the whole seed and grinding as you need it?


----------



## Lars (Oct 22, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Set yourself free Lars.


My kitchen is small even by danish standards, so there just isn't space for something like that..


----------



## Lars (Oct 22, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Fenugreek users: Do you usually just get the ground stuff or prefer getting the whole seed and grinding as you need it?


I buy the whole ones and the dried leaves.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 22, 2021)

Lars said:


> My kitchen is small even by danish standards, so there just isn't space for something like that..



Well your spice storage and small kitchen certainly don't keep you from turning out great looking dishes Lars!


----------



## Lars (Oct 22, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Well your spice storage and small kitchen certainly don't keep you from turning out great looking dishes Lars!


Thank you!


----------



## Jovidah (Oct 22, 2021)

@Lars if a drawer is all you're stuck with, it may be worth considering investing in a bunch of cheap jars that you can label on the top. Can usually provide at least a significant efficiency boost for both storage and usability.
Look on the bright side though; I don't even have a drawer because all I have is 2 drawers in my entire kitchen. I got plenty of shelving though, but that's not ideal for small stuff like spice and herb jars.


----------



## MarcelNL (Oct 22, 2021)

Fenugreek whole seeds are almost bomb proof....not sure how people manage to create anything other than course sand out of it so I'm using pre ground powder and stock up on fresh leaves whenever I find them (rarely sad enough), they keep reasonably well in the freezer.

Forgot some, thinking about the large freezer basket filled with 'fresh' herbs; 
Peteh beans (nicknamed 'stinky beans', next day you know why)
lemon grass
Daun Salam, (Indonesian)
fresh curry leaves
Pandan leaves
green pepper
emergency stock (sauces etc) of ;
green chilli(rawit)
red chilli (rawit)
taragon
dill
coriander leave
parsly


----------



## stringer (Oct 22, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Fenugreek users: Do you usually just get the ground stuff or prefer getting the whole seed and grinding as you need it?



I usually use ground for curry powder blends and the dry leaves you crumble up to finish dishes like butter chicken. There's no flavor or aroma loss from using the ground vs the seeds. Fenugreek has a very strong aroma and a little bit is all you need.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 22, 2021)

All this spice talk sent me searching and damn if there isn't a real nice spice store here in town! They clearly have a commercial focus and they specialize in all aspects of sausage making (they don't sell sausage but all the gear, teach classes, etc.) but they have a really well stocked and nice kinda country store-esque area of small volume stuff for walk-ins like me. To say it's off the beaten path is a bit of an understatement and it's in an area of town you should understand before venturing there and you'd never know what it was from the outside, but it's been there since the 40's so they're doing something right!

Mom and pop place with super nice people and I will definitely be going back! They also carry a local hot sauce brand I like so that's another plus.

Super excited! And I freaking bought vinegar powder!


----------



## sansho (Oct 22, 2021)

sausage making class sounds fun.


----------



## LostHighway (Oct 22, 2021)

Does anyone use Grains of Paradise? If so, how/where? I think I've only knowingly encountered it in Belgian beers.
Jaggery/gur as a sub for other sugars with some compensation for the higher moisture content?


----------



## ian (Oct 22, 2021)

LostHighway said:


> Does anyone use Grains of Paradise? If so, how/where? I think I've only knowingly encountered it in Belgian beers.



I used to use them a long time ago as a more interesting black pepper sub. I've forgotten the specific dishes I used them in most often though.


----------



## Michi (Oct 22, 2021)

Quite a few of them kicking around here.


----------



## stringer (Oct 22, 2021)

LostHighway said:


> Does anyone use Grains of Paradise? If so, how/where? I think I've only knowingly encountered it in Belgian beers.
> Jaggery/gur as a sub for other sugars with some compensation for the higher moisture content?



Jaggery is the base for vindalu sauce. I haven't ever used it for anything else.


----------



## Receiver52 (Oct 22, 2021)

We have a lot as you can see. We grow a bunch of it such as thyme, parsley, dill. Cilantro, basil, fennel, tarragon, sage, oregano, chives, mint and rosemary. My favourite is cardomon and wife is partial to most of the Indian spices such as cumin, turmeric.


----------



## Knivperson (Oct 23, 2021)

Have a lot of different whole spices that I toast up and grind my self just before application. The most special ones are maybe black cardemom pods, nutmeg mace, a tree of kaffir lime (for the leaves), a bush with fresh laurel leaves, asafoetida and curry leaves. Have around 15 different herbes in the garden in the summertime.

Today I bought this. Never seen such a big one in scandinavia before:


----------



## WiriWiri (Oct 23, 2021)

I have an allotment, a herb garden out front and still have a whopping cupboard full of dried spices. One level of the overstacked carousel shown below, along with my allotted space for the most used stones







I guess this is one area where us Londoners have got it easy - there‘s a huge variety of cheap and wonderful spices avaiable in many an ‘ethnic‘ grocer around here. Not to say that they\re not threatened by the march of gentrification and supermarket dominance, but they’re still hanging on and prospering at times,.

