Buying Bulk Spices

About a year ago, my meat and potatoes husband was taken to an Indian resturant by some co-workers. Amazingly, he tried the food and really liked it! He then took all of us to the same Indian resturant and we all really liked it too! I decided I wanted to learn how to make some of the delicious food, but was turned off by the long list of expensive spices I would have to purchase. What if the food didn't turn out? I was worried I would waste my money! Then I discovered that the health food store that is literally, right down the street, had a bulk spices section! The first time I made Coconut Buttered chicken, I was able to buy 1 tablespoon of garam masala for fifteen cents. When the Coconut Buttered Chicken turned out well, I dove into the land of making curry (check out my Thai coconut curry chicken). I went back to the health food store and bought about 3 tablespoons of all the staple spices you need on hand to make a lot of Indian dishes like tumeric, garam masala, cardamom and coriander. I spent a total of $2.50. The nice thing about doing it like this is the spices remain fresh. I store them in the small bag provided by the store and then in a larger container placed into the freezer. This will keep the spices fresh and fragrant. Most spices lose their punch and freshness in less than 6 months.

Synopsis:

Buying your spices in bulk allows you to buy the quanity you need (rather than a big jar) saving you money.
Keep your spices in a sealed container in the freezer helps keep your spices fresher, longer.


This is linked to Tip Junkie, Tammy's Kitchen Tips, Works for me Wednesday.