Here Are 6 Ways To Retain The Flavour Of Spices
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Spices can change any dish from bland to a culinary delight. Be it whole or grounded, spices are needed in one or the other dishes made in the kitchen throughout the world. No dish can be appealing without the addition of spices. They not only add sensory treats but also visual ones.  

Spices are luxurious ingredients of the kitchen that need to have proper care.  They are not only essential for enhancing the taste but also impart complexity and depth of flavours to the dishes. When neglected, spices turn out to be bad or tasteless. Storing spices plays a crucial role in keeping them in good form. Masalas, when stored in the right way increase their shelf life and keep the taste intact thereafter. Proper storage preserves the integrity of individual spices and also allows a well-organised kitchen for the betterment of the cooking process.  

Here are five ways to store the masalas in the kitchen for a longer shelf life. Take a look:  

  • Airtight Containers

The first step to store spices is to buy airtight containers. Spices tend to absorb moisture, thus, they should be kept out of air contact. Make sure to use jars and containers that have airtight lids so that no air goes in. This will allow to have fresh spices for a longer period of time. Also, ensure to lock the containers every time after the usage of spices.  

  • Cool Storage  

After being stored in airtight containers, spices must be kept in dark and cool places. If planning to keep the spices fresh and flavourful for a longer time, it is important to store them away from hot stoves, ovens, and sunlight. The spices when exposed to heat, tend to lose their flavour. This can lead to less colour or taste in the dish. Allot a separate rack for the spices away from sunlight and heat.  

  • No Humidity  

Salt clumping up during the monsoon season is a common phenomenon. This happens owing to the capacity of the spices to attract moisture and humidity from the air. Leaving the spices for long, even when kept in an airtight container leads to clumping up of the spices which deteriorates their quality. Keep the stored spices away from the humid areas near to sink to prevent clumping. In humid climate conditions, try storing them in moisture-absorbing packets.  

  • Label  

It is an important step if a person is into organising everything. To keep the spices fresh and flavourful for a long period of time, label the container of the spices with names and dates. This will help to keep track of their freshness. Besides, labeling also helps in the smooth cooking process as it would avoid confusion between similar textures or colour of the spices.  

  • Ground As Needed  

Solid or whole spices have longer shelf life than grounded ones. If there is limited space or living in a humid climate and have no access to airtight containers, consider buying whole spices which can be later grounded when needed. This will ensure that the person consumes fresh flavourful spices but also extend their shelf life.   

  • Cross Contamination

What happens many times is that people use the same spoon for several spices. Well, this can cause a mix of flavours of different spices. Sometimes, if one of the spices has gotten ruined owing to fungus due to moisture absorption, other spices can also get ruined if using the same spoon. Thus, it is advisable to use different spoons for different spices.