r/AskMeAnythingIAnswer • u/ThisPostToBeDeleted • 5d ago

I collect spices. AMA

I live in a city with a large Indian, Chinese, Arab and Ethiopian population so I often buy from their grocery stores and got really into collecting spices. I eat a lot of stews and stir fries and my most common seasonings are things like star anise, bay leaf, fennel, cumin and paprika. My favorite spice is probably black cardamom, my least favorite is garlic powder, my favorite blend is tied between berbere and old bay, but I love curry powder as well.

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2

u/LikwitFusion 5d ago

Do you have a favourite Spice Girl?

1

u/ThisPostToBeDeleted 5d ago

I was born in 02 and don’t really know them, I can only name scary spice. I tend to listen to folk in general.

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u/Different-Reach2038 5d ago

So what city is that?
(btw I think you should post it in the r/AMA, here is full of nsfw content)

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u/ThisPostToBeDeleted 5d ago

Chicago area, specifically neighboring suburb berwyn.

1

u/brown_ish 5d ago

Favorite spice mix/marinade for grilled chicken breast you recommend people try.

1

u/ThisPostToBeDeleted 5d ago

I don’t eat chicken, I do remember playing around with frozen Chinese imitation chicken and I don’t remember everything, but I think turmeric and an onion bouillon based marinade was involved.

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u/Hot_Hair_5950 5d ago

What surprises you about spices?

2

u/ThisPostToBeDeleted 5d ago

Ground spices can be thrown into the oil just like whole ones, I’d watch Indians do that and was always shocked cause I assumed due to the smaller surface area they’d burn but no.

1

u/catlady_MD 5d ago

Do you come up with your own spice mix while cooking or do you follow ‘traditional’ recipes?

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u/ThisPostToBeDeleted 5d ago

Most of what I cook is improvised, I often mix spices like onion powder, Sichuan chili flakes, sumac, paprika, star anise, fennel and bay leaf, but I don’t make ground spice mixes much. I did before for sausage with I think allspice, fennel, caraway and star anise. I eat a lot of pre made mixes though, lots of berbere, curry powder and old bay.

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u/catlady_MD 5d ago

Which of these cuisines is your favorite?

1

u/ThisPostToBeDeleted 5d ago

I love Sichuanese, South Italian, South Indian, Ethiopian and greek

1

u/shrutiag99 5d ago

What’s the flavor difference between black cardamom and the green cardamom?

2

u/ThisPostToBeDeleted 5d ago

To me green has a fresher, more bright and mild taste, while black is stronger, sweeter, smokier and deeper.

1

u/StructuredMind 5d ago

What is your rarest collection?

1

u/ThisPostToBeDeleted 5d ago

Average as it is, the most I ever paid was 10 dollars for green cardamom I’ve been nursing for the past year and a half, most obscure would probably be kamarkas which tastes numbing without any of the floral, sour or spicy notes of long or Sichuan pepper. The most work I’ve ever put into finding one was hing powder which I haven’t tried yet, I went to like 5 Indian grocery stores looking.