Cinnamon is used in both sweet and savory dishes. Cinnamon can be used whole, broken or ground. It also has medicinal uses. The sticks are very hard, making them difficult to grind, so you should purchase ground if you plan on using a lot of ground cinnamon. Cinnamon...
Coriander is used widely in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, thus having many uses for this wonderful spice. Buy Coriander in seed form. When a recipes call for ground coriander, the seed should be dry pan roasted and freshly ground to release its warm lightly...
Cloves have a very strong distinct flavor. This spice is traditionally used in savory dishes. When purchasing clove you should look for a large whole clove with plump buds. Whole cloves can be stored in a cool dry place, ground clove should be stored in small amount...
Baby corn is young corn, usually eaten whole, yes, cob included. They are boiled, or tossed into stir-fry dishes. Cooking doesn’t change its texture – they are as crunchy and sweet as raw. They can be found fresh in Asian grocers or canned would be an...
Fish sauce is an essential ingredient in my pantry. It has a nice salty-sweet flavor to it, and you use it very sparingly, like Anchovy paste. A little goes a long way! There are several brands of fish sauce, the best one I have found so far is called “Three...
Saffron comes from the stigma of the saffron crocus. It’s no wonder that saffron’s considered one of the most expensive spices: according to Mr. Harold McGee, it takes over 70,000 flowers and about 200 hours of labor to produce only 1 pound of dried...
I'm Jaden Rae, a TV chef, cookbook author, recipe developer, and the creative force behind Steamy Kitchen, a 19-year food blog focused on Asian cuisine and mindful living. Steamy Kitchen has been featured on The List, the Today Show, Oprah.com, Martha Stewart Living Radio & more.