Spices and aromatics
6 short explainers. Read them in order, or jump to the question you have right now.
- 19Whole vs. ground spicesWhole spices keep their aroma oils inside intact cells. Grinding breaks those cells open and exposes the oils to air. Ground spices lose most of their…
- 20Fresh vs. dried herbsDrying removes water, so dried herbs are about three times stronger by volume. Swap 1 teaspoon of dried for 1 tablespoon of fresh. Thyme, oregano and…
- 21Why cooked onions turn sweetCutting an onion breaks its cells, so an enzyme meets sulfur compounds and makes the sharp, tear-causing gas. That gas is the raw bite. Heat destroys the…
- 22Why chilies burnCapsaicin switches on TRPV1, a nerve receptor that normally signals heat above about 43°C. Your brain reads this as burning even though nothing is hot.
- 23Building savory flavorUmami is the savory taste in tomatoes, parmesan and soy sauce. It comes from glutamate, an amino acid, and from nucleotides found in meat, fish and…
- 24Bloom spices in hot oilGround spices need only 20 to 30 seconds in hot oil. The oil dissolves their aroma and carries it through the dish, so every bite gets some. This quick fry…
