Long lists of herbs and spices used to intimidate me. And I would burn something while I scrambled around the cupboard, trying to find a spice and the measuring spoon I needed.
Then I heard about mis en place. Basically you measure out everything ahead of time – before you start cooking! Brilliant, huh?
This is especially important in Indian cooking when you might have a series of spices added at different steps. I was reminded of this in the cookbook Cook By Numbers Indian: …Real Cooking Made Easy.
You can buy some little bowls for this purpose, which I haven’t done yet. I just use the little coffee mugs that came with my dishes. They’re just the right size and the glaze on the inside resists sticking.
Speaking of spices, freshness is very important. And if you use spices like cardamom and coriander, as I do frequently, the grocery stores charge a lot for a teeny bottle and since they don’t sell a lot of it, it’s likely stale.
If you have an ethnic store in your area, or a health food store, it’s a great place to pick up larger bottles for the same price or less, and they are more likely to be fresh.
Another source I’ve found is Spices, Inc. They contacted me to participate in an affiliate program so I asked for some product samples. I was amazed at the quality, fast shipping, and reasonable price. So if you don’t have a local source, check them out!
They put together a list of the Top 25 Spices Every Kitchen Must Have.
What are yours?
I think mis en place is EXTREMELY important! If I don’t have my ingredients in order, I am in big trouble. And you are right…Indian cooking especially demands it. SO many spices and so many different steps, if I didn’t have things in order it would fall apart. And so would I!!!
Oh, I’ve never measured out the ingredients before! I would feel just like a TV chef, LOL. But one cooking thing my mom drilled into us was getting everything out first, then putting them away as we used it. Same concept!
I have mostly set up before I bake and sometimes, before I cook. I used to measure first but recently, I have been just getting the ingredients out. You are right though. Even, with them in front of me, it takes time to measure and I find, I just used the quarter cup and have to wash it. The best way is to measure first.