Tag Archives: spices

Mustard Seeds In My Spice Cupboard

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Mustard Seeds

Mustard Seeds (rai) have a pungent and slightly tangy flavor. Mustard seeds are used extensively in Indian cooking to flavor many dishes. 

There are 3 types of mustard seeds – white, brown and black. I use the black variety, the smallest and the most flavorful. Brown mustard seeds can be used instead. However, they don’t have as much of the pungent bite as the smaller black seeds.

Black mustard seeds primarily used in Asian cooking tend to lend a good bite to the food. These dark little orbs are mostly used as a tempering spice either at the very beginning or the at the very last stage in the cooking process.

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Quality Ingredients: My Go-To Pantry Picks

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Hi Everyone!

Hope you all are doing well and cooking up a storm in your kitchens. With all that is going on in the world at the moment, I feel my kitchen is my only sanctity. I, time and time again find myself lost in whisking away a batter to make a tasty treat or whipping up a delicious afternoon tea cake for friends and family. And in turn, I keep turning to my pantry for the clean ingredients I use and trust to feed those around me.

My Pantry Essentials

Which reminds me that over the years, many readers and clients have asked which ingredients and brands I keep in my own kitchen. So, I’ve created a dedicated space on the site where I’ve gathered the ingredients and products I use regularly at home. These are brands I’ve come to trust over time and chosen for their quality, sourcing, and simplicity. It’s all in one place for you to explore.

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Fenugreek In My Spice Cupboard

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Fenugreek Seeds (methi seeds) have a bitter taste and distinct sweet aroma. This little but mighty flavorful spice is largely associated with Indian cooking.  The seeds tempered in hot oil, release a pungent yet sweet maple syrupy fragrance. They are hard little angular nuggets of mustard yellow with a little indentation in them. 

Often, fenugreek is dry roasted and ground to a powder. It is then added to pickles to balance out the tart and spicy flavors. Alternatively, it can be added to curries during the cooking process. The hard seeds are sometimes soaked over night and made into a dry curry seasoned with spices.

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Refreshing Salmon and Arugula Salad

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salmon and spinach salad

 

Crunchy, refreshing and chocfull of protein.  I simply can’t get enough of this salad.  I’ve literally been shoving tonnes of it down my throat recently, its kinda scary. And to tell you frankly, I really Continue reading →

State Fair Cilantro Chutney – Cilantro Dipping Sauce

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It’s been way too long since I blogged, almost 4 months – I know… that’s just terrible!  I did try though 😉
As you all know, I started my business “Shamim’s Pantry” earlier this year and it has taken off to a good start!  I make my ghee from local grass-fed butter from a farm here in the Midwest.  And because

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