Hints & Tips

ALSO KNOWN AS DAGARFUL, IT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL FLAVOUR CONTRIBUTOR WE’VE SEEN IN YEARS! What would you think if we told you we’d come across a lichen traditionally used in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu in South India, and that we simply love it? What we are referring to is the lichen known as Dagar Phool, or Dagarful (Parmotrema perlatum) which has an

Why are we calling these ‘Makrut” Lime Leaves these days? “What’s in a name?” For many years this tree has been called a kaffir lime tree, as the fruits are rough and seen as inferior. Kaffir was a term used to denote inferior persons in the former South Africa and other nations involved in the slave trade. In some Asian countries the term means “non-believer”. This word

Have you ever been confused by the variation between brands of cinnamon? When many consumers buy products labelled as cinnamon, they often seem to vary greatly. Why is this so?  The answer is that there are two different types of cinnamon, and many brands do not label them correctly. One is Sri Lankan or Ceylon Cinnamon and the other is Cassia (also known as Baker’s Cinnamon, Dutch Cinnamon or

Cardamom is featured in many recipes, however are you using the right one? Cardamom Green Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is the most common and we refer to it as your ‘default’ cardamom when a recipe simply calls for ‘cardamom’. Green cardamom is native to the mountain ranges of the south western Indian state of Kerala, known as the western ghats, (ghat being the name given to steep

In this video Herbie gets up close and personal to the Curry Leaf Tree, and shares his love of this wonderful plant that contributes its unique taste to South Indian Cooking: Curry Leaves South Indian Seafood Masala Flavours of India Spice Kit

Herbie’s Saturday Curry is an easy way to get into the joys of curry making. In this video, Herbie shows the basic steps that can be used for a wide range of beef and lamb curries. Curry Powder Medium Madras Curry Mix with Whole Seeds & Spices Sri Lankan Curry

Herbie tells you about one of the most useful Australian native herbs. Lemon Myrtle Leaves Lemon Myrtle Ground

Spring Salad Ideas Spring is in the air, and what a great time of year it is to enjoy these great salad ideas. Greek Salad This classic Greek salad is a staple in every household and restaurant in Greece. When fasting, a salad heavy on low calorie lettuce is very satisfying. 100g cos lettuce, sliced into 2cm ribbons 1/2 (50g) Lebanese cucumber, quartered lengthways

Confused already? You are not alone, as this particular spice (Pimenta dioica) has been causing confusion since the Spanish discovered it in the Americas around 500 years ago. Back in the 15th Century, pepper was a highly regarded and relatively valuable spice. When the Spanish bumped into the Americas, they were so desperate to find rare, sought-after spices, and the poor dears had been at sea

Beetroot Powder is surprisingly versatile Over the years many customers have asked us if there is an alternative to artificial red colour. Although strictly speaking not a spice, we decided to add this to our range for those cooks who like to have their Butter Chicken, Tandoori or Sweet and Sour Pork nice and red, but naturally. Beetroot powder does not have a strong flavour, and if anything

Herbie explains interesting facts about Bay Trees and the leaves that are used in so many recipes. Bay Leaves Turkish Powdered Bay Leaves

Some of the coldest July days in years, so we’ve come up with these quick and easy soup ideas Harissa Red Lentil Soup Serves 2 1 onion, finely sliced 1 cup red lentils 3 cups chicken stock 1 potato, peeled and chopped 2 tsp Harissa spice mix 1 Tbs coriander leaves, picked Saute onion and potato in a little oil in a medium-sized saucepan. When

Spices – To Roast or Not to Roast? That is the Question! Roasting spices; do I have to roast my spices before using them? Some cooks may incorrectly tell you that roasting spices brings out the flavour. Roasting spices changes the flavour. In the same way that a slice of toast tastes different from a slice of bread, a roasted spice tastes different from