The Spice of Life

Cooking with Spices

Treat them nice

Buying and keeping spices in their best condition is important to ensure they don't lose their fragrance and flavour. Glass bottles are to be avoided and Delia explains why this is, and offers a great alternative for you in our Cookery School video on this page.

Christmas baking

There is nothing like the smell that fills your kitchen when you are cooking with spices. 

Not only does it get your appetitie going but somehow it makes you feel like you are cooking something really special. Those who traditionally make Delia's Classic Christmas Cake and Home-made Christmas Mincemeat every year say it's the start of their Christmas, and comments about the aroma of the lovely blend of mixed spice of cinnamon, nutmeg lets them know their Christmas has started.

There are many other festive recipes that benefit from spices, below you have Spiced Fig Pudding, Spiced Cranberry Muffins and Spiced Red Cabbage, and if you want to get into the Christmas spirit with all Delia's recipes in one place, starting with what you need to make and freeze in advance to New Year and leftovers. See all our Christmas recipes here.

Spiced Fig Pudding

Spiced Cranberry Muffins

Spiced Sauteed Red Cabbage

CURRIES

Spices are essential to making a homemade curry, and a great place to start is with to make a batch of Thai Red Curry Paste which is made with coriander and cumin seeds, fresh ginger and hot paprika. Delia describes it as being a 'dark, pungent curry paste', and not only will it take your curry to a new level, but it can be frozen, so if you make it in bulk you can divide it into smaller portions to save wasting the ingredients. It's used in Thai Red Curry Chicken with Coriander Chutney below. For all our curry recipes click here

Thai Red Curry Chicken

Beef Curry Dopiaza

Egg and Lentil Curry