Following the first and second seasons of "A Bite of China", "The World of Flavor" directed by Chen Xiaoqing can be said to be a feast for the eyes of all foodies. I believe that one of the episodes is still fresh in your memory: Spice Crossroads , today I will talk to you about spices and their use.

The main function of spices is to remove odors contained in various cooking ingredients, impart flavor to food, and have the effects of sterilizing and increasing appetite. In cooking, it is sometimes used as a single flavor, sometimes in combination with multiple flavors, some are made into powder form, and some are made into sauce or oil form.

Spices can generally be divided into two categories: aromatic and bitter.

The main bitter spices include: nutmeg, white cardamom, cardamom, apple fruit, fragrant sand, amomum villosum, kaempferol, galangal, and peppermint. Angelica dahurica, tangerine peel, etc.

The main aromatic spices include: star anise (also known as anise, aniseed), cinnamon (also known as cinnamon), cloves (also known as male clove), bay leaves (also known as laurel leaves, bay leaves), Cumin, chili, pepper, cumin, licorice, perilla, mint, thyme, etc.

In addition, there are some less common spices such as: gecko, patchouli, rosemary, cypress leaves, etc.

Gecko (also known as fairy toad, giant gecko): It has the functions of nourishing the lungs and kidneys, nourishing yin and strengthening yang, absorbing qi and relieving asthma. Its body color varies depending on its habitat, including brown, black-green, gray Brown, etc., have a fishy smell and slightly salty taste. They are mainly used in Chaozhou brine and Guangdong brine to enhance freshness and relieve greasiness. They are also stable and have antiseptic effects.

Patchouli: pungent in taste and slightly warm in nature, it can ward off filth and remove dampness. Generally, it is used to cook fish in dishes for its special aroma and to remove fishy smell. Rosemary (also known as tansy): pungent and warm in nature, can induce sweating, strengthen the stomach, and soothe the nerves. It is mainly used for pickling raw materials (such as beef) and flavoring barbecue dishes in Western food. Cypress branches and leaves: bitter and pungent, warm in nature, generally used for bacon, depending on its aroma.

When using spices, you should follow the principle of erring on the side of less than too much, otherwise it will produce a stuffy smell. The spices themselves have some odor and bitterness. Aromatic spices contain less odor and bitterness, so just soak them in water. Bitter spices contain more impurities and odors, so white wine is generally used. Soak. If the spices are large or dense during soaking, crack them open and then soak them.

Because some of the aromatic substances of spices are fat-soluble (except for mint and perilla), they cannot be completely volatilized only after soaking, and must be fried. When frying with oil, be careful to use low heat and low oil temperature. Do not burn the spices by burning the oil over high heat. When adding spices to the pot, pay attention to the order. Those that are fragrant slowly (such as star anise, cinnamon, grass fruits, etc.) should be put first. , those that produce fragrance quickly (such as lemongrass, thyme, bay leaves, cumin, etc.) should be placed later to make the fragrance of the spices tend to be consistent. Generally speaking, the reason why the aroma comes out quickly is because the particles are small, and the reason why the aroma comes out slowly is because the pieces are larger. Therefore, star anise, cinnamon, grass fruits, etc. can be crushed and put into the pot together with the ones that produce aroma quickly.

When using, aromatics and bitters should be properly matched: Generally, the amount of aromatics is slightly larger (such as more star anise and fennel), and the amount of bitters is slightly smaller (such as more star anise and fennel). If you add too much amomum villosum, it will be very bitter, don’t add too much peppermint because it has a spicy taste, and if you add too much angelica, it will have a very strong traditional Chinese medicinal taste); when using it, you need to use different raw materials and treat them differently. You can’t save effort, so just pack a universal material bag. Once and for all. During application, if the raw materials have a strong fishy smell, add more odor-removing spices, such as: add some cumin when processing mutton, add some mint when processing dog meat, etc.; and then increase or decrease the amount of various spices according to the characteristics of the raw materials. For example, for pork, more nutmeg and cinnamon should be added, for chickens and ducks, etc. For poultry, more kaempferol and angelica should be added, and a little cloves are also indispensable.

Here comes the practical information: How to remember these spices

White cardamom: warm in nature and pungent in taste. It is used as a flavoring seasoning in cooking. It is suitable for boiling, stewing, stewing, and stewing in cooking. It can be used in conjunction with other spicy seasonings to increase the aroma of food. White cardamom is included in our commonly used curries and five-spice powder, but the amount Very little, tastes like pepper.

Cardamom: warm in nature and pungent in taste. In cooking, it is often used together with peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon and other spices. It is suitable for stewing, sauce, boiling, steaming, roasting, stewing and stewing to add flavor to dishes. Note: Cardamom is generally not used alone.

Nutmeg: warm in nature, pungent, and with a strong aroma. It is widely used in cooking to stew, roast, stew, boil, steam, sauce, and stew. It can treat fishy, ??smelly, and muttony ingredients in animal raw materials. It has the effect of removing odor and increasing aroma. The five-spice beef, camphor tea duck, crispy chicken, and the brine of Cantonese cuisine that we often eat are indispensable. Note: It is not suitable to eat due to damp heat and diarrhea, as well as stomach heat and vomiting.

Caoguo: warm in nature, spicy. Used as spices, it is suitable for stewing, boiling, and sauce-based meats. It can remove fishy smell, increase flavor, and increase appetite. Kaempferia sapodilla: warm in nature and pungent in taste, it is also known as Sanaiko, Shajiang, Shajiang, etc. It is used in animal food for roasting, boiling, stewing, steaming, stewing, and sauce. Adding kaempferol to pickled foods can remove the fishy, ??smelly, muttony, and pungent odors of the raw materials. At the same time, it is also suitable for making five-spice powder, curry ingredients, etc. One of the main ingredients of compound flavoring.

Dahurian Angelicae: warm in nature and pungent in taste, used for stewing, boiling, roasting, stewing, and steaming. It can remove odor and increase sweetness. It is used with cardamom, Amomum villosum, pistachios, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, The effect is better when aniseed is used together.

Amomum villosum: warm, pungent, with a strong aromatic smell, it can be used as a separate seasoning in cooking, and can be used in combination with other spices for braising, steaming, sauce, roasting, stewing, etc. of meat products. Cook etc. Piper pepper is pungent, slightly spicy, and smells like pepper. It is often combined with Angelica dahurica, cardamom, Amomum villosum and other spices during cooking to remove the odor of animal raw materials. It is especially essential for stewed and sauced foods, as it can remove odors and increase aroma.

Cinnamon (i.e. cinnamon, laurel): sweet and pungent, mainly plays an aromatic seasoning role, and is widely used. It is essential for braised and sauce foods, and can increase the compound flavor of food.

Licorice: Sweet in taste, it can add sweetness and flavor to beef when cooking it, remove the fishy smell, and has antiseptic properties. It is widely used in brine in various cuisines.