Ido Fishman Shares How to Cook with Spices 

It is a well-known fact that spices are what make your food taste so good and they can make all the difference in how something tastes. The only problem is that most people don’t really know how to use them, so they mostly shy away from them and this means they will not get the desired results when they cook. If you don’t want to be in the same boat, you can check out these tips that Ido Fishman has shared. You will know when to add spices and how much to add, allowing you to incorporate them into your cooking with complete confidence. Let’s find out what they are:

• Make sure you are storing the spices right

First and foremost, Ido Fishman recommends that you ensure you are storing your spices in the right place for keeping them as flavorful and fresh as possible. Keeping spices above the stove is not recommended because they have to be kept away from direct heat and in a dark, cool environment. You oven, stove and dishwasher all generate heat, which means all these places should be avoided.

• Check the expiration dates of the spices

Yes, spices also have an expiry date, which means they will have less flavor and even a dull color in some cases. For instance, Paprika turns to a dull brown from bright red, which indicates it has gone bad. Ido Fishman Chef says that your spices start to age as soon as you open them, so you should mark the date and check to ensure they are fresh and fragrant. 

• Know how to use dried herbs properly

While you can add spices during and even after cooking, it is essential to remember that dried herbs need time for releasing their flavor. Therefore, you should always add them during the cooking process. These are used in sauces, stews and other long-cooking recipes where they can release their flavor fully. If you are using them in recipes that don’t cook long, just rub them between your fingers because this will release the aroma and flavor quicker. 

• Get a spice grinder 

It is a fact that freshly ground spices can give better flavor than pre-ground spices. Therefore, Ido Fishman recommends that you buy the flavorful spices whole and do the grinding yourself. Even though it seems excessive, but the final product will have a huge difference and this makes it worth it.

• Know how fine to grind them 

According to experts like Ido Fishman, the taste of your spices will also depend on how fine you grind them. For instance, black pepper ranges from mild to spicy, depending on how find it is ground. Finely ground pepper really turns it up a notch, whereas coarsely ground pepper seems to be fairly mild. 

• Toast whole spices in a dry pan 

Toasting your spices in a dry pan is an excellent way for you to amp them up. This tip comes in handy for whole spices, along with ground spices. The flavor and aroma is just amazing, but when using whole spices, make sure you do this before grinding them. As for ground spices, only do this for a couple of seconds because they are a bit more prone to burning.

• Bloom the spices

Similar to toasting, blooming refers to the process that helps in releasing the flavor of your spices. As per Ido Fishman, this technique allows you to toast the spices and also infuses their flavor into the cooking oil, which adds flavor to the whole dish. All you have to do is cook the spices in hot oil and they will bloom. 

• Grate your spices

Spices give the best taste when they are just grated, so Ido Fishman suggests that you grate them directly into a dish to use their flavor. Use a Microplane to grate nutmeg, cinnamon and a few other spices and you can get the best taste.