A variety of gourmet seasoning mixes to utilize in your own homemade meals.

If you like gourmet cooking and cooking ethnic inspired meals here are some classic spice blends to help get you started on your culinary journey. Many of these blends can be found in the spice section of your local grocery store. You can also experiment and make your own blends to lend a unique flair to your own recipes. Commercially available spice blends often contain salt, filers and anti-caking agents. Making your own blends allows you to control the amount of salt used and you can even eliminate the salt completely if desired.

"Speak not - whisper not; Here blowest thyme and bergamot; Softly on the evening hour, Sweet herbs in their spices shower."

- Walter de la Mare, The Sunken Garden, 1917

Curry Powder - India

There are many different curry powder blends available. All the ingredients used in curry powder blends are ground together prior to their being used in recipes. Curry powders may contain anywhere from 5 to 20 different herbs and spices in their list of ingredients.

Hot and Spicy Curry Powder Recipe

This recipe makes approximately 2 tablespoons of curry powder.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 dried curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt

Sweet and Mild Curry Powder Recipe

This recipe makes approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of curry powder.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds or seeds from ~12 pods
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Directions for creating either curry blend:

1. Place all the ingredients into a coffee grinder and grind them into a fine powder
2. You may use a mortar and pestle for a coarser mix.
3. Store any leftover powder in an airtight glass jar away from direct sunlight.

Five Spice Powder Recipe - China

This powder can be used to flavor poultry and meat dishes in Chinese style cooking. It can also be added to soy sauce or teriyaki sauce and used as a marinade for meat, fish or poultry.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon star anise or 1 star anise pod

Directions:

1. Grind all the ingredients into a fine powder using either a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.

Garam Masala Recipe - Northern India

Garam masala is a spice blend which is similar to curry powder. The ingredients are usually lightly toasted together in a dry frying pan, cooled to room temperature and then ground into a fine powder prior to being used in a recipe. It is often added to bean dishes and like curry powders there are many variations. Here are 3 versions to try in your own recipes. Use one teaspoon of each spice or herb that is listed.

Garam Marsala Recipe Version #1:

Ingredients:

• black pepper
• cardamon seeds
• cinnamon
• cloves
• coriander
• cumin
• fennel seeds
• mace

Garam Marsala Recipe Version #2:

Ingredients:

• black pepper
• cardamon seeds
• cinnamon
• cloves
• cumin
• crumbled bay leaves
• nutmeg

Garam Marsala Recipe Version #3:

Ingredients:

• black pepper
• cinnamon
• cloves
• coriander
• cumin
• allspice
• cayenne pepper

Harissa Recipe- Northern Africa

This spice blend is traditionally used to flavor couscous. It is a very hot chili paste. This recipe can also be served as a spread along with bread or tossed with pasta, rice or steamed vegetables. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. A milder version of this paste can be made by using sun dried tomatoes in place of the dried chilies and adding 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dried chilies
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons dried mint leaves or 2 tablespoons of fresh
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Reconstitute the dried chilies by covering them with boiling water and letting them soak for 30 minutes.
2. Drain off and discard the liquid and squeeze out any excess moisture.
3. Grind the reconstituted chilies and all the remaining ingredients to a paste using a mortar and pestle, blender or food processor.

Ras-el-Hanout Recipe- Morocco

The exact ingredients used to make this blend may change according to the individual cook. This blend is used to flavor stews, rice, pasta and meat. Other versions may include cardamon, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, turmeric and even dried rose petals.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon mace
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Grind all the ingredients into a fine powder using either a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.

Zahtar Recipe

Zahtar is a Middle Eastern spice blend used to flavor vegetables and meatballs. It can also be mixed with oil and used as a spread for flat bread. Sumac berries are the sour, fruity and astringent fruit of the Sicilian sumac tree.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried sumac berries

Directions:

1. Dry roast the ingredients in a small frying pan for a few minutes.
2. When cooled to room temperature add the ingredients to a coffee grinder and process into a fine powder.

See the article Traditional Spice Blends for recipes on how to create lemon pepper, poultry seasoning, pickling spice and more.

The article Classic French Herb Blends, contains recipes on how to create bouquet garni, fines herbs and herbes de provence.