ISO: Middle Eastern Spice Mixes

[Jeekinz]

I attemped arshad5555's 8 vegetable roasted chicken last night and was trying to get a middle eastern flavor to it.

It was basically 4 bone-in chicken breasts with assorted roasted veggies (carrot, onion, celery, new potatoes, radish, green pepper). I used salt, black pepper, coriander seed (smashed), rosemary and thyme. It came out pretty good but still was a little too basic.

What are some good middle eastern spice mixes? Arshad5555 said to prepare in Indian/Pakistani style. What's that mean?

 

[Dina]

Cumin and curry are the ones that come to mind but you can go here to read up on their traditional culinary spices and sauces. Indian and Pakistani Culinary Ingredients

 

[Yakuta]

While Indian and Middle Eastern foods share some spices I still think they are very different in flavor and the way the proportion of spices used.

Indian food uses a lot more pungent spices (mustard, fenugreek, corrainder, chili powder, turmeric etc.) while Middle eastern uses milder ones.

I would suggest that if you are making a Middle Eastern dish you need to have the following spices ready:

Cumin
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Cloves
Nutmeg
Allspice
Aniseed - like dill seed
Sumac (it's a bark of a tree and it's powdered and added for a citrus flavor)
You can use turmeric, chili powder and corrainder but I don't think most middle eastern dishes natively use this. Most places I have eaten at use paprika.

 

[thymeless]

za'atar is probably my favorite.

But also conside ras el hanout, advieh or harissa, though its more heat than spice. Recipes abound on the 'net.

thymeless

 

[Jeekinz]

Cool thanks. I'm pretty sure I have everything except the sumac and fenugreek. I'll check out some on-line retailers for those.

 

[Grillncook]

You might want to try a "Tandori" spice blend, it works great for a mid-eastern taste. I like Penzey's blend and it's available on line.

 

[Lamb&Guinness]

There's also Asofotida. Its strong, you only use 1/8 tsp in a recipe that serves about 6+ portions.

 

[HushBull]

Using dried fruits to sweeten is popular. Try pulsating some raisins/currants, possibly apricots or figs.
Also using different brands/types of oils will produce different flavors... some subtle, some not so much.
Nuts also are very popular.
Oh, anise and caraway seeds. Poppy as well.
All of this can be used as a spice in effect.

 

[Jeekinz]

I'm going to grill a whole chicken using ras el hanout this weekend. Maybe some long grain wild rice with mandarin slices and chive.

 

[Jeekinz]

I'm going to grill a whole chicken using ras el hanout this weekend. Maybe some long grain wild rice with mandarin slices and chive.

Well I tried that spice mix on a whole butterflied chicken that I grilled. It smelled good when I made it but couldn't taste anything after it was cooked. I used quite a bit on both sides, maybe I should have pan or oven roasted instead?

I used this recipe except for the white pepper.

 

[GotGarlic]

Well I tried that spice mix on a whole butterflied chicken that I grilled. It smelled good when I made it but couldn't taste anything after it was cooked. I used quite a bit on both sides, maybe I should have pan or oven roasted instead?

I used this recipe except for the white pepper.

Hey, Jeeks. Yeah, 4 tsp. doesn't seem like a lot of seasoning for 2 lbs. of meat. I'd probably at least double it and try it again.

A lot of Middle Eastern cooking is based on Turkish cuisine, since the Ottoman Empire covered most of the Middle East, as well as North Africa, southern Europe and most of the Mediterranean for about 500 years. Here's a site with good information about Turkish food and ingredients: Turkish cuisine - All About Turkey

HTH.

 

[Jeekinz]

It seemed like plenty for the chicken. (shrug) In fact I thought I was over seasoning. The DW said I should just "do what you do" instead of following a recipe.

I guess I'll look online for already mixed packages rather than depleting my spice collection.

 

[GotGarlic]

Penzey's has a good one: Spices at Penzeys Spices Turkish Seasoning

And here's their recipe for Turkish kebabs: Turkish Kabobs (Izmir Style) - Recipes at Penzeys Spices

I loved the kebabs in Turkey HTH.

 

[Jeekinz]

Cool, thanks for the links.

 

[Grillncook]

Spices placed on the outside of the bird will impart little if any seasoning to the actual meat. If the spice mix is a powder try placing it in a brine and brining the chicken, I use this method quite a bit to give a bird more flavor. You can also look for an older bird, most chickens sold in the US are quite young and have little flavor. When I want to really impress, I'll get a big old "Oven Stuffer" and butterfly it and brine it with a cajun spice mix in the brine. It really comes out with a deep flavor.

 

[waaza]

Well I tried that spice mix on a whole butterflied chicken that I grilled. It smelled good when I made it but couldn't taste anything after it was cooked. I used quite a bit on both sides, maybe I should have pan or oven roasted instead?

I used this recipe except for the white pepper.

maybe one should say exactly what one means by 'Middle East'. Ras el hanout is typically a Moroccan spice mix, not what I would call Middle East.

Ras el hanout is not used as you have used it (as a rub). Just rubbing it into meat and grilling/broiling will drive off most of the flavour as you have found. If you say what you are after, maybe that would be a start.
HTH
Waaza

 

[Jeekinz]

maybe one should say exactly what one means by 'Middle East'. Ras el hanout is typically a Moroccan spice mix, not what I would call Middle East.

Ras el hanout is not used as you have used it (as a rub). Just rubbing it into meat and grilling/broiling will drive off most of the flavour as you have found. If you say what you are after, maybe that would be a start.
HTH
Waaza

Don't know what I'm after. I'm a total Noob when it comes to spice mixes like that. Just trying to get my feet wet.

 

[waaza]

Don't know what I'm after. I'm a total Noob when it comes to spice mixes like that. Just trying to get my feet wet.

I understand, at least you have admitted your ignorance of these matters, its a pity most chefs don't do the same!

My suggestion to you is to start simply, with a few spices, learn how to use them, what goes with what, and most importantly, how to maximize the flavours.

Throwing heavy spice mixes over meat (or even worse, vegetables) will kill the flavour of the meat/veg. Spices, used properly, enhance flavours (and can suppress other off flavours), but all are used in moderation, so one can still taste the flavour of the food being spiced. Think 'pepper', how much do you use? And learn how to cook them, especially the importance of oil/fat in their use. Start separating spices into groups of similar properties and flavour. Any help you need, just ask.
HTH
Waaza

 

[geonerd20]

I am lazy, and so when I can, I try to use ready-made spice mixes rather than made-from-scratch spices. So here are a few tips that make my life easy:

Try the World Spice Market in Seattle. They have an online store as well. All their spices are great. They roast and grind them fresh. Their Harissa and Ras-al-Hanout are outstanding!

Try Zamourispices online. Their Egyptian spice mix and their kebab mix are great! They have a harissa paste that will clear your sinuses right out!

Try eFoodDepot online. They carry a spice brand called "Sadaf". I have never had a problem with any of their spice mixes.

 

[nicklord1]

i have used baharat before but i think thats a blend of spices rather than just a spice on its own