Spices and Flavour Bases
Cooking Skills: Vegetables 2
Chapter 1 · Spices and Flavour Bases
Skill goal
Use spices and slow-cooked bases to build flavour into vegetable dishes.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Vegetables 1 taught the methods. This course is about flavour: how spices, aromatics and bases turn plain vegetables into something you'll want to eat again. The same few ideas appear in cuisines all over the world: toasting spices, cooking aromatics slowly, and building a sauce on a base.
Whole or ground?
| Whole spices | Ground spices | |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour | Fuller, more aromatic when toasted or ground fresh | Convenient, but fade faster |
| Shelf life | About 1 to 2 years if kept cool, dark and airtight | About 6 months to a year; replace when the smell has faded |
| Use | Toasted dry or in hot oil (tarka); ground in a mortar or coffee grinder | Added to food, or briefly fried in oil |
| Typical examples | Cumin, coriander, mustard and fennel seeds, cardamom pods, cloves | Turmeric, paprika, chilli powder, ground cumin and coriander |
Waking spices up
- Toast whole spices dry: put them in a dry pan over a medium heat for 30 to 60 seconds, shaking, until they smell strongly. Take them off at once. Burnt spices are bitter.
- Fry in oil: spices release their flavour into fat, which is why many recipes fry ground spices in oil for 30 to 60 seconds. Keep the heat moderate and add a splash of water if they catch.
- Tarka: whole spices sizzled in hot oil and poured over a finished dish, like a flavoured dressing.
- Grind fresh in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder for the strongest flavour.
- Add at the right time: ground spices early to cook out their raw edge; delicate herbs and garam masala near the end.
Flavour bases
| Base | From | What it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soffritto | Italy | Onion, carrot and celery cooked slowly in oil | Pasta sauces, soups, braises, risotto |
| Sofrito | Spain | Onion, pepper, garlic and tomato in oil, cooked until jammy | Stews, rice dishes, sauces |
| Mirepoix | France | Onion, carrot and celery (as soffritto but in butter), often not browned | Stocks, soups, sauces |
| Masala base | India | Onions browned with garlic, ginger, spices and tomato | Curries and dals |
| Holy trinity | Louisiana | Onion, green pepper and celery | Gumbo, jambalaya |
The common thread: aromatics cooked slowly in fat until they soften and sweeten. Rush them and you get raw, sharp flavours.
Fresh, jarred or powder?
Fresh garlic and ginger taste brighter and cleaner than jars. Jarred pastes are handy, but they are often salty or preserved with acid. Garlic powder and ginger powder are different in character, not a direct swap. For a curry, fresh is worth the small effort.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Spiced roast cauliflower
The easiest way to start using spices: roast a vegetable you already know with a spice mix. Set the oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
Ingredients (2 portions)
- ½ cauliflower, in florets
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp plain yoghurt, to serve
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Mix the oil with the spices and salt in a large bowl to make a paste. Add the cauliflower and toss until every floret is coated.
- Spread on a tray in a single layer with space between pieces (see Cooking Skills: Vegetables 1, chapter 3).
- Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until tender with browned edges. The spices should smell toasted, not burnt: turn the oven down if the edges darken too fast.
- Serve with the yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon.
Turmeric stains
Turmeric turns worktops, wooden spoons and plastic boxes yellow. Use a bowl you don't mind, and wash up soon.
Level 2 · Tarka
Tarka carrots
Boil or steam the carrots until just tender (see Cooking Skills: Vegetables 1, chapter 2), then pour a tarka over them. The spice oil is made in a minute and brings the dish to life.
Ingredients (2 portions)
- 300 g carrots, sliced or in batons
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp black or brown mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
- 1 small green chilli, sliced (optional)
- 8 curry leaves (optional)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Cook the carrots in boiling salted water for 5 to 8 minutes until just tender. Drain and keep warm.
- Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and keep the lid close. When they begin to pop (about 30 seconds), add the cumin seeds.
- After 10 seconds, add the garlic, chilli and curry leaves. Stir for 10 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour the hot spiced oil over the carrots, add the lemon juice and toss.
Hot oil and chillies
Spitting seeds: mustard seeds pop and jump out of hot oil. Keep a lid to hand and hold it between you and the pan, and use a pan with high sides. Never leave hot oil unattended, and never put water on an oil fire (turn off the heat and cover with a lid or damp cloth).Chillies: the heat is in the seeds and pith. Wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly with soap after cutting chillies, and don't touch your eyes. Start with less than you think and add more at the end. Dairy (yoghurt, milk) soothes a mouth on fire better than water.
Level 2 · Bases
Two flavour bases: soffritto and sofrito
A soffritto (Italian: onion, carrot, celery) and a sofrito (Spanish: onion, pepper, garlic, tomato) are the foundation of countless sauces, soups and stews. The skill is patience: cook slowly until soft and sweet, never browned.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stick, finely diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 red or green pepper, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes, grated or chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Soffritto: warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over a low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and sweet.