FWIW, here’s my local favourite shop in Brixton market - a barn of a place stocked with a dizzying variety of produce, a rallying point for much of the caribbean community and beyond for years. This film was an appeal to save the place after it was threatened by closure by a new landlord (Brixton market is mainly gentrified food stands now). Heartwarmingly it succeeded, but I suspect the threat will return again soon enough


----------



## Knivperson (Oct 23, 2021)

Whole fenugreek can be ground to a fine powder with a powerful blender. I use this, which can powder up just about anything.









Professional 800 incl. WildSide+ Jar - Blendtec Europe


Bring the absolute best commercial blender into your kitchen. Operating at the sound level of normal conversation, the Professional 800 is the quietest, most capable blender in the world. Package includes: Professional 800 motor base One BPA-free jar WildSide+ jar with vented Gripper™ lid...




blendtec.eu


----------



## MarcelNL (Oct 23, 2021)

for 1200 euro it darn well should! 

And I was thinking espresso grinders were the extravaganza of kitchen tools


----------



## Lars (Oct 23, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> for 1200 euro it darn well should!
> 
> And I was thinking espresso grinders were the extravaganza of kitchen tools


Haha, my Mahlkönig K30 was hella more expensive than that..


----------



## MarcelNL (Oct 23, 2021)

sure, but that hardly is a whirly blade 'mash everything it hits' blender


----------



## Lars (Oct 23, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> sure, but that hardly is a whirly blade 'mash everything it hits' blender


It makes a terrible smoothie, though..


----------



## MarcelNL (Nov 8, 2021)

Ordering some new and more pepper corns I noticed that I overlooked a tray or two but wanted to add Tonka beans, purple cardamom and soon to come Mastic


----------



## sansho (Jan 5, 2022)

where do you guys buy your peppercorn (_P. nigrum_)?

i've been buying tellicherry from costco but want to try something new. maybe some kind of kampot. can anyone recommend good sources?


----------



## LostHighway (Jan 5, 2022)

IME Spice House is a good source but I haven't really compared prices, quality, and freshness relative to Kalustyan's or Penzey's in any really systematic manner. My local Indian grocery and my local food co-op get large chunks of my hebs and spices purchases as well.


----------



## riverrat (Jan 5, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> For an herb, hands down mine would be sage. Love the stuff.


Agree; but I think the edge goes to rosemary in this household.
Also use a ton of cilantro as a result of cooking lots of Mexican, Indian and Thai dishes.



HumbleHomeCook said:


> For a spice, *cumin* and *smoked paprika* would be in close contest.


Also agree. I think the edge goes to smoked paprika here. My family thinks that's just the way food tastes because its in everything I make.

I've gotten ground dried red chile variety called Lemitar from a friend in New Mexico the past couple of years. It's not smoked but has an incredible aroma and flavor, even compared to other dried NM varieties.


----------



## lasagna pe (Jan 5, 2022)

sansho said:


> where do you guys buy your peppercorn (_P. nigrum_)?


I get all my spices from a local place in Sacramento: Allspicery

But they ship! Everything they have is fresh.


----------



## coxhaus (Jan 17, 2022)

sansho said:


> where do you guys buy your peppercorn (_P. nigrum_)?
> 
> i've been buying tellicherry from costco but want to try something new. maybe some kind of kampot. can anyone recommend good sources?
> 
> View attachment 159069


I noticed you are in the USA. I buy from Whole Foods bulk and Central Market. They have good small quantities. I have a spice guy but he sells to Wholefoods in Austin and won't sell small quantities. His spices are shipped in 55 gal drums.


----------



## JASinIL2006 (Jan 18, 2022)

sansho said:


> where do you guys buy your peppercorn (_P. nigrum_)?
> 
> i've been buying tellicherry from costco but want to try something new. maybe some kind of kampot. can anyone recommend good sources?
> 
> View attachment 159069



Penzeys.


----------



## GoodMagic (Jan 18, 2022)

I’ve been getting spices at Burlap and Barrel, in NYC. Expensive but nice spices. Excellent customer service. All spices are single origin. I really was impressed with the freshness of the product.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 18, 2022)

JASinIL2006 said:


> Penzeys.



At the risk of getting political, based off the headlines from the founder and CEO, I will never buy from them.


----------



## M1k3 (Jan 18, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> At the risk of getting political, based off the headlines from the founder and CEO, I will never buy from them.


Guy sounds like an ass hat. 

And I'm not even of the political party he was taking a jab at.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 18, 2022)

M1k3 said:


> Guy sounds like an ass hat.
> 
> And I'm not even of the political party he was taking a jab at.



Yep.


----------

