Pastes and sauces
Curry pastes, harissa, gochujang, sambal and the wet ground seasonings of the world.
Pastes are spices pounded or blended with wet ingredients such as garlic, oil, vinegar or fermented beans. Curry paste, harissa, gochujang, doubanjiang and recado rojo are examples.
What they are
A paste carries the flavour of fresh aromatics as well as dry spices. Thai curry pastes use fresh chillies, lemongrass and galangal, and Tunisian harissa uses dried chillies, garlic and caraway. Others, like gochujang and doubanjiang, are fermented and develop a deep savoury taste.
How they are used
Pastes are fried in oil or coconut cream to cook out their raw edge and release their scent, before other ingredients are added. Some are used as marinades, dips or table condiments.
Buying and keeping
Jars should be kept in the fridge after opening, with a layer of oil on the top to protect them. Fermented pastes keep well for months. Check the ingredients, as heat and salt levels vary.
Paste on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
馃嚡馃嚨 JapanYuzu kosh艒鏌氬瓙鑳℃
A fermented Japanese paste of chili peppers and yuzu citrus peel.Paste 路 Hot and fiery 路 Citrus and bright
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 5 moreMustard
A pungent paste made from ground mustard seeds mixed with liquid and spices.Paste 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Hot and fiery
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesCreole mustard
A grainy paste of brown mustard seeds, vinegar, and horseradish from Louisiana.Paste 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Sour and tart
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Yuzu kosh艒: njt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mustard: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Creole mustard: Mwaters1120, Public domain, source