Sanjay Aggarwal’s tips for what to do with unused spices, and a treasured family recipe for Garam Masala
As the co-founder of Spice Kitchen, Sanjay Aggarwal is all about encouraging home cooks to bring spice blends into their everyday cookery. In his first cookery book, “Spice Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes and Spice Blends for the Home Cook,” Sanjay offers delicious, globally-inspired recipes that rely on simple spice blends, rather than long ingredient lists… and toward simplicity.
In this piece, Sanjay shares what he has learned about using spices from growing up in a family that use them in everyday cooking, and generously offers his family’s closely guarded garam masala blend – a cherished recipe passed down through generations. Read to the end to check out Sanjay’s family recipe for Garam Masala too.
What to do with your unused spices
From speaking to people about their cookery habits, I know that even the most adventurous home cooks can find themselves with a stash of neglected spices, languishing sadly in kitchen drawers or cabinets after being used just once.
Many people are surprised to learn that spices do have a shelf life, and, before I share with you what can be done with unused spices we first have to do some spring cleaning…
Which means, if you have little jars or packets that have been tucked away for years, it’s time to get them all out, check their freshness and say some goodbyes.
Here’s how.
Trusting your senses: how to check if your spices are past their best
Open the jar and look: if the spices inside appear dusty, aged or lack vibrancy and colour, they will offer the same to your recipes. You want your spices to have vibrancy in both colour and aroma, if they don’t, please don’t ruin your dishes with them. I know it’s hard, but, for the love of flavour, throw them away.
Next, while the jar is open, give them a sniff. Can you smell their beautiful aroma? Do they make you want to start cooking? If not, again, bid them farewell.
I understand it’s frustrating to throw away food: but, the good news is ,that with those spices you have saved, there’s plenty you can do….
Create your own spice blends
Growing up, my mum was always in the kitchen, preparing batches of her spice masalas— the Hindi term for blends— honed over years, which formed the backbone of so many of our family meals. Having observed and learned from my mum, I’ve developed a way of cooking where I choose to use spice blends – instead of single spices – for my family at home. A single spoonful of blend can perk up even the most simples of ingredients.
What’s great about creating you own spice blends is the freedom to get imaginative, while tailoring the balance of flavours to suit your and your family’s preferences. You can adjust the ingredients according to your taste; if you’re not fond of heat, go easy on the chilli, while spice heads can add as much as they can handle!
A well-known spice blend is Piri Piri, and this is a great one to get started with as it tends to utilise the spices that most of us have knowing around: like onion and garlic powder, paprika (smoked, sweet, or plain), oregano, and chilli powder.
To create a fabulous, season-all blends, simply mix a teaspoon of each with a quarter teaspoon of salt and granulated sugar. Here you have a versatile blend that can enhance everything from grilled chicken to roasted vegetables and fries. It’s a simple solution that adds a burst of flavour, making midweek meals a breeze.
So, let your creativity flow. Take stock of your spice cupboard and experiment with blends that resonate with your taste buds. You can improvise, creating your version for the perfect BBQ seasoning or an extra spicy blend.
Don’t get too caught up in exact ingredients. If you’re missing something for a particular blend, go ahead anyway— you might discover a new favourite, and if not, you can always incorporate the missing elements later. Let your imagination and taste buds guide you.
A note on whole spices
Whole spices have a longer shelf life than ground ones. You might find yourself with lots of these after the festive season: for example, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. These, along with seeds like cumin, coriander, and fennel, can be transformed into aromatic spice blends—a fantastic way to repurpose festive leftovers for warming winter stews and curries.
If you’re up for grinding your own spices, a decent granite pestle and mortar or a budget-friendly coffee grinder are great options: a small investment in a reliable tool pays off if you plan to regularly blend your own spices.
Whole spices also lend themselves well to desserts and even drinks. If you have green cardamom pods lying around, then you must try a Rose and Cardamom Lassi. Blend 500g of plain yogurt with two cardamom pods, six large ice cubes, two tablespoons of rose syrup, a pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of sugar. Pour the mixture into tall glasses and, if available, garnish with some lovely rose petals.
My family’s Garam Masala recipe
We kept this blend recipe a secret in my family until we decided to share it in my cookery book last year. Garam Masala is a widely used blend in so many Indian dishes and will bring a great depth of flavour to your curries, stews, and soups.
Here I’m sharing our recipe, but as I’ve already mentioned, please feel free to swap out ingredients or add more or less of one, depending on your tastebuds!
Ingredients
Whole spices:-
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp coriander
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 5 green cardamom
Ground spices:-
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
Method:
Pour the whole spices into a spice grinder (alternatively, use a pestle and mortar), incorporate the pre-ground spices, and grind into a fine powder. Safely store this aromatic blend in a sealed jar for up to six months, adding to your dishes as needed.
About Spice Kitchen
Spice Kitchen is a multi-award winning family-run spice company founded in 2012 by mother and son duo Shashi and Sanjay Aggarwal. Everything they do is rooted in Shashi’s deep knowledge of spices and Indian Masalas and is powered by Sanjay’s love of cooking with flavours from around the world.
Their signature range – Spice Tins with a Hand-Sewn Silk Sari Gift Wrap – is the perfect gift for food lovers and cooks. Each tin is a celebration of a different culinary theme, from Middle Eastern cooking to infusing and garnishing the perfect G&T!