THE SECRET LIFE OF SPICE

PHOTOGRAPHS JAN RAS
RECIPES HOPE MALAU
PRODUCTION ABIGAIL DONNELLY

Keep ’em fresh

Did you know that whole spices maintain their freshness for longer than ground spices? And that they lose flavour over time (use your eyes and nose – if their colour has faded and the aroma is low, replace them). Use these storage tips to keep your spices fresher for longer

■ “Store spices in a drawer, away from light, moisture and heat, which influence shelf life and flavour.” – Roelien Havenga, Woolies product developer

■ “I keep my spices in Ziploc bags in the fridge.” – Abigail Donnelly, TASTE food editor

■ “I use a traditional Indian masala dabba. It’s a metal tin with small cups inside and used to keep small amounts of spices fresh.” – Mira Harie, spice merchant at Spice Emporium in Durban

■ “Buy the smallest quantities you can. At Marigold, I order spices every week, and we roast and grind a batch for each day.” – Vanie Padayachee, executive chef at Marigold restaurant in Franschhoek

■ “Store your spices in glass jars that seal tightly to preserve their freshness –