Do use spices by smell?
- Thread starter georgevan
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Experiment.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
I suppose that's possible. However, adding a different herb or spice probably won't ruin a dish but will change the flavor. Isn't that what you want to try? We can't tell you how basil will effect recipes. The answer will be different for each recipe.
I often decide on what herbs to add to something by smell. Have you tried basil in other things? Is it fresh or dried basil?
karadekoolaid
Head Chef
Well that´s an unusual question!
Obviously it depends on what you´re cooking. I wouldn´t want to put basil in baked beans, for example, but it´s a pretty versatile herb with many vegetables. Some herbs smell very strong, others are more subtle, so that should give you an idea of how much to use.
As for spices, again,some are more invasive than others. Overdo the cloves in a pickle, for example, and it will taste like a visit to the dentist. I always think of franchises which make cinnamon rolls - mostly horrible because the rolls only taste of cinnamon. And there are spices which smell pretty wierd - asafoetida (hing), for example, but when cooked, adds a huge layer of flavour.
My advice is to use the internet: every time you cook something, just look up some combinations. "Chicken and thyme", "Pork and sage", "Beef and rosemary", that kind of thing. Gradually you will build up a flavour profile in your mind.
Obviously it depends on what you´re cooking. I wouldn´t want to put basil in baked beans, for example, but it´s a pretty versatile herb with many vegetables. Some herbs smell very strong, others are more subtle, so that should give you an idea of how much to use.
As for spices, again,some are more invasive than others. Overdo the cloves in a pickle, for example, and it will taste like a visit to the dentist. I always think of franchises which make cinnamon rolls - mostly horrible because the rolls only taste of cinnamon. And there are spices which smell pretty wierd - asafoetida (hing), for example, but when cooked, adds a huge layer of flavour.
My advice is to use the internet: every time you cook something, just look up some combinations. "Chicken and thyme", "Pork and sage", "Beef and rosemary", that kind of thing. Gradually you will build up a flavour profile in your mind.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Different cuisines will usually have their own flavor profiles ( including herbs , spices ...)
Doesn't mean every herb and spice is included in every dish of that cuisine.
For example. I've made tomato sauces that were as simple as Tomatoes and onions, to ons that included Tomatoes , onions, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley .... and everything in between. It's not only by my personal taste but recipes I've seen published.
After cooking for awhile and experimenting ( with successes and failures) combining the with personal taste, you'll decide what works and doesn't work.
Then there are fusion dishes which kinda intermingle different cuisines. I have found some of them to be good and others I wonder what the person who wrote the recipe was thinking.
I say go for it. Worst case scenario is you will have learned something the hard way and will be taking in that night. Its happened to the best of us.
Doesn't mean every herb and spice is included in every dish of that cuisine.
For example. I've made tomato sauces that were as simple as Tomatoes and onions, to ons that included Tomatoes , onions, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley .... and everything in between. It's not only by my personal taste but recipes I've seen published.
After cooking for awhile and experimenting ( with successes and failures) combining the with personal taste, you'll decide what works and doesn't work.
Then there are fusion dishes which kinda intermingle different cuisines. I have found some of them to be good and others I wonder what the person who wrote the recipe was thinking.
I say go for it. Worst case scenario is you will have learned something the hard way and will be taking in that night. Its happened to the best of us.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Depending on what you're making, you can add a little of an herb or spice and see what you think about it. For example, if you're making soup or stew, ladle some into a bowl, add some basil and taste it.
Otherwise, it takes time and experimenting to figure out what and how much of different ingredients to add. I also like to read and watch videos about different cuisines that use common ingredients differently from the way I'm used to and incorporate them into my cooking. For example, Greek tomato sauces often include cinnamon and Turkish kebabs (which include meatballs and other mixtures of meat, vegetables and seasonings) often include fresh herbs like dill, mint and parsley. Hope this helps.
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
I agree with the suggestions to experiment. However, if I'm trying something totally different from things I've done before, I usually follow it up to the point where I'm tasting it, to adjust the seasonings at the end, if necessary - some need absolutely nothing, while others definitely need something.
As GG suggested, something you could do, to test the basil in the dish, since it is usually added at the end, is take a small serving of the dish, and put some basil in it, and taste, comparing it to the dish without, cleaning the flavors out in between bites with some wine!
If the basil improved it, add it to the rest of the dish; if not, now you know.
I use a lot of unusual herbs and spices in dishes from cuisines that don't know the spices. And the only way to find out that they work, is experiment! A lot more of these "fusion" dishes are showing up these days, due to the availability of all these ingredients everywhere.
As GG suggested, something you could do, to test the basil in the dish, since it is usually added at the end, is take a small serving of the dish, and put some basil in it, and taste, comparing it to the dish without, cleaning the flavors out in between bites with some wine!
If the basil improved it, add it to the rest of the dish; if not, now you know. I use a lot of unusual herbs and spices in dishes from cuisines that don't know the spices. And the only way to find out that they work, is experiment! A lot more of these "fusion" dishes are showing up these days, due to the availability of all these ingredients everywhere.
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