10 Unusual Herbs & Spices + how to use them

Get the spice shelf ready for some different players that will change up your cooking!

From Australian native herbs and spices to Asian, Middle Eastern and European specialities - at Unpackaged we have a huge variety of herbs and spices. Read on to find out how you can use these herbs and spices in your cooking.

SUMAC

Sumac is a popular Middle Eastern spice that is becoming more & more popular.
sumac has a slightly sour/lemon taste and is great for savoury or meat dishes. Sumac is often used as a meat rub & in other spice mixes.

tip: sumac loses its flavour the hotter it gets, so it’s best to add it towards the end of a recipe/cooking.

CARDAMOM

Cardamom tastes a little bit like cinnamon and is often used in baked desserts such as apple pie.

Indian cuisine tends to feature cardamom as it adds a slightly sweet taste to savoury dishes.

NIGELLA SEEDS AKA. BLACK CUMIN

Nigella SEEDS HAVE A FENNEL-LIKE SCENT AND A FLAVOUR THAT IS OFTEN COMPARED TO OREGANO, BLACK PEPPER OR ONION.

tip: TRY THEM ON HOME BAKED BREAD.

GARAM MASALA

technically a spice blend rather than a spice in itself, garam masala is becoming a firm favourite with many of our customers.

GARAM MASALA IS COMMONLY MADE UP OF MACE, PEPPERCORNS, NUTMEG, ALLSPICE, CINNAMON AND CARDAMOM. GARAM MASALA IS OFTEN SUED IN INDIAN CUISINE, ESPECIALLY CURRIES.

SAGE

Sage pairs really well with chicken and pork and is most often used in stuffing roast chicken and in pork sausages. Ancient Romans used sage to aid in digestion, whilst the Egyptians used sage as a fertility-enhancing herb.
Sage has a peppery, lemon taste and is best added at the start of the recipe as it can be overwhelming.

tip: Add some dried sage to your pork or chicken schnitzel crumb mixture.

DILL

Dill has an anise-liquorice taste and goes well with fish or other white meats. A little bit of dill goes a LONG way, so go easy on the dill! The longer dill is cooked the more of its flavour is lost.
1 tablespoon of fresh dill leaves = 1 teaspoon of dried dill leaves

Tip: It has long been thought that dill can help with stomach cramps or aches.

CARAWAY SEEDS

Caraway seeds are the star of rye bread. These seeds have an earthy, liquorice taste and are often used in curries and stews.
Caraway is popular in German and Eastern European recipes.

SZECHUAN PEPPER

This pepper is the staple of Szechuan Chinese cooking and is well known for its mouth-numbing properties. It has a slightly fruity taste and whilst it isn’t hotter than your usual black peppercorn, the mouth-numbing effect may make you think so.
Szechuan pepper is one of the spices used in Chinese 5 Spice.

Tip: Don’t grind Szechuan pepper until you need to use it, as it will lose some of its flavours once ground and stored.

LEMON MYRTLE

Australia’s native bush herb is great in savoury and sweet dishes alike. It has a lemon/lime flavour that goes well in cheesecakes, with roast chicken and in biscuits.

Tip: You can also drink lemon myrtle in tea.

WATTLE SEED

Australia’s own native spice adds a nutty earthy flavour to sweet and savoury dishes. Add it to meat dishes to give a BBQ flavour, or add to desserts such as ice cream for a nutty taste.

Tip: Add to your biscuit mix to give a nutty flavour.

Don’t forget to Redcycle wherever you can and make good choices!

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