Bring Global Cuisines to Your Kitchen
Did you know that there are over 100 varieties of spices produced throughout the world? Spices, which come from the roots, fruits, seeds, bark and stems of various plants, mostly originate from the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia. Ancient texts from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greek, Rome, India and Arabia mention spices, revealing that they have been used for many purposes across history (1, 2, 3).
By providing a diversity of flavor to dishes, spices allow us to experience global cultures. Eating a dish prepared with spices might take us back to walking the streets of a foreign city, soaking in the smells of our family home or enjoying authentic delicacies at a local restaurant. One might say that spices define a cuisine.
Some of our favorite globally inspired dishes with bold spices include:
● Lentils and Pumpkin over Brown Rice with turmeric, curry powder, cumin and garam masala
● Moroccan Carrot Salad with Bulgur with cumin, cayenne and cinnamon
● Spicy Butternut Squash with Yogurt Sauce with chili powder, cumin and paprika
● Kalamata Olive Hummus with cumin
Is there a dish that immediately transports you somewhere else? What spices are in this dish? Share your memories with us @GPembrace.
References
(1) Gottardi D et al. Beneficial Effect of Spices in Food Preservation and Safety. Frontiers in Microbiology 2016; 7:1394.
(2) Fifi AC et al. Herbs and Spices in the Treatment of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Review of Clinical Trials. Nutrients 2018;10:1715.
(3) Vázquez-Fresno R et al. Herbs and Spices- Biomarkers of Intake Based on Human Intervention Studies – A Systematic Review. Genes & Nutrition 2019;14:18.
