Six Seasoning Blends You Can’t Live Without

You can make any simple food taste great if you have your own spice mix lying around; a little sprinkle of this on grains, a tablespoon or two in beans—it’s the contemporary equivalent of ketchup on a burger. Start with preground spices, or, for even better-tasting results, toast and grind your own from whole ingredients.

Stored in opaque containers in a cool place, these mixtures will last for several weeks. Use along with oil and aromatic vegetables like onions, garlic, or ginger when you’re cooking; or just rub into food before grilling, broiling, or roasting; or sprinkle on anything just before serving, as you would salt and pepper.

If you’re using whole spices, put them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mixture is fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, lowering the heat if necessary so as not to scorch them. Add any ground spices during the last minute of cooking. Then grind everything together in a spice or coffee grinder until powdery.

Chili Powder

2 tablespoons ground ancho, New Mexico, or other mild dried chile

½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

½ teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

Med Mix (toast only a minute or so)

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon dried sage leaves

1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon dried parsley or lavender leaves

Hot Curry Powder

2 small dried Thai or other hot chiles

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground ginger

Cayenne or red pepper flakes, as needed

Fragrant Curry Powder

¼ teaspoon nutmeg pieces

Seeds from 5 white cardamom pods

3 cloves

One 3-inch cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

¼ cup coriander seeds

2 bay leaves

2 dried curry leaves (optional)

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek

Five-Spice Powder

1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns or black peppercorns

6 star anise

1½ teaspoons whole cloves

One 3-inch stick cinnamon

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

Sesame Shake

¼ cup sesame seeds

1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves or 2 tablespoons dried seaweed, like dulse or arame

Cayenne, to taste