5 reasons to buy whole spices

Category: Shopping

Spices are central to Indian cooking. No dish is complete without adding certain powdered spices, ground spices and whole spices. Every dish has a spice used in a different form. For example, there is a big difference between fine, pre-ground black pepper, pepper that is freshly ground and whole peppercorns. While ground spices are good, whole spices are better. The spices of India that are popularly used in cooking are cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom pods, nutmeg, star anise, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns and vanilla beans. All these are whole spices that are added directly to the food being cooked. In this article, we will discuss why it is good to add whole spices to cooking rather than store-bought ground spices. When you order spices online in their whole form, the health benefits remain intact. It helps in improved digestion, boosted metabolism and plenty of other benefits. Spice up your rice: Every rice dish is incomplete without whole spices. If you want to make aromatic rice, add whole cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to it. It can be served with your favourite curry, chicken, veggies or any other gravy to add extra flavour to the dish. Keeps spices fresh for longer: Using fresh spices in the dish, keeps the dish fresh for longer. It also increases the shelf-life. On average, spices that are whole last about two months longer than pre-ground spices. Gives hot beverages a kick: Spicy masala tea tastes good and also has health benefits. Add whole cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and vanilla to a pot of tea cooked on the stove for a delicious spicy tea. Add great flavour: What flavour whole spices give, ground spices can never give. For delicate yet fragrant curries, using fresh spices allows you to create a complex range of flavours that are often so subtle, while providing more depth to flavour notes at the same time. This is because the grinding process releases the spice’s natural oils that evaporate after the spice is ground. Sweeten up desserts: If you are making a sweet dish, it is better to add vanilla pod rather than vanilla essence. It can be used in baked goods, ice cream, puddings and cakes. It adds a great and natural flavour. Therefore, the next time you order spices online or buy spices from a wholesale spice dealer, make sure to stock up on some good whole spices. They are extremely handy in Indian cooking. On the other hand, we would not say that ground spices are bad; they too are needed in the kitchen for smooth curries, sauces and gravies.