Whole versus ground spices
I've been trying to cook more from recipes in the interest of expanding the variety in what I eat...general question....if a recipe calls for whole spices, is it ok to sub ground spices, and if so, is it an even substitution (1 tsp ground for 1 tsp whole) or do I have to make an adjustment?
I've been cooking a bunch of recipes out of Vegan with a Vengeance and some other veggie cookbooks lately, and I've noticed that they often call for whole spices like cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole cinnamon sticks, etc. In the interest of not going broke, I can't really justify having whole cumin seeds AND ground cumin, mustard seeds and ground mustard, cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon, etc, etc, when, honestly, I don't cook with any of these spices (except maybe cinnamon) all that often - garlic, ginger and the dried "Italian" herbs tend to be my spices of choice...
Suggestions? Note: I already have most spices already, in ground form and don't own a spice grinder.
Ground spices are fine, just check the use-by date as ground spices lose their essential oils more quickly than the whole ones.
You will notice that a lot of recipes tell you to measure whole spices and then grind them, so you're OK. Start by measuring a scanter bit and then adding some by taste, as there's no "air spaces" in a teaspoon of ground spice as there would be in between the whole seeds, if that makes sense...
Since your recipe is calling for the whole spices.... not ground whole spices...
In general the ground spices will be stronger than whole. Sometimes they will have a different taste entirely. But I understand not wanting to buy every spice on the planet! ;)
I wouldn't sub 1:1 ... I think I'd do half or less... it depends on the recipe... if you know what the outcome is supposed to be like it's easier... if at all possible taste the recipe and then add the spices.
I feel VWAV is waaaay over-spiced. Not spicy. Just most of the recipes call for too MUCH. So you can get by with those on less spice IMO.
Oh and sometimes the whole spice is used so you can take it out later... like cinnamon sticks... you probably don't want to sub cinnamon in that case or go extra extra light on it...
Thanks for the help :) I'll try these suggestions.
Another suggestion for the future is I buy whole spices and keep a small mortar and pestle handy and grind them if I need powdered.
Another suggestion for the future is I buy whole spices and keep a small mortar and pestle handy and grind them if I need powdered.
HH does this always work for you?
I had corriander seeds and I ground them when a recipe called for powdered and it seems to have a much more bitter taste or something... is it the hull/shell...?
I'm not sure about coriander. I'm a terrible cook, so when something doesn't taste right I assume there's a bigger problem than the spice I use. ::) Coriander loses its potency readily once its powdered, so I keep the whole seed. I also heat the seeds in a dry pan just before I grind it. I read somewhere that roasting it enhances the aroma.