My Super Six Spices

I’m a big fan of spices and they make an entrance into just about every dinner I cook! What are my favourite spices? Keep reading to find out!

1. Cinnamon

Who doesn’t love cinnamon? It’s a versatile spice that can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes, from breakfast through to dessert. Not to mention, it’s a great way to help stabilise your blood sugar levels, and therefore give you a sustained release of energy.

2. Chilli

It’s getting hot, hot, hot! Well, it is when you get a hefty dose of chilli anyway. I love how chilli compliments so many cuisines and helps to release flavours. It’s also great for boosting your immune system – helping stave off illness and providing relief when you’re struck with a nasty cold.

3. Cumin

We cook a lot of dinners in our house with the aid of this lovely spice. Here are some interesting facts – cumin was used in Egyptian mummification! It was also thought to bring about love during the Middle Ages so was carried by guests at weddings and soldiers who were going off to war. My personal favourite though, is that cumin is known as ‘jira’ in Sanskrit, translating to ‘that which aids digestion’; and it can help with issues such as an upset stomach and gas.

4. Coriander

Ah, cumin’s best buddy. Coriander is the perfect match to cumin, and is an excellent way to flavour soups, stews and curries. Like cumin, it also has medicinal properties – from treating inflammation of the skin, diarrhoea, anaemia and more.

5. Paprika

Paprika is another long time favourite of mine. It has a beautifully vibrant red colour and is used in a wide range of cuisines. One way I love to use it is to use it as a coating for white fish, like flathead, before panfrying. Yum! PS, smoked paprika is also amaaazing, if you haven’t tried it before, you’ll be in for a very pleasant surprise!

6. Pepper

Last, but certainly not least, is classic cracked pepper. I put pepper on just about all my lunches and dinners (and my youngest quite literally puts it on all of hers). Pepper is another spice that is excellent in complimenting or bringing out the natural flavours of many wholefoods – from fresh prawns to avocado on toast, and even in some sweet dishes (hello chai!).