Information about Seasoning

Alternate meanings: Seasoning (cast iron) ; Seasoning (wood)

Seasoning is the process of adding or improving flavor of food. Seasonings include herbs, spices, and all other condiments (which may themselves be referred to as "seasonings"). Salt may be used to draw out water, or to magnify a natural flavor of a food making it richer or more delicate, depending on the dish. For instance, kosher salt (a coarser-grained salt) is rubbed into chicken, lamb, and beef to tenderize the meat and improve flavor. Other seasonings like pepper and basil transfer some of their flavor to the food. A well designed dish will combine seasonings that complement each other.

In addition to the choice of herbs and seasoning, the timing of when flavors are added will affect the food that is being cooked.

In some cultures, meat may be seasoned by pouring sauce over the dish at the table. A variety of seasoning techniques exist in various cultures.

Infused Oils is another method of seasoning. There are two methods for doing an infusion — hot and cold. Olive oil makes a good infusion base for some herbs, but tends to go rancid more quickly than other oils. Infused oils should be kept refrigerated.

•  • [ e] Herbs and spices
Herbs	Angelica • Basil • Basil, holy • Basil, Thai • Bay leaf • Boldo • Borage • Cannabis • Chervil • Chives • Coriander leaf (cilantro) • Curry leaf • Dill • Epazote • Eryngium foetidum (long coriander) • Hoja santa • Houttuynia cordata (giấp c) • Hyssop • Lavender • Lemon balm • Lemon grass • Lemon verbena • Limnophila aromatica (rice paddy herb) • Lovage • Marjoram • Mint • Mitsuba • Oregano • Parsley • Perilla (shiso) • Rosemary • Rue • Sage • Savory • Sorrel • Stevia • Tarragon • Thyme • Vietnamese coriander (rau răm) • Woodruff
Spices	African pepper • Ajwain (bishop's weed) • Aleppo pepper • Allspice • Amchur (mango powder) • Anise • Aromatic ginger • Asafoetida • Camphor • Caraway • Cardamom • Cardamom, black • Cassia • Cayenne pepper • Celery seed • Chili • Cinnamon • Clove • Coriander seed • Cubeb • Cumin • Cumin, black • Dill seed • Fennel • Fenugreek • Fingerroot (krachai) • Galangal, greater • Galangal, lesser • Garlic • Ginger • Grains of Paradise • Horseradish • Juniper berry • Liquorice • Mace • Mahlab • Malabathrum (tejpat) • Mustard, black • Mustard, brown • Mustard, white • Nasturtium • Nigella (kalonji) • Nutmeg • Paprika • Pepper, black • Pepper, green • Pepper, long • Pepper, pink, Brazilian • Pepper, pink, Peruvian • Pepper, white • Pomegranate seed (anardana) • Poppy seed • Saffron • Sarsaparilla • Sassafras • Sesame • Sichuan pepper (huājiāo, sansho) • Star anise • Sumac • Tasmanian pepper • Tamarind • Turmeric • Wasabi • Zedoary

•  • [ e] Herb and spice mixtures

Adjika  Advieh  Berbere  Bouquet garni • Buknu  Cajun King • Chaat masala • Chaunk  Chermoula  Chili powder • Curry powder • Djahe  Fines herbes • Five-spice powder • Garam masala • Garlic salt • Harissa  Herbes de Provence • Jerk spice • Khmeli suneli • Lawry's and Adolph's • Lemon pepper • Masala  Masuman  Mitmita • Mixed spice • Mrs. Dash • Niter kibbeh • Old Bay Seasoning • Panch phoron • Quatre pices • Ras el hanout • Recado rojo • Shake 'N' Bake • Sharena sol • Shichimi  Spice mix • Tajn  Tandoori masala • Tony Chachere's • Za'atar