Fat carries flavor
Many spice aroma compounds dissolve in fat, not water. Heat spices in oil for 30 to 60 seconds and the oil soaks up their flavor and carries it through everything it touches.
Don't burn the spices
Keep the heat at medium and stir. Spices go from fragrant to bitter in seconds. If the oil smokes or the spices turn dark brown, throw them out and start over.
Why blooming is worth a minute
Spices stirred into oil for a minute taste fuller than spices sprinkled on at the end, because the oil carries their flavor through the whole dish. Ground spices added late can taste raw and dusty.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
A recipe sizzles cumin and chili in oil before the onions go in. Why?
Oil absorbs the aromas. Aroma compounds dissolve in oil, which then carries them through the dish.
True or false: Oil carries many spice aromas better than water does.
True. Fat-soluble aroma compounds travel with the oil.
Fill the blank: Once spices sizzle in the oil, keep the heat at ___ so they don't burn.
Once spices sizzle in the oil, keep the heat at medium so they don't burn. Medium heat releases aroma without scorching the spices.
What went wrong? You heat cumin in oil until the oil smokes and the seeds turn black.
The oil was allowed to smoke. Smoking oil scorches spices, and burnt spice tastes bitter.
Your spices went from fragrant to bitter in seconds. What would have prevented it?
Medium heat, and stopping at the first fragrance. Medium heat gives you time to stop at the first nutty smell.
