Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns are the most common spices used to make the Indian beverage chai. For maximum flavour, slurp, don't sip. Adding sugar helps bring out the flavours.
This aromatic curry starts with a practically prep-free sauce that gets its potent flavour from garam masala, a finely ground blend of cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, mace and cloves. To save time on prep, look for the ready-made mix in the spice aisle.
Fragrant, sweet cloves add rich, spicy flavour to this simple rice dish. Rinsing the rice removes any excess starch and guarantees a fluffy result. Serve with lime wedges and a dollop of mango chutney.
You can make your own five-spice powder for this sweet yet spicy gift. Mix together 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) each cinnamon, ground cloves, pepper and crushed fennel seeds and star anise.
Warm spices and a sweet-and-sour sauce intensify the flavour of chicken. Garnish the platter with the garlic bulbs so guests can pluck out the tender cloves. Serve this dish with Baby New Potatoes.
Quatre épices, or four spices, is a mix used in French dishes. It consists of pepper, nutmeg, cloves and ginger and pairs nicely with honey, red wine and Dijon mustard as an elegant flavour combination on baked ham.
Five-spice powder, which usually combines cinnamon, anise, fennel, Szechuan pepper and cloves, is the perfect base for this spice rub. The slow and even cooking of indirect heat creates the most tender ribs without burning the meat.
The signature flavour of this fragrant Indian rice dish comes from the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cloves. Although brown basmati rice isn't traditionally used, it adds fibre and a nice texture. Adding the frozen peas at the end keeps them bright green.
Meaty oyster mushrooms and fresh spinach come together for a super-quick stove top side dish that complements any roast dinner. Leave the garlic cloves in if you've got garlic lovers at the table, or remove them just before serving.
Simmering the whole shallots and garlic cloves in the stew enhances their natural sweetness. If you like, you can substitute other seasonal favourites, such as rutabaga and carrots, for the squash and top the stew with crunchy croutons or toasted bread crumbs.
