How to Use Spices in Homemade Infused Vodka

By Cherry Crawford March 19, 2023 16 mins read 166 Views

Infusing vodka with your favorite spices is a great way to elevate your cocktail game and impress guests. Fruits, herbs and spices all work well in homemade infused vodka.

All you need is a glass container, vodka, and the ingredients you want to infuse. Seal the jar and allow it to steep in a cool, dark place for one to four weeks.

1. Add a dash of cinnamon

Adding a dash of cinnamon to your homemade infused vodka can bring a sweet, warm and cozy flavor to your cocktails. It’s also a great way to make your drink more festive and fit for the fall season.

Infusing your vodka with fruit, spices and herbs is a fun, inexpensive way to add a personalized touch to your cocktail glasses and bar cart. Plus, it makes a thoughtful gift for friends and family members!

2. Add a pinch of nutmeg

Adding a pinch of nutmeg to your homemade infused vodka adds a touch of spice. It also adds a lovely fragrance to the drink.

You can easily make this delicious pear vodka by using one large ripe pear, and 1 liter of high-quality vodka (moonshine will do). Pour the fruits and spices in a glass jar, add a pinch of nutmeg and leave it for a week.

3. Add a pinch of cloves

A pinch of cloves can make your homemade infused vodka really kick up the flavor. You can use a whole clove or cut it up with your knife, making sure you remove all the papery skins.

Start by choosing a tightly sealable glass vessel (such as a mason jar). Next, add the fruit, herbs, and/or spices you want to infuse with vodka.

4. Add a pinch of cardamom

Often found in Indian, Arabic, and Scandinavian cuisines, cardamom is a warm spice with a unique flavor. Known to help improve digestion and freshen breath, it adds warmth and depth to dishes.

It can be purchased as powder, whole seeds, or even as a whole pod. Green cardamom is more common than black, but either can be used.

5. Add a pinch of ginger

Ginger is an excellent ingredient to add to homemade infused vodka because it helps to prevent indigestion and abdominal cramping. It also lowers high blood pressure and relieves nausea.

Make it extra spicy by adding cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, or vanilla beans. It’s also delicious with citruses. Pair it with a lime and a bit of honey for a delicious ginger lemonade.

6. Add a pinch of cayenne

Infused vodkas are a delicious way to add a personal touch to your cocktails. They are also a thoughtful gift for friends and family.

To make infused vodka, simply place your ingredients in a glass container and cover them with liquor. Seal the jar and store in a cool place for up to one week or more.

7. Add a pinch of sage

A pinch of sage will bring an herbaceous flavor to your homemade infused vodka. It makes an excellent addition to bloody marys, but you can also use it in a classic vodka cocktail.

Place sage leaves in a quart-sized jar and bruise them with a muddler. Steep in a cool, dark place for 48 hours.

8. Add a pinch of salt

Adding a pinch of salt to homemade infused vodka makes the final product a little more flavorful. You can also rim cocktail glasses with it for added flavor.

Infused vodka can be made with many different fruits, herbs, and spices. The infusion time varies, depending on the ingredient.

9. Add a pinch of black pepper

Spices are a great way to add extra flavor and depth to homemade infused vodka. Sweet baking spices like cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cacao nibs, and star anise are popular choices.

Savory herbs and spices can also work well in homemade infused vodka. Peppercorns, bay leaves, chile peppers, coriander seeds, dill seed, rosemary needles, and thyme leaves are great choices.

10. Add a pinch of mace

Mace is the red lacy coating that encases the seed inside nutmeg, which grows on the tropical nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrans). When nutmeg reaches full maturity, it splits open to reveal an egg-speckled kernel.

The red aril of the nutmeg kernel becomes mace when dried and ground into spice. It’s also available in whole, golden-orange “blades” that can be used to flavor pots of rice, stews, soups, and other long-cooking dishes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the typical spices, condiments, and seasonings used in their dishes in Thailand?

Thai cuisine is a mixture of Asian influences. Its roots lie in India, China, and Southeast Asia.

Freshness is the most important ingredient in Thai food. Ingredients that are quickly cooked and picked at the right time will have more flavour. This is the reason meat, fish, fruits and vegetables are often eaten raw.

Spices and sauces give dishes depth and color. Fresh basil, cilantro, mint, coriander (cilantro), lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, garlic, chillies, chilli paste, soy sauce, tamarind juice, oyster sauce, palm sugar, coconut milk, lime leaves, galangal root, curry powder, shrimp paste, fish sauce, tamarind water, rice vinegar, etc. are commonly used.

