The Spice Shop

Pimenton La Odalisca-Desbinzado, 50g
Unit price: £2.95 (approx. €3.30)
Shipping Weight: 50g

This Spanish paprika from the Murcia region is the finest I have ever seen and tasted. Milled from the nora peppers it is sweet, powdery, silky, bright red, and melts in your mouth.

Chilli con Carne mix

Brown onions and minced beef in oil, add water, soaked beans, and spice (1 teaspoon per person - make sure some bay leaves make it into the pot), chopped tomatoes, and cook until done. Make a huge pot to last you a week, as it gets better with time. I normally add some chillies as well.

Byriani Curry Blend

Mix diced beef with spices and natural yogurt and leave to marinade for at least three hours, or better, overnight, in a pot. Cook basmati rice until half-done. Cover the marinated meat with rice; poke few holes through the rice to the bottom of the pot, and pour some oil into them. Cover the pot and cook for half an hour, or until meat is done, then leave on low heat for another 15 minutes. Recipe by Mr. K.

Galangal powder

Pumpkin soup: fry 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic, chopped, in oil. Add 500g diced pumpkin, 1 tsp galangal powder, salt and pepper and fry for a minute. Add stock to cover and cook until pumpkin is soft. Blend the soup, add 1/2 tin coconut milk and re-heat. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Aniseeds, green

Try making shortbread flavoured with aniseed: Mix 4 oz butter + 2 oz sugar. Add 6 oz plain flour and 2 tsp aniseeds. Roll the dough out to 1/2" thickness and stamp out biscuits. Chill for 20 mins then bake at 190°/gas 5 for 15-20 mins. Cool on the tray.