SPICE

>literally roots taken from the ground

do americans really eat this?

cayenne
I add it to almost everything I make: stew, chili, rice, beans.
I'll add it to rubs and marinades.
Sometimes I even put it in my hot chocolate.

>ramsay
>american

This user knows their shit. I use cumin more often than just about anything else. Mustard seed is a close second, probably.

My personal favorite in general is cardamom, although I love all spices.

>cardamom
>black tea
>khoresht
>sweets

I guess maybe saffron since it's in anything homemade I consume since childhood. But cardamom has such a strong noticeable flavor that it's what I always say is my favorite spice.

Im from India and we use spices as part of the meal and not just to add flavour. Pretty much each family or community here has their own spice mix or 'garam masala'. My grandfather's mix for example uses fennel, cardamom, cumin, chillies, pepper, cloves, cinnamon and a bunch of other things I cant remember (nutmeg maybe?) which he then dry roasts on a pan and powders.

IMO though regular black pepper and cinnamon are the two most important spices. Their inclusion and proportion can make or break a dish.

Ketchup. I put it on lots of things.

Allspice so I don't have to buy a bunch of redundant spices and just need one jar.

I use paprika for almost all dishes with a tomato based sauce, usually in combination with basil and black pepper.
Coriander I use for hearty stews and soups, and ginger I use for lighter soups usually with a carrot or sweetpotato base. I also find ginger to go well with salmon.
Then there's cinnamon, which I use for my morning oatmeal sometimes along with nutmeg. I usually also mix some nutmeg in with my rusk when making burgers.

Forgot about cumin seeds, which I usually toast in the saucepot when making lentil soup or basmati rice.

Anyone have any experience cooking with tamarind?

S M O K E D
P A P R I K A

Sup Chef John. You're right though. I use cayenne or other chili powders in most of my cooking.

I have taken to putting turmeric in my rice. It's supposed to be really good for you, and provides color like achiote oil but with greater (supposed) health benefits.

I use a lot of paprika, cumin, and sometimes cardamom. My Czech family used a lot of caraway and allspice, and I keep 'em around for soups and sauces. Sometimes juniper berries when I'm making meat dishes, especially venison.

I don't much care for spice mixes, but Old Bay will always have a place in my heart. It's good for seafood salad, potatoes, biscuits, and popcorn.

Yes. Its what we use in India to add sourness to some dishes. Sambar, Rasam and a few curries, mainly fish recipes call for tamarind. Its also eaten as a snack sometimes or made into a juice

what does star anise taste like? A lot of asian recipes call for it, but it's a bit expensive for me to just try

does it taste like regular anise or?

>paprika (sweet, hot, and smoked)
>cumin
>ground and whole coriander seed
>star anise (limited use but really tasty)
>cinnamon (obv)
>mustard seed

Paprika especially. It's just so versatile. Paprika on eggs. Paprika in savory oatmeal. Paprika on roasted vegetables. You can make amazing chicken thighs by rubbing nothing but smoked paprika, salt, and pepper on the skin, searing it on the stove top in some olive oil, and finishing it in the oven.

Star anise adds a very singular flavor to things. The only way it can be described as is "licoricey" but that doesn't really fully encompass it. Let's just say it tastes like star anise and you will notice if it's gone. Delicious spice.

>garlic powder
>literally everything

I don't prefer one particular spice. I just put adobo on every dish that contains meat.

It smells and tastes just like black licorice