Recipes For Home Cooks From My Amsterdam Kitchen. What to Eat in the City and Beyond.
I have so many chicken recipes, it’s almost embarrassing. But it’s such an easy meat to work with and everybody loves it. Out of all my chicken recipes, I make harissa chicken most often. I think of my harissa chicken as being the Little Black […]
I think it must be one of the most frequently asked questions I get about cooking. “What can I do with herbs? I buy them for a recipe and then I’m left with them. Help!” Herbs (and spices) are my most favourite ingredients to use. […]
If there’s something I always have in my freezer, it’s pastry – ready made, shop bought pastry, and I’m not ashamed to say it. It’s one of the biggest time savers and stress relievers a home cook can have. If you want to make pastry, […]
Welcome to Karen’s Home Cooked. My website is full of easy, tasty recipes for any kind of home cook.
I love the city I live in, Amsterdam, and I love to share its best food. Travelling is a passion too, as long as there’s good food to be had and I write about my discoveries.
If you’re looking for even more recipes, check out my healthy cook book .
Love Food, Live Healthy is available on Amazon.
Spice: A Capsule Collection for Every Cook
I collect spices the way some women collect shoes. As I write this I have over 50 different spices in my kitchen, a whole kitchen cupboard has been given over to this particular food obsession. I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting flavours that will give my dishes the special lift that only spice can bring. When I travel, I eat as much local cuisine as I can, the more exotic the better. I dissect each mouthful to detect any possible spice addition, a new one, one I don’t know about, the next in my collection. The next spice on my route to creating a new recipe or enhancing an existing one.
I’m not a spice hoarder though, they all get used, oh yeah, they get used alright, I can’t imagine life without these flavour makers.
When I open my spice cupboard I get a spark of excitement at the power I have at my fingertips.
I wasn’t always so au fait with spice, there was a time when all I had was salt, pepper and some old, crusty powders, probably cinnamon and curry powder lurking at the back of a kitchen cupboard, seriously out of date. I’m not ashamed to admit that, I’m not a spice snob. I mean you have to start somewhere – right? So, this is my spice starters kit for those of you who have a feeling that your life may benefit from a little spice, but, are not sure where to begin.
For the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Cook
Cinnamon Powder
Cardamom Pods and Powder
Cumin Powder and Cumin Seeds
Turmeric
Fennel Seeds
Chili Powder (or dried chili’s)
Paprika Powder
For the Baker
Cinnamon Powder
Vanilla Pods (or Vanilla Extract – never essence)
Ground Ginger
Ground Nutmeg
Ground Cloves
For the Indian Curry Maker
Garam Masala
Turmeric
Cumin Powder and Seeds
Cardamom Pods and Powder
Coriander Powder
Black or Brown mustard seeds (never yellow)
Chili Powder (or dried chili’s)
The Complete Capsule Collection
You’ll notice that there is some cross over in each collection, so, if you want to have the complete capsule collection, here it comes:
Cinnamon Powder
Cardamom Pods and Powder
Cumin Seeds and Powder
Turmeric Powder
Fennel Seeds
Chili Powder (or dried chili’s)
Paprika Powder
Vanilla Pods (or Vanilla Extract – never essence)
Ground Ginger
Ground Nutmeg
Ground Cloves
Garam Masala
Coriander Powder
Black or Brown mustard seeds (never yellow)
