Pantry Lovers Series Number 2 – Make your seasonings from scratch!

In this second issue of this Pantry Lovers series I give you MULTIPLE delicious things to make instead of buy – for freshness and flavour, for creativity and for fun. These are the condiments that just make life better. Or at least tastier!

Curry Powder

When you’re making your own curry powder from scratch, you want to use whole spices, toasted and then ground. This will give you the very best flavour and fragrance. Technically, once you do this, the shelf life of your home-made curry powder is shortened. The longest-lasting home-made curry powder is made with ground versions of the spices below, but you compromise the flavour. Use whole spices, toast, grind, then don’t assume it still has pungency two years later, okay? (Alternatively, use ground versions of the whole spices below, really, no hard feelings.)

Makes ½ cup / 50 gm

Ingredients

2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
½ tablespoon whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole cardamon pods
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
½ tablespoon ground turmeric
½ tablespoon ground ginger
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Method

Toast the coriander, cumin, cardamon pods and peppercorns in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Remove from the pan and cool the spices to room temperature before placing in a high-speed food processor with the remaining ingredients and pulse together until finely ground, or pound by hand with a mortar and pestle.

Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar in your pantry for up to 2 months.

Garam Masala

I’m giving this to you in largish proportions because you want to make a reasonable-sized jar, and use it! It will last in a sealed jar in your pantry for six months. If you’re not already putting this into butter chicken or cheese sauce or home-made chai, you need to. It’s delicious! (Alternatively, you can easily halve this recipe.)

Makes ½ cup / 60 gm

Ingredients

1 ½  tablespoons whole cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon whole cardamom pods
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1 ½ teaspoon whole cloves
1 ½ teaspoon nutmeg (ground or freshly grated)
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 star anise
1 bay leaf

Method

In a frying pan, dry-roast the cumin, coriander, cardamon and peppercorns for 1 minute over a medium heat, until fragrant.

Remove from the pan and cool the spices to room temperature before placing in a high-speed blender with all the other ingredients and pulse together until finely ground, or pound by hand in a mortar and pestle.

Store in an airtight jar in your pantry for up to 6 months.

Za’atar

I first discovered this spice blend travelling in Israel in my twenties, sprinkled over labneh that had been drizzled with olive oil, and eaten with really good flatbread.

Israeli za’atar tends to be dried thyme, salt, sesame seeds and sumac. Egyptian za’atar usually includes cumin and coriander.

Za’atar is also the name of a rare plant that is a protected species in Israel, with restrictions on harvesting to protect it from extinction. It has a long history, including being part of the biblical leper-cleansing ritual, and apparently was the plant the Israelites used to sprinkle lamb’s blood over their doors at Passover when God sent the angel of death to kill all the first-born sons of Egypt.

In more cheerful news, it’s absolutely great used to roll a log of goat’s cheese in, or sprinkled over avocados and tomatoes, or used as a dry rub for roasting meat or veggies.

I still hold fast that the very best way to eat za’atar is sprinkled over home-made labneh, drizzled with olive oil, and eaten with home-made yoghurt flatbread. Ideally with wine. (Unless it’s 10 am.)

Makes ⅓  cup / 30 gm

Ingredients

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon sumac
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes or other granulated salt

Method

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, stirring often, then allow them to cool thoroughly. Mix all the ingredients together.

Store in an airtight container in your pantry for up to 1 month (you don’t want those toasted sesame seeds going rancid.)

Taco Seasoning

This is a simple and handy spice mix to have in your pantry to pimp just about anything from roast potatoes to bolognese mince. This is something you should make, not buy; the flavours will jump out at you with none of the nasty chemicals or preservatives frequently found in commercial versions.

Makes ⅔  cup / 60 gm

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons smoked paprika

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar. It will last about 6 months, depending on the freshness of the spices used.

Flavoured Salt

First, why would you bother with flavoured salt?

HERE’S WHY: almost without exception, flavoured salt improves everything it touches. Do not underestimate it. Use it on meat or fish as a rub, or sprinkled on top before cooking, or over the finished dish before serving. Sprinkle it on popcorn to revolutionise movie night. Hop up your Bolognese. Shake it over hot potatoes (with butter), use it as a ‘finishing salt’ over eggs. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS. It also makes a great gift. (Maybe include a swing tag telling the recipient how to use it!)
Notes

Air-dry any fresh ingredients you’re going to use. For example, dry zested citrus on a tray for a day or two before using. Alternatively, dry it in your oven on the lowest setting for about 1 hour.

One dry, blitz the dry herbs or zests in a high-speed blender until very fine.

Use coarse salt – for example, sea salt flakes.

Remove dry ingredients from the blender and mix your herbs or spices into the salt with a fork, or use your fingers directly, at a rate of 3:1 salt to flavour.

Rosemary Salt

Makes ⅓  cup / 30 gm

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sea salt flakes
2 fresh rosemary sprigs

Method

Strip the leaves off the sprigs onto a tray and leave to air-dry for approximately 24 hours.

Once dry, blitz the rosemary in a high-speed blender until fine, remove and stir into the salt by hand. Sprinkle over hot potato wedges. AMAZING.

Other flavoured salts to try:

Chilli and lime (great with fish)

Smoked paprika (excellent with barbecued steak and tacos)

Sage salt (lovely with pasta – upgrades macaroni cheese significantly)

Recipe adapted from Fiona Weir’s book “From Scratch” published by Hardie Grant 2022, photography by Alan Benson