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The McCormick Spice Company quotes the following storage recommendation for spices
and herbs:
Whole spices
Ground spices
Whole seeds
Herbs
4 years
1 to 3 years
3 to 4 years
1 to 3 years
4 years
Extracts
Spice blends
1 to 2 years
Some spices are not easily available in any other but ground form, like paprika or chili. You
can stash extra in your freezer and replenish the small container on the shelf from the frozen stock.
Your supply will always be fresh.
Freezer storage is also useful for spice blends called for in ethnic cuisines. For example, if
you cook Indian curries only occasionally, you will need a blend of spices called garam masala and
a blend of curry. In an Indian kitchen the cook mixes up a few weeks' supply of both blends, and he
or she uses them up before the flavors seriously dissipate. But if you make curry only once in six
months, you either must mix a new small batch each time you decide to prepare Indian food or mix
up a larger amount and keep it in your freezer, that tastes fresh each time you need it. Depending on
your cooking repertoire, your freezer can hold several of these spice blends. They take very little
space.
For best flavor, don't buy commercial spice blends but mix your own from fresh spices,
using a recipe someone else has perfected.
Chili powder
You can control the pungency of this chili powder by the amount and type of ground chili
you use. For a slightly pungent mix, use a mild chili, for a tear-jerker use hot chili. You can blend
hot and mild ground chilies in the ratio that gives the acceptable fire level. To help you start, a
proportion of ¾ part mild to ¼ part hot ground chili produces a medium-hot blend.
Make enough of this spice mix to store for future use in your freezer. For the very best chili
powder mix, roast and grind your own dry chilies.
Ingredients
1
5
1
4
½
tablespoon cumin seeds
tablespoons ground chili (see note above)
tablespoon dry Mexican oregano
t (pure) garlic powder (not garlic salt)
teaspoon salt
Procedure
. Toast cumin seeds in a small, heavy pan over medium to high heat while shaking often
1
until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add ground chili and stir continuously for 1 minute. Remove the
spices from the pan and let cool for a few minutes.
2. Grind the seeds and chili in a spice grinder (or a coffee grinder reserved for spices). Add
the oregano, garlic powder and salt. Continue to grind for a few seconds until the mix is uniform.
Makes ½ cup chili powder. This keeps its flavor longest if you freeze it in an airtight
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