flavours of asia: Herbs and Spices

Asian herbs and spices

Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of the evergreen tree, Cinnamonum zeylanicum. While used primarily in desserts in the United States and Europe, the warm, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor of cinnamon is often used in Asian meat dishes, such as Thai koa ka mu, or pork thigh, and spice mixes, including Indian garam masala. Cinnamon is available in whole strips of bark, called quills, which can be grated or ground into food. Ground cinnamon is also widely available.

Ginger

Often found in Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines, ginger adds a pungent spiciness to foods. Derived from the rhizomes of the Ginger plant, these root-like stems, are often described as hand-shaped with knobby "fingers" projecting from a central rhizome. Fresh ginger is often ground and added to dishes to add a spicy and somewhat citrusy flavor in dishes such as Chinese ginger chicken or ginger beef. Powdered ginger keeps well and adds a pungent taste to both savory and sweet foods.

Saffron

One of the most expensive seasonings in the world, saffron comes from the stigmas of a specific type of crocus plant. The stigmas are collected from the plants then dried. Around 75,000 flowers are needed to yield just one pound of the substance. Saffron adds a light, slightly bitter taste and a bright, golden-yellow color to savory Asian cuisine, particularly in India, were it is used in foods such as kesar chaval, a saffron rice dish.

Turmeric

Turmeric comes from the root-like rhizomes of the turmeric plant. The spice is typically a bright, greenish-yellow color when dried and powdered. It has a slightly bitter and distinctive musky flavor and a warm and rich fragrance. Used in both vegetable and meat dishes as both a flavoring and coloring, turmeric is also used to make curries.

Coriander

Used in meat, vegetable and rice dishes, the spice coriander is typically ground from the fruits and leaves of the coriander plant. Coriander is best used immediately after it is prepared. It has a warm, woody aroma and flavor with sweet overtones, and is very used in southern Asian foods including Indonesian fried chicken dish called ayam goreng.

Cumin

Cumin comes from Central Asia. The seeds of the plant are used for flavoring, with a sweet, spicy flavor. The seeds often take on a nutty taste when roasted. Ground to a powder, cumin adds an earthy and rich flavor to savory meat and vegetable dishes. Cumin is one of the primary ingredients in curry powder.

Chili Peppers

While they originated in South America, chili peppers were brought to Asia in the 16th century. Peppers range in size from small ones with fruits less than 2 inches long to larger peppers up to 8 inches in length. Many chili peppers in Asia are very hot and are used to add heat to spicy foods such as sambal, an Indonesian chili dip. Peppers can be used fresh or dried and used whole or crushed.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a perennial herb grown for its leaves that possess an oil which impart a fresh lemony taste to Asian foods, such as the Thai soup, tom kha gai. Typically used as a fresh herb, the leaves are bruised before adding them to the dish to release the fragrant oils from the plant. The oil from lemongrass can also be extracted and used separately. Take care when handling lemongrass because the leaves have sharp edges.

Curry Powder

While often considered a spice, curry powder is actually a combination of spices such as turmeric, chili powder, cumin, black and white pepper and cinnamon blended together to form the curry powder. The spices may vary greatly from country to country and even region to region. The result is thousands of different varieties of curry powder, each with a specific flavor.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of the evergreen tree, Cinnamonum zeylanicum. While used primarily in desserts in the United States and Europe, the warm, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor of cinnamon is often used in Asian meat dishes, such as Thai koa ka mu, or pork thigh, and spice mixes, including Indian garam masala. Cinnamon is available in whole strips of bark, called quills, which can be grated or ground into food. Ground cinnamon is also widely available.

Ginger

Often found in Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines, ginger adds a pungent spiciness to foods. Derived from the rhizomes of the Ginger plant, these root-like stems, are often described as hand-shaped with knobby "fingers" projecting from a central rhizome. Fresh ginger is often ground and added to dishes to add a spicy and somewhat citrusy flavor in dishes such as Chinese ginger chicken or ginger beef. Powdered ginger keeps well and adds a pungent taste to both savory and sweet foods.

Saffron

One of the most expensive seasonings in the world, saffron comes from the stigmas of a specific type of crocus plant. The stigmas are collected from the plants then dried. Around 75,000 flowers are needed to yield just one pound of the substance. Saffron adds a light, slightly bitter taste and a bright, golden-yellow color to savory Asian cuisine, particularly in India, were it is used in foods such as kesar chaval, a saffron rice dish.

Turmeric

Turmeric comes from the root-like rhizomes of the turmeric plant. The spice is typically a bright, greenish-yellow color when dried and powdered. It has a slightly bitter and distinctive musky flavor and a warm and rich fragrance. Used in both vegetable and meat dishes as both a flavoring and coloring, turmeric is also used to make curries.

