The Difference Between Whole and Ground Spices

By Caroline Anderson March 17, 2023 16 mins read 321 Views

Adding whole spices to your dishes often enhances their flavor. But sometimes using ground spices is a better option.

During grinding, the dried spice seed is torn apart, exposing its volatile oils that define its flavor. These oils will quickly disappear when the spice is ground, so it’s important to replace your ground spices regularly.

Flavor

Adding whole spices to a recipe can add an extra layer of flavor. They release their flavor more slowly than ground, which makes them ideal for dishes with long cooking times.

To get the most out of your whole spices, toast them or saute them in oil first, then stir into a dish. This will release the aromatic oils that give them their unique flavor.

Ground spices, on the other hand, have a more pronounced aroma and texture that can make a difference when paired with other flavors. For example, cardamom and nutmeg can have a textural pop when toasted and crushed in a mortar and pestle or microplaned.

If you want to use ground spice instead of whole, try to measure out the amount that a recipe calls for before grinding. This will help you avoid over-grinding your spices and wasting them.

Texture

Whether you're cooking with whole spices or ground, their texture and aroma are two of the most important features. Unlike spices that come in powdered, granulated, crushed, or pulverized forms, whole spices have a complex array of volatile oils locked inside that give them their distinct flavor and aroma.

These oils are lost when the spices are heated and when they're cut, bruised, or processed. This loss affects both their taste and their texture.

The size of a spice's particle is also an important factor. Larger seeds (e.g., peppercorns) don't sit neatly in a measuring spoon and require more ground spice to achieve the same volume.

A general ratio for using whole and ground spices is 3/4 teaspoon of ground spice for each teaspoon of whole. However, it is best to taste a dish to determine the correct amount of spice needed.

Aroma

The aroma and flavor of a spice are imparted by volatile (essential) oils and nonvolatiles within a matrix of carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, gums, and other cell components. The ratio of volatiles to nonvolatiles varies among spices depending on the variety, origin, environmental growing and harvesting conditions, stage of maturity, and postharvest handling.

During processing, the essential oils are lost as they evaporate from the spice due to high temperatures or when the spices are crushed or ground. This can make fresh whole spices lose their flavor, color, and texture.

If you want to preserve the flavor and aroma of a spice, the best way is to store it in a cool, dark place away from heat, light, and humidity. This will help prevent the loss of the essential oils and slow the oxidation process that causes rancidity.

Storage

Spices can be kept in a cool, dark place to preserve their aroma and flavor. However, a refrigerator is not a good storage option for spices as it can cause moisture buildup and spoilage.

Whole spices (unground) will last longer than ground because they have less surface area exposed to air and light, so their oils will not break down as quickly. They will keep for a year or more in this condition, while ground spices lose their potency after six months.

Choosing the best way to store your spices will make them last longer and help you avoid purchasing more than you need. For long-term food storage, repackage your spices in mason jars or mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or use a vacuum sealer like a FoodSaver to protect them from air and moisture.

Store your spices in alphabetical order or group them by recipe if you have a collection of different types of blends. This will help you find the right blend when you need it and prevent you from storing more than one container of each seasoning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Thai use ginger?

The answer is yes. Traditional Thai cooking makes extensive use of ginger. Ginger is often used to make stir-fries and soups. It is also used in desserts, drinks, such a lassis.

Ginger is native to China, Japan, and Korea, and its origins date back more than 5,000 years. It is thought that it originated in Southeast Asia, where its medicinal uses were cultivated.

Ginger has been known to improve digestion and reduce nausea. It may even help prevent migraines. Ginger can also be used to treat arthritis, muscle spasms, joint pains, or relieve them.

Ginger is often fresh in Thailand. It is then cut into thin strips and dried. Ginger root can be purchased in cans or jars at Asian markets.

Can you put spice in a drink?

It's amazing how spices can add flavour and flavor to food. But how can you make them live when they're used in drinks.

Spices are wonderful because they can add depth and flavor to any beverage. There's nothing better than adding cinnamon or nutmeg in your glass of wine or beer, whether it's coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or cocktails.