- Sofrito: in a second pan, warm 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the onion and pepper over a low heat for 15 minutes. Add the garlic and paprika for 1 minute, then the tomatoes. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until thick and jammy.
- Use straight away as the start of a soup, stew or pasta sauce. Cool the rest quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze in portions.
Freeze in ice-cube trays
Frozen cubes of soffritto or sofrito are a quick way to start a meal on a busy night.
Level 3 · Masala
Curry base (masala)
The basis of most curries. Make a large batch and freeze it: with a spoon or two and some vegetables you have dinner in 20 minutes.
Ingredients (6 portions)
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp oil
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 3 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tin 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 green chilli, chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- Warm the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds for 20 seconds, then the onions with the salt. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown.
- Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ground spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring, so they toast and release their oils. Add a splash of water if they stick.
- Add the tomatoes. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring, until the oil separates from the sauce and it has thickened to a paste.
- Cool quickly, divide into portions, and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze.
Allergens and chillies
Allergens: shop-bought curry powders, pastes and stock cubes can contain mustard, celery, gluten, nuts or shrimp paste. Always read the label if anyone you are cooking for has an allergy.Chillies: the heat is in the seeds and pith. Wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly with soap after cutting chillies, and don't touch your eyes. Start with less than you think and add more at the end. Dairy (yoghurt, milk) soothes a mouth on fire better than water.
Experiments
Experiment
Whole or ground cumin
Which is stronger?
- Toast 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds in a dry pan and grind them. Make two small batches of the roast cauliflower: one with your freshly ground cumin and one with shop-bought ground cumin.
- Taste them side by side.
Look for: Freshly ground cumin tends to be fuller and more fragrant. If your ground cumin has been in the cupboard for over a year, the difference can be dramatic.
Experiment
Toasted or raw
Spice in the pan.
- Stir ½ teaspoon of ground coriander into one half of some warm yoghurt. Fry ½ teaspoon in a little oil for 30 seconds and stir it into the other half.
- Taste both.
Look for: The raw spice tastes dusty and a little raw; the cooked spice is rounder and warmer.
Experiment
Early or late
When to add the spice.
- Make two small portions of the curry base. Add the ground spices at the start, with the onions, in one. Add them after the onions are browned, in the other.
Look for: Spices added too early can catch and turn bitter; added after the onions they keep their fragrance. Note which tastes better.
Experiment
Fresh or jarred ginger and garlic
A side-by-side taste.
- Make two small batches of tarka carrots, one with fresh garlic and the other with jarred garlic paste. Do the same with fresh and jarred ginger in a second round if you like.
Look for: Fresh tastes brighter and sharper; jarred is milder, saltier and sometimes slightly sour.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spiced roast cauliflower | ||||
| Tarka carrots | ||||
| Soffritto and sofrito | ||||
| Curry base | ||||
| Whole vs ground cumin | ||||
| Toasted vs raw | ||||
| Early vs late | ||||
| Fresh vs jarred |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter spices | Burnt in a hot, dry pan or oil | Lower the heat; add a splash of water; start again if black |
| Raw, dusty taste | Spices not cooked | Fry them in oil for 30 to 60 seconds |
| Bland dish | Old spices or not enough salt | Replace spices; season at the end |
| Burnt garlic | Added too soon to hot oil | Add late and for seconds only |
| Onions pale and watery | Heat too low or pan crowded | Turn up the heat and let the water cook off |
| Too hot | Too much chilli | Add yoghurt, coconut milk or a little sugar; serve with rice |
Hot oil, chillies and storage
Spitting seeds: mustard seeds pop and jump out of hot oil. Keep a lid to hand and hold it between you and the pan, and use a pan with high sides. Never leave hot oil unattended, and never put water on an oil fire (turn off the heat and cover with a lid or damp cloth).Chillies: the heat is in the seeds and pith. Wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly with soap after cutting chillies, and don't touch your eyes. Start with less than you think and add more at the end. Dairy (yoghurt, milk) soothes a mouth on fire better than water.
Allergens: shop-bought curry powders, pastes and stock cubes can contain mustard, celery, gluten, nuts or shrimp paste. Always read the label if anyone you are cooking for has an allergy.
Leftovers: cool cooked vegetables quickly (within 1 to 2 hours), keep them covered in the fridge, and eat within 2 days. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only once.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can toast whole spices without burning them.
- I can make a tarka and pour it over a dish.
- I can cook an aromatic base slowly until sweet.
- I know when to add ground spices and when to add fresh ones.
- I can store and reuse flavour bases safely.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Vegetables 2, chapter 2 is Vegetable Curries and Stews: building a sauce and balancing heat, sweetness, salt and acid.