What are culinary herbs and spices?
Aromatic plants and their seeds used to flavour foods
What parts of the plant do herbs come from? Give examples
The leaves of plants (onions, parsley, mint)
What parts of plants can spices come from?
Seeds, roots, fruits, flowers, or bark (cumin, seeds, ginger root, cinnamon bark)
What is the difference between cilantro and coriander in Canada?
Cilantro is the leaves (herb)
Coriander is the seeds (spice)
How does dill differ as a herb verse a spice?
Dill leaves are the herb and dill seeds are the spice
Which cuisine uses the greatest variety of spices
Indian cuisine
Why does Indian cuisine use so many spices?
Many spices are native to the Indian subcontinent and historically traded
What is Garam masala and list common south Asian spices
Garam masala is a spice blend commonly used in Indian cooking
Common spices include ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, cardamom, mustard seed
What health related properties do many south Asian spices have?
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties
What is a curry?
A dish seasoned with a combination of spices and herbs often with oil
Where are Curry’s traditionally eaten and can they be vegetarian?
Traditionally eaten in South Asia, other parts of Asia, and the Caribbean
Yes, they can be vegetarian or contain animal protein
What is the difference between dry and wet curries?
Dry = no sauce
Wet = sauce made from yogurt, cream, coconut milk, or legume purée
What family does turmeric belong to and where is it commonly used?
Belongs to the ginger, family, and commonly used in curry spice blends & tarka recipes
What non-culinary use does turmeric have
Indian traditional medicine
What compound gives turmeric its health properties?
Curcumin
Why should lab studies on turmeric be interpreted cautiously?
They use extracts with much higher curcumin levels than typical diets
What sensory properties of foods are culturally valued?
Texture, taste, color, and smell
What factors shape an individuals palate?
Genetics, culture, personality traits, and food exposure overtime
How do children learn food preferences?
Repeated exposure within familiar and positive contexts
How are cultural food flavours transmitted before birth?
Through amniotic fluid and breastmilk
What chemical compounds make cilantro taste distinctive and why do cilantro leaves taste different from the coriander seeds?
Aldehydes make it taste distinctive
Cilantro leaves and coriander seeds have different chemical compounds, making them taste distinctive
What is cilantro called in the UK
Coriander or Chinese parsley
Where did chilli peppers originate?
The new world (the America’s)
What are two major types of chilli peppers?
Sweet (bell peppers), and hot peppers
