4 Essential Spices You Should Have in Your Kitchen

There are many different spices for cooking, but you do not need to buy all of them to stock up in your kitchen, thinking you might need to use them one day. In fact, most kitchens will require only a few essential spices for daily cooking requirements. Knowing what those spices are will make it easier to spice up and improve the flavor of any dish. Of course, you need to know the right way to combine or use them, so you can achieve aromatic and flavorful dishes, change or enhance the color of some dishes, and boost the taste of certain food. Here are the four essential spices you should have in your kitchen:

1. Black peppercorn – Buy peppercorns whole instead of pre-ground. Their slight pungency produced by freshly cracked and ground pepper can make a big difference in the taste and appeal of the dish, making them the widely used and well-loved around the world. They add more flavor and heat to any dish, too. Their versatility allows them to be used on pastas, soups, fried food, and many other dishes.

2. Chili powder – This spice is typically a mixture of cumin, powdered dried chilies, oregano, and coriander, and typically used in Southwestern and Mexican dishes. It comes in different heat or level of spiciness, and some manufacturers offer them in smoked versions.

3. Cayenne pepper – Cayenne is a small and spicy red pepper used in bottled hot sauces, but it is widely popular in Indian and Cajun recipes. Cayenne pepper is a versatile powdered spice that can be used for a variety of dishes to spice them up. The spice is known for its ability to boost your metabolism and for its healing capabilities, too.

4. Curry powder – Curry may have been popularized by Indian dishes, but it is widely used in Malaysian, Singaporean, and some Japanese dishes, too. The powder is typically composed of up to 20 kinds of spices, such as cumin, turmeric, and coriander. Consider the Madras type if you want more heat.