PSA: Tried toasting my dry spices in a pan before adding them to my chili recipe

I've been making chili for like 10 years and it always came out fine but never amazing. Last Sunday I was watching my aunt cook and she threw cumin seeds in a dry skillet for maybe 2 minutes before grinding them up. Tried the same thing with pre-ground cumin and paprika for my batch this week. The smell was insane and the final pot had this deep smoky flavor I never got before. Anyone else do this or got other quick tricks that actually change a dish?

2 comments

2 Comments

amy9751mo ago

Yeah but you gotta be careful not to burn them. I tried toasting cumin once and walked away for like 30 seconds and it went from smelling good to smelling like a campfire real quick. Paprika is even worse since it's ground already, it can go bitter in seconds if the pan's too hot. I usually do whole spices first then grind them, gives you more control.

andrew8541mo ago

Totally agree, it's such a fine line. I did the same thing with coriander seeds once, went to grab a beer and came back to black specks and a kitchen that smelled like a bonfire for the rest of the night. And yeah, paprika is a nightmare, I've given up on toasting it altogether unless I'm using a tiny bit of oil in the pan and watching it like a hawk. The whole spices first method is solid though, way more forgiving and you can really control the color and smell before they start smoking.