A visit to the Spice Room

This week sees the return of our popular Takeaway for 2, which is all the excuse we need to visit the most mysterious and bewitching part of the COOK kitchen: the fabled Spice Room.

Chefs: Arta, Raimondas, Robin and Sherif answer our questions.

Q: So, which spices do you use the most?

Robin: Probably cumin, coriander, madras powder and paprika.

Q: Which COOK dishes are the most complicated, spice-wise?

Arta: Chicken Saag. The marinade for the chicken weighs over 32kg!

Sherif: I’d say Korma and Tikka – they contain a lot of spices.

Q: Has working in the Spice Room changed how you cook at home?

Raimondas: Definitely. I’ve discovered many spices I never knew existed, like zatar.

Q: If you could only use one spice, which would it be?

Arta: Cumin.

Sherif: Nutmeg.

Q: What’s the best thing about working in the spice room?

Arta: The team of people and the opportunity to learn new things every day.

Q: And the worst?

Raimondas: Blending dried porcini mushrooms into a fine powder – the smell is really intense!

Q: Go on - give us a spice related tip.

Sherif: I come from Egypt and I use ground coriander in my favourite dish of spicy rice and lamb stuffed aubergine. You must always treat any spice as a raw ingredient and fry it off in some oil to release the beautiful aroma and flavour.

Robin: Cumin seeds boiled lightly in just water are a traditional cure for an upset stomach.

Q: Last but by no means least: what’s your favourite song by the Spice Girls?

Everyone: Easy! ‘Spice up Your Life’!

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