What transforms an ordinary dish into a culinary delight could be a mere pinch of cinnamon powder, a few bay leaves or a pip of garlic. That’s right, spices perk up your cooking! Although needed in small amounts, spices enhance the taste and aroma of a dish greatly.

The variety of spices available for cooking is as exciting as their fragrance. We have ‘wet’ spices like ginger, tumeric, nutmeg, lemon grass and galangal. We also have dry ones such as pepper, cumin, chilli powder, cardamom, mustard seeds, star anise and others. Though widely used in savoury dishes, spices are also great for sweet foods like cakes, beverages, cookies and candy. But whatever you use them for, the best results come with these spicy secrets:

• Buy spices in small amounts as aging robs their flavour and aroma.
• To test for freshness, rub a bit of the spice between thumb and index finger and breathe in the aroma. If there is no aroma, the spice is aged.
• Store spices in airtight containers in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight.
• Less is best. Start with a small amount of spice and add more if insufficient. Too much may turn food bitter instead of enhancing its flavour.
• Cooking releases the aroma and flavour of spices. So, if you are going to stew for a few hours, add spices only during the last hour or so. Conversely, give spices enough time to release their flavour when used in cold dishes like salads and beverages.
• Spices like bay leaf, lemon grass, ginger and pepper corns can do with a bit of crushing to release their flavour. Some spices need frying to enhance their flavour. These include mustard seeds, aniseed, curry leaves, cumin, and fenugreek.
• You can experiment with the different types of spices, though some foods go better with certain spices. For example, fenugreek is great at masking the fishy smell of seafood, while nutmeg is usually used in baked goods, beverages and puddings.
• To keep soups clear, bag up the spices in a small muslin pouch before adding to the soup for boiling.

In the past, spices were symbols of wealth and were enjoyed only by the rich. Fortunately, everyone can now savour the wonders of spices.