Coriander

Used in meat, vegetable and rice dishes, the spice coriander is typically ground from the fruits and leaves of the coriander plant. Coriander is best used immediately after it is prepared. It has a warm, woody aroma and flavor with sweet overtones, and is very used in southern Asian foods including Indonesian fried chicken dish called ayam goreng.

Cumin

Cumin comes from Central Asia. The seeds of the plant are used for flavoring, with a sweet, spicy flavor. The seeds often take on a nutty taste when roasted. Ground to a powder, cumin adds an earthy and rich flavor to savory meat and vegetable dishes. Cumin is one of the primary ingredients in curry powder.

Chili Peppers

While they originated in South America, chili peppers were brought to Asia in the 16th century. Peppers range in size from small ones with fruits less than 2 inches long to larger peppers up to 8 inches in length. Many chili peppers in Asia are very hot and are used to add heat to spicy foods such as sambal, an Indonesian chili dip. Peppers can be used fresh or dried and used whole or crushed.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a perennial herb grown for its leaves that possess an oil which impart a fresh lemony taste to Asian foods, such as the Thai soup, tom kha gai. Typically used as a fresh herb, the leaves are bruised before adding them to the dish to release the fragrant oils from the plant. The oil from lemongrass can also be extracted and used separately. Take care when handling lemongrass because the leaves have sharp edges.

Curry Powder

While often considered a spice, curry powder is actually a combination of spices such as turmeric, chili powder, cumin, black and white pepper and cinnamon blended together to form the curry powder. The spices may vary greatly from country to country and even region to region. The result is thousands of different varieties of curry powder, each with a specific flavor.

Cinnamon (Kulit Kayu Manis) - Primarily used in Asian dishes especially Indian and Malay dishes. By adding cinnamon you can create a distinctive aroma and taste to your dish. Widely used in curries and soups. Available in barks or grounded. Easily availabe in supermarkets or Asian grocery stores.

Ginger (Halia) - Ginger adds some pungent spiciness to your dishes. Widely used in Chinese, Indian and Malay dishes. Great for soups and herbal drinks. Ginger is good to detoxify and purify one's body from harmful gasses.

Turmeric (Kunyit) - Turmeric is good for general health. It is root-like and commonly used for flavouring and colouring. Great for curries or to be used as marinade. The Malays would drink turmeric water to detoxify harmful radicals from the body.

Coriander (Ketumbar) - It produces woody aroma. Normally used in soups, curries or as garnishing. Besides fresh coriander, you can get grounded coriander as well which is great for marinade.

Cumin (Jintan Manis) - It produces sweet spicy flavour. Besides Asians, the Arabs use this herb in almost all of their dishes. It adds earthy and rich flavour to your soups, curries and sauce.

Lemongrass (Serai) - It is used as fresh herbs to fragrant the soups. Famous for its Thai soup like Tom Yam but it is also widely used in Malay cooking as well like rendang and masak lemak cili padi.

Dried Chillies (Cili Kering) - Widely used to make hot and spicy sambal. You have to soak the dried chillies into hot water for a few minutes before blending them into thick paste. Can be used as part of fried rice or noodles or as hot sauce for dipping.

Wild Ginger Flower Buds (Bunga Kantan) - Fantastic for tom yam and soups. Very widely used for laksa gravy and asam pedas for the Malays. Can be sliced thinly as a part of fresh salads as well.

Kaffir Lime Leaves (Daun Limau Purut) - It releases wonderful citrus aroma to your dishes. Great for soups, curries and rendang.

Galangal (Lengkuas) - Great for masak lemak and rendang. Also to give extra punch for your sambal.

Curry Leaves (Daun Kari) - A must every time you cook curry. It will bring out the best aroma for your curry and that extra curry kick and flavour that will enlighten your curry taste.

Star Anise (Bunga Lawang) - We normally put this in soups, rendang and curry.

Cardamon Pods ( Buah Pelaga) - Again, for soups, curries and rendang.

Cloves (Bunga Cengkih) - Cloves is often mixed in soups, rendang and curry to give an extra kick to your dishes.

Pounded Fried Coconut (Kerisek) - This is widely used in rendang, meat curry (besamah), masak lemak or as condiments or dipping sauce. Also used in Malay salads as well or widely known as kerabu.

Coconut Milk (Santan) - Used in curries and rendang for the Malays. Also for sweet desserts like bubur cha-cha, pengat or agar-agar (jelly).

Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of the evergreen tree, Cinnamonum zeylanicum. While used primarily in desserts in the United States and Europe, the warm, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor of cinnamon is often used in Asian meat dishes, such as Thai koa ka mu, or pork thigh, and spice mixes, including Indian garam masala. Cinnamon is available in whole strips of bark, called quills, which can be grated or ground into food. Ground cinnamon is also widely available.