Author: Umi Fatimah
Stocking our kitchen with essential dry spices is key to creating delicious, flavorful meals. Having some dry kitchen spices can help make it easier for you to improve the taste of your dishes and improve your cooking experience.
If you are confused about what dry kitchen spices you should stock in your kitchen, this article could be the solution for you. Below, Chef’s Recipe provides recommendations for dry kitchen spices that are important and must be in your kitchen.
1. Lada
Also known as pepper, pepper has three variants, namely black pepper, white pepper and green pepper. Generally, in Indonesia more black pepper and white pepper are available.
Actually, white and black pepper come from the same plant, it’s just that they are dried differently so they have different looks and tastes. The spicy taste and aroma of black pepper tends to be stronger than white pepper.
However, both have the same function, namely improving the overall taste and providing a subtle spicy taste to dishes. To combine it into cooking, you can use pepper in various forms, such as whole pepper or ground pepper.
2. Garlic Powder
Garlic powder can be an alternative for those of you who don’t want to use fresh garlic. This dry kitchen spice is very versatile and is widely used in various dishes to give a special garlic flavor without the hassle of peeling and chopping fresh garlic cloves.
Apart from being more practical, garlic powder can provide a consistent taste in all dishes and is easy to store and has a longer shelf life than fresh garlic.
3. Chili Powder
Chili powder is one of the basic spices that must be in the kitchen. This kitchen spice is an easy and practical choice as a substitute for fresh chilies to add a spicy taste to dishes.
Not only is it practical, chili powder can also be used in various types of dishes, from stir-fries, soups, sauces, to grilled and fried dishes. Using chili powder provides flexibility in cooking and you can also adjust the spicy taste of the dish according to your taste.
Read Also: 11 Typical Korean Snack Recipes, Most Popular and Easy to Make
4. Cinnamon
Who, sih, Who doesn’t know this dry kitchen spice? Cinnamon has been used as a flavor and aroma enhancer in various dishes.
The sweet and warm taste of cinnamon makes it a popular ingredient in dessert manislike apple pie and cinnamon roll. Additionally, this aromatic spice can also be used to balance savory dishes by adding a subtle sweet taste, such as curry.
5. Cumin
The next dry spice that you must have in your kitchen is cumin. Cumin has a distinctive, slightly sweet and spicy taste, and a pleasant aroma. By adding cumin to cooking, you can improve the taste of various dishes, from curry, opor, to stir-fried vegetables.
In fact, it is so functional that cumin has been widely used in various countries in Asia and Europe as a cooking spice and herbal medicine. loh!
6. Pala
Originating from Indonesia, nutmeg seeds can be used whole or ground after drying. This dry kitchen spice is able to improve the taste of various dishes because it has a taste that combines sweet, bitter and spicy aromas.
Nutmeg is often combined with cinnamon in sweet foods, and the two spices form a perfect aromatic combination in dishes.
7. Oregano
For those of you who love European cuisine, this kitchen spice is a must have in your kitchen. Oregano has become a common spice in European countries, especially Italy and Greece. Its sweet aroma with a slight bitter taste can add flavor to dishes.
Oregano itself is mostly sold in dry form in bottles. This is not without reason, you know! The reason is, the taste of oregano will become more intense when dried so it is suitable for sprinkling on top pizzabaked potatoes, or added to classic tomato sauce.
8. Daun Salam
Although it is not usually eaten, bay leaves are able to infuse a delicious flavor into a dish when cooked together with other ingredients. This makes bay leaf an important spice to give an additional flavor dimension to the dish.
What’s more, bay leaves have a distinctive and pleasant aroma that can enhance the taste of food. Its fragrant smell is often the hallmark of traditional Indonesian dishes, from stews, rendang, to various types of sauces and stir-fries.
9. Cloves
One of the dried kitchen spices that you must have in your kitchen is cloves. This spice not only provides a strong aroma, but also enhances the taste of the dish. For example, in curry dishes, cloves provide a rich spice touch and blend well with other spices.
10. Turmeric Powder
Turmeric is an important kitchen spice for Indonesian cuisine. Its presence is a must in our kitchen. Turmeric can be used directly in fresh raw form or it can also be used in powder form which is widely sold on the market.
Powdered turmeric is often a practical alternative to fresh turmeric. Its bright yellow color and distinctive aroma can make food look more visually attractive and improve the taste of the dish.
Ground turmeric can be used in various types of dishes, from curries, stir-fries, soups, to yellow rice and cakes. Its presence in the kitchen allows you to add a distinctive touch of turmeric to various dishes.
Read Also: Turmeric Yellow Fried Rice Recipe
Nah, Once you have a list of mandatory kitchen spices, now you can start cooking various delicious and extraordinary foods. To make it easier for you to explore and be creative with various kitchen spices, you can try various recipes that are easy to put into practice along with cooking tips only at ResepKoki.
Atsarina Luthfiyyah (Senior Editor)
Has educational experience in the fields of Culinary and Journalism. His hobbies are writing, traveling and cooking. Masters in Communication Sciences at Gadjah Mada University
Contact Us at [email protected]