Most recipes call for ground spices. This means that you'll need fresh whole spice. Although this is logical, it can be costly, time-consuming, and takes up storage space.

That's where the magic happens. You can transform your favourite spices into an easy-to-use powdered form with ingenuity. To make tasty spiced drinks, you can combine them with your favourite beverages.

Two ways can you make powders. One way is to grind whole spices into fine powder. Another way is to grind the spices in a mortar and pestle.

Whichever method you choose, you'll find that the resulting powder is much easier to measure out and store than whole spices. Plus, the powder keeps well so that you won't run out of stock.

Mixing different spices can create new flavors. You could make minty water by combining spearmint and peppermint. Or ginger and cardamom pods to make spicy ginger tea.

Once you have mastered the art of making powdered spices you can use that same technique for herbs. You can use basil, rosemary and thyme as common herbs.

There are many options. You can use powdered spice to enhance the flavour of your drinks or dishes like soups, salads, or pasta.

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

An almond meal, which can be used as an almond flour substitute, is more versatile than other almond flours because it can be used for baking and cooking, as well as making nut free dishes.

Almond flour can also contain gluten which makes it more difficult to digest. If you have celiac disease or another digestive disorder, it's essential to avoid gluten-free foods.

While almond flour isn't considered a "superfood" per se, it contains healthy fats, fibre, protein, and vitamin E. It's also low in calories and sodium and contains no cholesterol.

Almond meal has many nutritional benefits, including magnesium, copper and zinc as well as manganese and potassium.

Almond flour is made from almonds and contains monounsaturated fat acids. Almond oil, however, contains polyunsaturated oils. Both types reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL ("good") cholesterol.

In addition, almond flour is rich in antioxidants, including flavonoids, phenolics, and proanthocyanidins. These compounds prevent free radical-induced oxidative stress.

A study published by the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry revealed that almond flour had an antioxidant activity equal to that of blueberries.

Almond milk is often sold with almond flour, which has been fortified with additional nutrients.

Thai food includes paprika.

Yes. It is a key ingredient in many dishes, such as Pad See Ew (Thai-fried rice), made from eggs cooked with coconut milk.

Thai, Mexican, Spanish, Indian and Chinese cuisines include paprika.

Paprika can also be traced back to Ancient Greece, more than 5,000 year ago. The word "paprika" comes from the Hungarian language meaning "pepper. "

Statistics

Their 14 to 20 percent essential oil content means that cloves have the highest concentration of aroma compounds of any spice. (masterclass.com)
According to the McCormick Science Institute, indigenous Indian spices were cultivated as early as the 8th century BC in the gardens of Babylon. (spicecravings.com)
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 uses dried chillies, shallots, galangal root, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, garlic, shrimp paste, sugar, salt, and sometimes coconut milk. It is an important ingredient in Thai cuisine.

Curry paste is one of the most popular condiments in Southeast Asia. Curry paste adds a distinctive flavour to many dishes such as curries and soups, stir fries, stir-fries or rice dishes.

It's very simple to make this at home. Follow the steps below to make it easy!

Step1 - Prepare Ingredients

Before you start making this recipe, prepare all ingredients.
Begin by peeling and cutting shallots into small pieces (about 2 cups). Then chop galangal root into small pieces (about 3 inches long) and set aside.
Next, slice four garlic cloves. Lemongrass stems about 1/2 inch thick should be removed and finely chopped.
After that, you will need to crush dried red chili peppers (about four tablespoons) before removing the seeds (optional).
Next, trim the kaffir lime leaves into strips about 5 inches in length. Remove the white part of the stem and set it aside.
Next, drain and wash the shrimp paste (6 ounces), and then coarsely mashing it.
Finally, measure the sugar and salt.

Step2 - Grind Ingredients

Combine all ingredients and blend 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.
Slowly add coconut water to prevent the paste from getting too sticky.
If you like it milder, reduce the number of chillies used and add more galangal root.
If you like it spicier, add more chillies and less galangal root. The end result should be delicious.

Step4 -- Serve