"sd" > wrote in message
...
> In article . com>,
> "Jude" > wrote:
>
>> I;ve been told to always cook the spices seperately in a dry skillet
>> before adding them. Does it work to just dump in the cumin, coriander,
>> etc with the rest of the ingredients??
>
> It works the way any other recipe substitution works: if you like
> the taste, then it's okay (though maybe not authentic).
>
> I would, however, recommend toasting the spices the first time you
> make a recipe. Toasting really does change the flavor of a spice, as
> does crushing it before use (or toasting _and_ crushing it). I was
> given an object lesson in that from a native Indian cook.

I recommend toasting the spices as well. I recently made a lentil/mushroom
dish where the spices were added into the water that the lentils were cooked
it (and this was per the recipe). The dish ended up pretty much tasting like
dirt.

Robyn