December 4, 2020
It is safe to say that flavour and texture both play an important role in both Indian and Pakistani cuisine, and that is thanks to the cultural influence that herbs and spices have played in the cooking process of certain traditional and authentic dishes. Chefs have the option to cook with either fresh or dried herbs and whole or ground spices, and it is important that they are used appropriately in order to give a dish the recognisable flavour it is famous for. Read on as we go over everything there is to know…
Herbs
The decision to use fresh or dried herbs often depends on the type of dish that you are making. For instance, a salad typically calls for fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley and basil because uncooked dried herbs tend to lack the distinctive flavour and brightness that you want them to provide. On the other hand, there are some herbs that are better incorporated when they are dried, such as when you are making a sauce or stew. This is because the oils that are found in fresh herbs that give them their pungency will be cooked away after 10-15 minutes.
Spices
As per the definition, a spice comes from the root, stem, seed, fruit or flower of a plant and can either be found whole or in a ground form. Either can be incorporated into the cooking process, however the whole variety will typically require a little bit more work for the chef to carry out. After all, ground spices have a much longer shelf-life and are a lot more convenient to have in your cupboard. With this said, using whole spices can add a lot of flavour to a dish and ensure it tastes as authentic as possible.
Here at Royal Nawaab, we know that our diners expect authentic dishes that taste like they’ve been flown in from Indian or Pakistan and that is why our chefs use traditional spices/herbs in the correct way in order to bring out the best in a dish. To find out more information about our cooking process, get in contact with the best restaurant Manchester has to offer today!