Almond Flour vs. Almond Meal. What's The Difference?

As an almond flour alternative, an almond meal is more versatile because it can be used for baking, cooking, and even making nut-free dishes.

Almond flour may also contain gluten, making it difficult to digest. It's important to avoid gluten-free diets if your condition is celiac.

Almond flour may not be considered a "superfood", per se, but it contains healthy fats as well as fibre, protein and vitamin E.

The nutritional benefits of almond meal include magnesium and copper, iron and zinc, manganese as well as potassium and vitamin C.

Almond flour is made from almonds and contains monounsaturated fat acids. Almond oil, however, contains polyunsaturated oils. Both help to lower LDL (bad), and increase HDL levels.

Almond flour is also rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenolics. These compounds protect against free radical-induced oxidative harm.

The Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry published a study that found almond flour to have the same antioxidant activity as blueberries, cranberries and pomegranates.

Almond flour is usually sold alongside almond milk, fortified with additional nutrients.

What mint is used in Thai food?

Thai cuisine uses the most popular type of mint, the lime-leaf (Mentha cevina).

Its mild, lemony taste adds freshness and zest to dishes. Thai dishes are enhanced with other spices, such as galangal and coriander.

Mint is a versatile herb that can be used in both sweet as well as savoury meals. You can create authentic Thai flavours by choosing the right herbs, spices, and aromatics.

Make a Thai dish next time and add some lime-leaf mint to give it extra flavor.

Happy cooking!

What is the difference between cooking with whole spices and using ground spices? Ground Spices?

There is no difference between cooking whole spices and with ground spices. After harvesting, all spices are ground. The quality is the same.

However, this price differential is quite significant. Because of the labor involved in making whole spices, they cost more. But the flavour is well worth it.

You'll often find extra discounts for bulk purchases when you buy whole spices. A whole bag of cinnamon sticks might be eligible for a discount.

It is the same for cardamom and cloves as well as ginger, ginger, nutmeg, and ginger. You may be able save money if you buy these spices in bulk.

Ground spices last much longer than whole spices. This is because ground spices lose their potency quickly due to oxidation.

The main reason we recommend whole spices over dried is that they can add lots of flavor to recipes.

You can make delicious curry using whole turmeric, instead of ground turmeric. Or you can grind whole coriander seeds to create a spice blend for chicken dishes.

Also, grinding spices takes time. It is sensible to purchase large quantities when buying whole spices. So that you don’t run out of spices, it’s a smart move.

Statistics

Their 14 to 20 percent essential oil content means that cloves have the highest concentration of aroma compounds of any spice. (masterclass.com)
It has been estimated that around 1,000 tons of pepper and 1,000 tons of other common spices were imported into Western Europe each year during the Late Middle Ages. (en.wikipedia.org)
India contributes to 75% of global spice production. (en.wikipedia.org)

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How To

Are you a master of making curry paste?

Curry paste contains dried chillies and shallots, galangal roots, lemongrass (kaffir lime leaf), garlic, shrimp paste, sugar and salt. It is used extensively in Thai cuisine.

Curry paste is one of the most popular condiments in Southeast Asia. This unique flavor can be added to many dishes including curries, soups and stir-fries as well as rice dishes, noodles, desserts, and rice dishes.

It is very easy to make it at home. Follow our step-bystep guide below.

Step1 - Prepare Ingredients

Before you can start the recipe, it is important to have all the ingredients ready.
To begin, you will need to peel and chop shallots (about 2 cups). Then chop galangal root into small pieces (about 3 inches long) and set aside.
Next, slice four garlic cloves. Next, peel and mince the lemongrass stems (about 1/2-inch thick).
You can then crush the red chilli bell peppers into small pieces (about 4 tablespoons), and then you can remove the seeds (optional).
Cut the kaffirlime leaves into small strips, approximately 5 inches in length. The white part of your stem should be removed and put aside.
Then drain the shrimp paste (6 ounces) and then coarsely mash it.
Last, take out the salt and sugar.

Step2 - Grind Ingredients

Blend all ingredients until smooth
The texture should be similar to that of peanut butter.
If you would like to reduce the amount oil in your dish, you could substitute water for some of it.

Step3 - Add Coconut Milk

Mix coconut milk with the mixture.
You should slowly add the coconut milk so that it doesn't get too sticky.
If you prefer less spice, add less chillies to the recipe and more galangalroot.
You may prefer it hotter, so add more chilies or less galangalroot. The end result should be delicious.

Step4 - Serve