There's Only One Reason to Toast Your Spices
Toasted spices taste better. Toasting is an absolute must-do if you want to maximize your spices' value and enjoy their full flavor potential. Best of all, toasting spices is easy, not very time-consuming, and is an aromatic experience for your senses.
Heat expresses the volatile oils within spices, which result in a more complex and bolder flavor. This process can completely transform bitter and sharp-tasting spices into a smoother taste. It can also boost the flavor profile to be bolder and more robust so you can use less when cooking.
You should toast whole spices, such as coriander, before you need to use them in recipes or prior to grinding them. The roasting process reduces moisture levels which makes the seeds crispier, allowing for a smoother grind.
How to Toast Your Spices at Home
As mentioned previously, toasting spices is a simple and enjoyable process. Here are the top three ways to do it at home:
#1 Dry Toasting on Stove top
We hope you enjoy this method as much as we did. You will experience the aromatic change of your spices in 4-D, so be sure to have your senses ready. One of our favorites for this method is fennel because of its rich, anise scent.
- Heat a dry pan or skillet under medium heat.
- Add your spices to the pan - don't walk away.
- Watch & smell your spices as they toast. Remove from heat when the seeds turn brown, and you can smell the toasting spices. It should take only 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the spices from the pan and set aside in a bowl or container to cool.
#2 Tempering (Blooming) in Oil
This process is widespread in Indian & South Asian cuisine, often using ghee or oil to help bring out more aromatics and balance the flavor throughout your recipes with the help of infused oil.
- Heat a pan or skillet under medium heat. Drizzle 2 ½ tablespoons of oil and wait until it heats up.
- Add your spices to the pan - stay put.
- Watch & smell your spices as they toast. Remove from heat when the seeds turn brown, and you can smell the toasting spices. It should take only 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the spices & infused oil from the pan and set aside in a bowl or container to cool.
#3 Roasting in Oven
While this isn't our favorite method since it takes away from the visual and aromatic experience of spices toasting just under your nose, this approach is handy when all your burners are occupied.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F.
- Add spices to a baking sheet and spread out evenly.
- Place the sheet inside the oven - don't leave!
- Remove from heat when the seeds turn brown, and you can smell the toasting spices. It should take only 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the spices from the sheet and set aside in a bowl or container to cool.
Don't take our word for it - try this at home
Toast a batch of spices and compare it to the untoasted version. You will smell the difference before you even taste it. Let us know what you think in the comments.
If you need to stock up on whole spices, check out our newest products: Whole Wild Black Cumin, Herati Coriander, & Wild Foraged Fennel.