Spicy Seasonings

Spicy seasonings, when properly used, add piquancy to food.

Spicy seasonings do more than add heat. Spices enhance the natural taste of food by bringing out flavors that often go undetected. For instance, the yogurt that accompanies India's curries and kormas tempers the heat of the curry spice on the palate, which highlights the subtle flavors of cardamom and coriander. Spicy seasonings come in several forms, including powders, ground blends and seeds.

Pungent

Pungent seasonings leave a hint of spicy warmth on the palate without overpowering. Classic pungent seasonings include shallots, onions, garlic, chives and horseradish. Shallots contribute a delicate flavor and taste redolent of onions. Globe onions have an exceptionally strong flavor in their raw state, and are often caramelized to soften their spiciness. Garlic is prized for its aroma, pungency and versatility. Horseradish adds mild piquancy to drinks, such as in a classic Bloody Mary, and its spiciness cuts the richness of many foods, such as prime rib.

Piquant

Piquant seasonings add moderate heat to food and are often used to cut the richness of high-fat foods, such as the cayenne pepper in hollandaise sauce. Piquant seasonings include mustard seed, mild chili powder blends, paprika, peppercorns and cayenne pepper. Brown mustard seeds add mild spiciness to whole-grain mustard. Mild chili powder blends, which commonly include ground chili peppers, garlic powder, cumin and oregano, add spice to meat-based dishes, such as chili con carne. Black peppercorns have the familiar spiciness that accompanies myriad preparations, both savory and sweet. White peppercorns have a taste similar to black, and are primarily used when black peppercorns would detract from a dish's aesthetics. Green peppercorns, or unripe black peppercorns, are commonly used in Asian cuisine, and have a crisp spiciness.

Very Spicy

Very spicy seasonings often need other ingredients to temper their heat, and the combination noticeably improves the flavor of the overall dish. For instance, when habanero salsa is tempered with queso fresco, it creates a complex flavor profile unattainable by the peppers or cheese alone. Very spicy seasonings include scotch bonnet peppers, bird's eye peppers and Thai peppers -- all commonly used in Asian cuisine. Red pepper flakes, often used as a garnish or in marinades, have a large number of seeds that contribute to their heat.

Spicy Seasoning Blends

Spicy seasoning blends include Cajun, harissa and curry spice variations. Although several regional versions exist, Cajun seasoning commonly includes cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, fenugreek and chili powder. Harissa, a Tunisian chili sauce that contains Serrano peppers, bird's eye chili peppers, paprika, green chili peppers, garlic, chili powder and olive oil, is typically used in Mediterranean preparations. Most curry mixtures contain red pepper, coriander, cumin, turmeric and mustard seeds, but additional ingredients vary between regions.

Tags: chili powder, cayenne pepper, chili peppers, seasonings include, Asian cuisine, black peppercorns, chili peppers garlic