Blog - Understanding Spices

Understanding Spices

What is moringa? Moringa oleifera is a plant which is also nicknamed the drumstick tree, the miracle tree, the ben oil tree, or the horseradish tree. This fast-growing, drought-resistant tree...

Understanding Spices

Chilli con carne (Spanish for ‘chilli with meat’) is a classic dish enjoyed all over the world. Once considered a very exotic meal by Americans, it is now right at...

Understanding Spices

All over the world, from hole-in-the-wall establishments to fast food drive-thrus, gastro pubs and fancy, fine-dining restaurants, the humble beef burger has become a staple on any menu. In many...

Understanding Spices

If you’re looking for a DIY project, making your own candles is a great idea. They’re easy to make and there are many scents that you can have fun and...

Understanding Spices

What is Lavender Great swathes of purple with hues of mauve, pink and blue - the inspiration for famous paintings and amateur photographs alike. Fields of lavender! Stunning vistas from...

Understanding Spices

Whatever you are cooking, the chances are that at some point, you’ll want to add a bit of spice and herbs. That is why you’re here on our website in...

Understanding Spices

Herbs and spices have been used for centuries for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Not only do they add vibrant natural colours to our dishes, but they also come with...

Understanding Spices

For any cook or chef, it can be tempting to have your favourite most-used spices proudly on display in your kitchen. Who wouldn’t want that? The colours all arranged in...

Understanding Spices

With more than 88,000 brilliant recipes, ckbk is the ultimate digital subscription service for cooks. Subscribers get unlimited access to the complete content of every cookbook in the collection, so ckbk...

Understanding Spices

Indian Cuisine Popularity of Indian food in the UK has peaked since the first Indian restaurant opened two hundred years ago. Although Indian cuisine has been served in the UK...

Understanding Spices

Here on the blog at Seasoned Pioneers, we’ve covered some of the great Indian Curries: Balti, Madras and Korma. While the Pasanda is much less known, it’s every bit as...

Understanding Spices

Having guests over for dinner? Steak is always a winner. A juicy, perfectly seasoned and cooked steak is a luxury that most of us usually only enjoy at a restaurant....

Understanding Spices

‘I’ll have a Madras please’. It’s a phrase spoken by people throughout curry houses and Indian restaurants up and down the country every single night. It’s hot, spicy, delicious and,...

Understanding Spices

Variety is the spice of life - and spices give variety to our cooking. Herbs and spices are a great way of adding flavour and aroma to dishes. They’re also...

Understanding Spices

The chicken Korma. This well-renowned Indian curry can be found on every Indian restaurant menu around the world. The curry sauce itself can be found on supermarket shelves everywhere. If...

Understanding Spices

In this day and age, you’d be hard-pressed not to have come across some sort of podcast. They seem to be everywhere these days, with anyone seemingly jumping on the...

Understanding Spices

Vindaloo is a popular Indian curry originating from the Goa region on the west coast of India. It’s a hot, fiery and tangy dish made with meat, vegetables and plenty...

Understanding Spices

Have you ever had a Korai curry? It’s a classic Indian dish, served up in Indian restaurants around the world. Or how about a karahi? A kadai, or a kadhi?...

Understanding Spices

Let's Curry a Little Flavour! Although curries have become an integral part of the British way of life and one of the most popular dishes consumed in restaurants and 'take...

Understanding Spices

Do you like onions and big, bold spices? If the answer’s yes, chances are you’ll love Dopiaza curry. While not quite as renowned as classics such as the Balti or...

Understanding Spices

A Dhansak (Dansak) is a popular Indian dish which combines elements of Persian and Gujarati cuisine. It consists of meat cooked with lentils and vegetables. The dish was introduced to...

Understanding Spices

No matter which Indian restaurant you’re eating at, we can guarantee Batli is on the menu. You can bet your house on it. We all love to see that beautifully...

Understanding Spices

If you’ve ever been to an Indian restaurant or ordered Indian takeaway, then it’s likely you’ve seen bhuna on the menu. But what exactly is it? And how is it...

Understanding Spices

Rum is one of the most popular spirits in the world, consumed by millions every week. Whether it’s a straight shot of the good stuff or a delicious cocktail at...

Understanding Spices

Cooking with fish and seafood is great. There’s so much choice, whether it’s fish, prawns, squid, scallops, mussels, oysters, langoustines - the list goes on. The best thing about them...

Understanding Spices

If you think that spices only work for savoury dishes, think again. Spices are used in desserts all around the world. In Mexico, chocolate desserts often use chili which gives...

Understanding Spices

If there is a silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic here in the UK it is that, for the most part, we have been blessed with some incredible weather! This,...

Understanding Spices

We are willing to bet that you have a bag of lentils hiding in the back of your cupboard right now! They are just that kind of thing - you...

Understanding Spices

The Mediterranean. Is there a more famous sea? A better embodiment of paradise? You’d be hard pressed to find it. The area is renowned for its world-class holiday destinations from...

Understanding Spices

What is Paella? Originating from a region called Valencia on the east coast of the country, paella is a rice dish which is internationally seen as Spain’s national dish (although...

Understanding Spices

What is biryani? Biryani - that delicious Indian dish consisting of rice flavoured with spices and layered with either lamb, chicken, fish or vegetables and a thick gravy. Each region...

Understanding Spices

Seeds for Bread Is there anyone who doesn't go weak at the knees when confronted by the sensational aroma of freshly baked home-made bread? For almost sixty years we have...

Understanding Spices

From Jamaica to the Dominican Republic and Haiti to Barbados, nowhere does food quite like the Caribbean. You’ll often find a beautiful variety of spices mixed into all kinds of...

Understanding Spices

London. What hasn’t been said about this capital of capitals? It is one of the greatest cities on earth and, at one point, was the very centre of it. As...

Understanding Spices

How to reduce salt in your diet without compromising on flavour If you suffer from high blood pressure, kidney disease or heart failure, you might be wanting to reduce the...

Featured, Understanding Spices

Spices and herbs are a staple of every kitchen providing interest to many dishes by enlivening the taste buds. Not only have they played a role in cooking but, historically,...