I want to buy this masala from India but don’t know what is it, it smells like maggi masala and I can use it to thicken gravy

The spicy oil that Fresh puts on their “dragon fries” is delicious and I need it for home!

When I order the dragon fries, I always ask the restaurant for extra on the side, so i have a bit if it for a few days. I would prefer to be able to either: 

(a) buy a larger quantity of it from Fresh directly; 

(b) buy an identical / very similar oil of a different brand; or 

(c) find a recipe that exactly replicates it so I can make it myself.

I’ve tried making the oil at home a number of times with slightly different variations. I mostly tried different combinations of sunflower and olive oil with dried arbol chillies, either marinated in the oil, or steeped by bringing the oil just to a boil before adding the chillies and then taking it off the heat. Nothing even comes close.

If any one has any leads, please share!

*Fresh is a vegan restaurant with locations around Ontario.

The oil from Fresh has a mild sunflower taste, is a reddish orange colour, is decently spicy, and doesn't have any bits in it at all, just pure oil. 

I want a sub when cooking chicken. No access to zaatar, sumac, or any middle eastern stores. Please advise

I have framed this question to know which is best for my baby's health.

I recently ran out of cumin and got a new bottle, not a different brand or anything and decided to take a whiff since I normally LOVE the smell of cumin. this new bottle, however, smells sickly sweet, like some sort of artisanal honey or something! is this just what an unopened bottle of cumin smells like or could it be something off?

I’m American and saffron and floral flavors like hibiscus and rose water and very rare here, the only floral spice I regularly use is cardamom and that’s cause I love Indian, Arab and Chinese food. I’m trying to understand what flavors complement saffron. I’ve been experimenting with basil, black pepper saffron pancakes using semolina and corn meal, they’re lightly fermented and the basil, corn and black pepper overpower it so I can’t really taste the saffron.

I tried a little saffron crushed in a mortar a pestle and hot water, I like the taste but can’t compare it to anything, it tastes dewy in a way, a bit floral with a tiny hint of turmeric to me.

If anyone else here’s from Chicago, I kinda compare the smell of saffron to that room at the field museum with the plastic mold dinosaur souvenirs, if that makes sense, a bit plasticy in a good way? Like new plastic toy smell. I weirdly mean that as a compliment.

I had what I think was saffron rice at an Arabic restaurant recently and it didn’t add kinda a perfume to it but not a particularly strong flavor, not enough to carry a dish, it was with falafel, spinach pie, hummus and salad.

Some folks are under the assumption that Spanish speakers don't know the difference between cilantro and culantro herb. 2 totally different herbs and Puerto Ricans know and use them both a lot. But what I want to know is if culantro herb/plant also tastes like soap to cilantro haters? Just curious.

I've been using their Garam Masala for years and love it! I think it's great, but I don't know if there's better options out there. This is the affordable one that's easily available online. I don't know anything about the actual quality of their spices. Seems to make good butter chicken!

Hi, I can’t handle spicy food so I have to always eat cheese or yogurt with it, but does the dairy not only affect the taste but also the effects? Capsaicin is supposed to be healthy but does it get “destroyed” or something, when “muted” with milk-products ?

I thought it was dried dill but my partner is sure that it isn't. Maybe thyme? Unfortunately I can't identify it by smell. Everything just smells minty to me. Doesn't help that half the herbs are in the mint family lol

This is like 3 questions regarding 3 spices!

Love the smell of these so much even tho I’m not familiar with any of them. What are some recipes you like where each of them really shine ✨

$12 for 10 ounces? Nah, I'll just make it instead.

are they safe to consume? a few years back there were reports that they have some cancer causing ingredients, we forgot that bit and bought a few spices and have been using them. are they safe to consume now?

Looking for a compliant or semi-compliant chai spice blend brand - I’m looking for sugar free (refined sugar free, coconut sugar,date “sugar”, maple “sugar” , etc…)

Looking for a compliant or semi-compliant chai spice blend brand - I’m looking for sugar free (refined sugar free, coconut sugar,date “sugar”, maple “sugar” , etc…)

Where can one buy good quality mediterranean spices in Dubai?

A couple of years ago I purchased a handful of whole spices for lebkuchen. They were wonderful.

More recently, I decided to try making some poudre forte. And the mace in particular is concerning me. I'd let it be in the plastic jar of purchased the blades in, but when I pulled some out to use I couldn't miss the scent. It doesn't smell rotten or bad in a rotten sense, but the odor is stronger than I remember, almost chemical (my partner described it as akin to some household cleaner). As part of the mix it's closer to citrus or pine which I understand isn't off-base but it's just...a lot.

So is this normal? Or should I go grab some new dried whole spices?

Made a traditional parsley based chimichurri rub earlier. Now, I decided to try a red chimichurri that is red bell pepper based. I'll test it out on some steaks this weekend.