The balance and the combination of flavors in food

Spicy / hot

There is a reason, the black pepper, the salt sits in many tables around the world and in the kitchens of top chefs. Something that "benefits" of the papillae are the taste of the best dish. Peppers (both peppercorns and chili) are the main spices that do this, but the Court did not enjoy spicy chili. Besides spicy dishes with intention, just a touch of heat on the bottom a little more will not be sharp, "alive".

When using dried spices or other (usually in powder form) peppers, the taste is better with cooking oil and fry in the pan before adding other ingredients. These dry ingredients are always added to the top of a plate, to allow time to develop the taste, mixing and lose hardness dried spices.

Fresh peppers are at various times after the desired effect, added in the kitchen. If you want to melt into the ground, treat it like other aromatic compounds. If you want a cooling effect by dusting, add them at the end. Obviously different fresh peppers and dry taste of each other.

Note that the peppers vary in heat value. (See this scale Chili Pepper website About.com Home Cooking. Heat) Whether fresh or dried, I would usually use pepper taste (you may be more used for heat). Width is one of my favorites. New Mexico Chile is hot, but very tasty. (Note: chile powders are mixtures of dried peppers with other spices such as cumin heat as a function of the peppers in them ever ..)

In addition to the red or black pepper, other spices to give it a little heat, more subtle:

• Curry powder and pastes (also get their heat from the chilies.
• Coriander is perhaps my favorite spices - hot, with notes of citrus. It is the seed of the plant coriander.
• Comino (warm, not hot)
• Dry mustard or prepared
• Paprika is also a member of the pepper family, which can be smoked mild or hot, or
• Turmeric - Soft, warm spices commonly used in Indian cooking
• Some types of cinnamon can update the spicy Vietnamese cinnamon
• Many other spices (cloves, pepper Commons, fennel, etc.) can transmit a subtle heat
• Raw garlic can be very "hot"

By adjusting the flavors at the end of cooking, if you want the dish to be spicy, pepper as a dipping sauce or paste, not a dry powder. This can be in the form of Tabasco sauce, hot sauces from Asia, Middle East Harissa paste or hot sauce that happened to you.

Creamiess

When the entire pepper is always too much, a little cream or coconut milk do wonders. It's no wonder so many hot Asian curries have coconut milk in them.

Ingredients, the mixtures

If you look at some of the spices in your cabinet, you will find that already combinations of flavors. Ketchup has vinegar, salt, sugar and spices. Worcestershire sauce has molasses, vinegar, tamarind, and anchovies. BBQ sauce has sugar and vinegar with spices. These spices can more flavor to add both your kitchen.

With the help of the magical balance of your kitchen to improve

There are some general principles that you can use to improve their ability to blend flavors, although the final result will depend on your own taste.

See a family recipe. It has something that all groups of taste? Try a bit of someone in the group (s) is missing. (Note that not all recipes have all the elements of taste., In some cases, it is may be overstated. Acidity I do not want my chicken pie, for example.)

There is no substitute for tasting food, make adjustments and see what happens. If you go too far in one direction, towards the added flavors often bring the dish into balance.

• Too hot? With a little sweetness or creamiess
• Too sweet? Add some sour or heat
• Add too much acid? Fresco
• Too boring? A little salt or heat
• Too salty? Add sour
• Need a spark? Aromatic acid or at the end of the cooking time added, or just add a hotkey
• Do you need more depth - starting with aromatic next time
• Too serious - Try a touch of sweetness

And do not forget to keep tasting, wine tasting, wine tasting. Soon most of the dishes for dinner or a meal requested! And no one will really be able to duplicate.

The combination of flavors more on Food Guide About.com:

Thai cooking tips

A Question of Taste (Chinese)

How to make your own BBQ Rub