A good spice collection doesn’t need to fill a cupboard. These ten cover most everyday cooking, from curries and chillies to roasts and baking.
The ten
- Cumin — warm and earthy. Use it in chilli, curries, bean dishes, roast carrots and spiced rice.
- Smoked paprika — sweet and smoky. Great in stews, on roast potatoes, with chicken and eggs, and in bean dishes.
- Chilli flakes — clean heat. Add a pinch to pasta, stir-fries, pizza and dressings.
- Ground coriander — citrusy and mellow. Partners cumin in curries, soups and marinades.
- Turmeric — earthy, with a golden colour. Use a little in curries, dhal and rice. It stains, so watch your worktops.
- Garam masala — a warming blend. Stir it into curries near the end of cooking for a fragrant finish.
- Cinnamon — sweet and warming. Not just for baking: try a pinch in chilli, tagines and tomato sauces.
- Dried oregano — strictly a herb, but a cupboard essential for tomato sauces, pizza, Greek salads and marinades.
- Black pepper — buy whole peppercorns and grind them fresh. The difference is huge.
- Ground ginger — warm and zingy. Use it in baking, marinades, stir-fry sauces and squash soup.
Get more flavour from them
- Bloom them in oil. Fry ground spices in a little hot oil for 30–60 seconds before adding liquid. Their flavours dissolve in fat and come alive.
- Toast whole spices in a dry pan until they smell fragrant, then grind them.
- Don’t burn them. Ground spices scorch fast and turn bitter. Keep the heat moderate and stir.
- Add some at the end. Garam masala, a pinch of cumin or fresh pepper stirred in at the end keeps the flavour bright.
Buy and store them well
- Buy small jars, or larger bags from the world-food aisle, which are often much cheaper.
- Store them away from the hob, sunlight and steam. Heat and light fade flavour.
- Sniff test: if a ground spice barely smells of anything, it won’t taste of much either. Replace it.
Next steps
Once you’ve got these, add one or two from cuisines you love: Chinese five-spice, za’atar, sumac, fennel seeds or a Cajun blend. Use our curry guide to put several of them to work.