Spices are found to increase aroma, flavor and color when added to any delicacy. But mere adding of spices does not ensure enhanced taste. There are tips in techniques which are to be followed while using spices for cooking.
Spices can be used in any form, like whole, grounded or powdered, fresh, dried, whole dried, powdered dried, paste or in oil, etc.
It is better to add dry spices at the starting of the cooking process, and fresh spices can be added at the end to enhance the flavor and aroma.
The essential oils, which are responsible for aroma and flavor, are present in the cells of the spices and are released on rupturing the cell walls. Hence, spices in grounded form are found to spread the flavor and aroma faster than the whole spices. Hence, whole spices and be finely or coarsely grounded just before adding it to food.
Different spices have different strengths of flavor. Some are strongly flavored and some are lightly flavored. Hence, while using a combination of spices, it is recommended not to use more than two spices.
For the spices to be more effective, checking for the quality of the spices is very essential. Spices bought from local stores may have chances of contamination, due to improper storage techniques. And not all the spices are available in the local stores. Hence for high quality and different varieties of spices, it would be wise to buy spices online. Many of the online shops are found to be specialized in selling wholesale spices also.