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By now we are all too familiar with the warrior powers of Turmeric, the fiery heat of Red chilli powder, the wonders of Cinnamon and the steep prices of Saffron…but step into a spice bazaar in an exotic part of the world (let’s dream about Istanbul or Marrakech for a minute) and you would discover dozens of spices you’ve probably never even heard of or wouldn’t know how to use. How many of us are guilty of buying beautiful spices and then having them sit in our pantry for years as we have absolutely no idea what to do with them?
It’s important to introduce our children to spices and different ingredients from around the world at a young age, as it opens up their hearts, minds and palettes to a plethora of flavors and a desire to keep trying new things early on. Encouraging our children to keep an open mind when it comes to food and being willing to try new and different is the name of the game, mamas!
Read on to learn about 5 spices you may or may not have heard of and how you can easily incorporate them into your family meals!
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Lead image by Calum Lewis via Unsplash
Sumac is a zesty, citrusy spice that hails from the Middle East and is flavorful but not hot—perfect for kids and spice-fearing adults! Sumac is a powerful antioxidant (more powerful than Açai, even!) and helps lower blood sugar levels (similar to Cinnamon). The great thing about Sumac is that it can be simply sprinkled onto things so you don’t have to scratch your head figuring out how to use it. Try sprinkling sumac on scrambled eggs, over hummus or even on some sliced up cucumbers with salt and olive oil. Sumac can be found at Mustafa or on Redmart/Lazada.
Image sourced via Flickr
Za’atar is a mix of Middle Eastern spices and has a wonderful, earthy flavor that goes well with meat and breads. I highly recommend mixing in a spoonful or two of Za’atar into raw minced lamb or the meat of your choice when making kebabs, or when you’re making burgers for the kids. Za’atar is also great on bread with olive oil or cheese. To make Middle Eastern pizzas for your kids, mix together Za’atar with olive oil to make a paste, which you generously spoon or spread onto pita or Lebanese bread, then sprinkle with your favorite cheese (grated) and pop into the grill or broil in the oven until the cheese melts. Feel free to add toppings such as olives, veggies or meats. Za’atar should be stored in the fridge or freezer as it loses its potency easily.
Image sourced via Wikimedia Commons
Most people are familiar with green cardamom, which is used in desserts and even curries and biryani, but when I show my cooking class students the large black cardamom, I not only get looks of surprise, but even gasps when they smell it and take in its very smoky aroma. It’s an unexpected flavor but the truth is that black cardamom is not eaten, it’s simply added to a dish primarily for its health benefit — which is to aid in digestion. A slight smoky flavor is noticeable to the trained palette, but black cardamom is primarily used when cooking beans, lentils and pulses because these ingredients are hard to digest (i.e. gassy).
To use—simply add a whole black cardamom to the pot of boiling beans/lentils & remove from the dish before eating. Available at Mustafa and the Indian grocery shops on Buffalo Road in Little India.
Image sourced via Wikimedia Commons
Read more: Ultimate Guide to Little India
Star Anise is the prettiest spice of them all but most of us don’t have a clue what to do with this lovely little spice that has an almost sweetish and liquorice flavor. Well the good news is that this non-spicy spice can be easily added into just about any dish you’re cooking. Boiling rice? Pop a star anise in to the boiling water. Roasting a whole chicken? Toss a star or two into the cavity. Making a stew or soup or curry? Simply add in Star Anise along with your onions, garlic and other spices. Star Anise has great antioxidant properties and is even known to be a powerful antibacterial with immunity-building and flu-fighting abilities. Now we can certainly do with that!
Image sourced via Pixabay
Ras Al Hanout is a Moroccan/North African spice blend (similar to Garam Masala used in Indian cooking), which is made up of a multitude of spices including Cinnamon, Cumin, Coriander, Nutmeg, cloves and black pepper. This beautifully fragrant spice can be added (start with a big pinch at first to gauge your family’s reaction to the flavour profile) to ground meat for flavourful meatballs, burgers or meat sauce, and it also tastes great in curries and stews (add at any point in the cooking). You can even sprinkle a tiny bit over roast chicken or sautéed vegetables after cooking to oomph up the flavour (it is not a spicy hot spice).
Image sourced via Wikimedia Commons
When it comes to spices, a little goes a long way and so I recommend starting with small quantities (pinch rather than spoon) and then working your way up based on how your little ones respond to the new flavours. It’s also a good idea to talk about the spice you’ve used in the dishes (as well as other ingredients) to get kids interested, excited and involved. If you would like to share more spice stories with your children, check out my book The Magic Spicebox!
Please remember to always keep spices away from light and heat to keep them fresh and in fact, if there are any spices you won’t be using often, including those you bring back from your exotic travels … you may want to consider popping them (well sealed) into the freezer.
These spices can be found at Mustafa, online at Redmart/Lazada and at Jones The Grocer.
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Kid-Friendly Spices That Aren’t Too Hot
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Image by Andy Holmes via Unsplash