SPICEography Showdown Archives - Page 24 of 31

Ras el Hanout Vs. Garam Masala: SPICEography Showdown

Ras el hanout and garam masala are two spice blends that some in the west would consider exotic. While many of the spices used in each are familiar to western palates, blends that include all of them may not be. It is true that the same ingredients often show up in each blend, but ras el hanout and garam masala still manage to be very different spice mixes with very different characteristics. For this installment of SPICEography Showdown, here is a comparison of these blends to make choosing between them easier.

Curry Paste Vs. Curry Powder: SPICEography Showdown

Curry paste and curry powder each have the word curry in their name, so it is easy to understand how someone might get them mixed up. In addition, both are associated with Southeast Asian cuisine and have flavor profiles that may seem exotic to western taste buds. If you are unfamiliar with either blend, you may have some questions such as: How similar are these spice blends? Are they interchangeable? What are the best ways to use each of them? We will answer these questions and more in this edition of SPICEography Showdown.

Date Sugar Vs. Coconut Sugar : SPICEography Showdown

Coconut sugar and date sugar are alike in a few respects. In addition to the fact that both are effective sweeteners and often advertised as being superior to refined sugar, they both also come from palm trees. Of course, there are significant differences in how they are sourced. Coconut sugar comes from the sap of the coconut palm, whereas date sugar is the dried and ground fruit of the date palm. If you are looking for a healthier sugar and trying to choose between these two options, you should consider some of their other differences such as those below. Let’s break things down in another SPICEography Showdown.

Orange Zest Vs. Orange Peel: SPICEography Showdown

If you want to add the orange flavor to a dish, the traditional way to do it is with orange peel or orange zest. Orange peel includes the zest, but the zest does not include the peel. If you are …

Rock Salt Vs. Table Salt: SPICEography Showdown

Rock salt and table salt are two salt varieties with culinary applications, though rock salt is often known more for its use outside the kitchen. Both varieties come with striking differences and each comes with their own sets of benefits and drawbacks. If you are trying to decide which one to use for a particular application, consider the rock salt vs table salt comparison below in another SPICEography Showdown.

Hulled Vs. Unhulled Sesame Seeds: SPICEography Showdown

Sesame seeds have an exterior coat that can be removed. This coat is also known as the hull or the husk. Hulled sesame seeds are seeds with the hulls removed. You can tell which one is which by the fact that unhulled sesame seeds are brown. Hulled sesame seeds are completely white. Hulled sesame seeds are relatively easy to find, especially in the US. The unhulled variety is mainly used in Japanese cuisine and is not as widely available. Are they dramatically different in terms of flavor and nutritional value? Can you use one in place of the other? These questions and more will be examined in this SPICEography Showdown.

Coconut Sugar Vs. Brown Sugar: SPICEography Showdown

Coconut sugar looks a lot like brown sugar and the two are often considered interchangeable, but are they? The answer is not as clear-cut as you might think. Below, we will take a look at the flavors of these two sugars and consider how well they work as substitutes for each other in another SPICEography Showdown.

Palm Sugar Vs. Coconut Sugar: SPICEography Showdown

It is important to note that coconut sugar and palm sugar (also known as arenga sugar) are two distinct types of sugar that are obtained in different ways from different plants. The problem is that coconut sugar is sometimes called coconut palm sugar, which can lead to confusion between the two types of sugar. This is a common mistake, with many online resources erroneously claiming that the two are one and the same. In many cases, they may be incorrectly labeled. You should check the ingredients list rather than rely solely on the product’s name.

Palm sugar is harvested from the trunks of palm trees, while coconut sugar comes from the blossoms of coconut trees. Given that these are two different products with different harvesting methods, do their flavors differ? Can one be used as a substitute for the other? We will answer these questions and more in this SPICEography Showdown.