Spices have long held memories and spiritual effects, and even some magical properties, supposedly. Recipes for spice mixes are a great way to make food unusual and flavorful, and some mixtures are time-tested favorites of whole populations.
If one chooses a seasoning mix for a meal or dish, it’s good to blend things that compliment each other. But, sometimes a person can come up with a mix that will enhance certain properties and give off unseen positive results. Then, that person could choose by the properties and enhancements of the spices to give a certain pleasurable end result after eating such a dish.
Here’s some meanings and ‘properties’ of certain spices, so a theme or common ground can be found in a recipe. The most common property is the one of protection from spiritual effects, broken love, financial hardship, and anything someone would want to be protected from.
The Magic of Spices
- Allspice - money magic, aid in communications, and good luck.
- Anise - protection, purification, divinity, regaining items and protection from nightmares.
- Basil - matters of love, exorcism, wealth, protection, clairvoyance, purification, and when given as a gift it brings good luck to the user.
- Bay Leaves - clairvoyance, wisdom, nobility, help in granting wishes.
- Caraway Seeds - helps to enhance mental powers, anti-theft protection, health.
- Cinnamon - enhances spirituality, healing, psychic powers, protection, love and knowledge.
- Cloves - love magic, lust, protection, exorcisms, and money magic.
- Coriander - love, good health, healing.
- Cumin - protection, ensures fidelity.
- Curry - protection from spiritual maladies.
- Dill - protection for children, enhances money luck and love.
- Flax Seed - enhances money luck, protection, beauty, psychic powers and healing.
- Garlic - protection from ill-willed spirits, healing, exorcism, anti-theft and banishing negativity.
- Ginger - money luck, success, power and passion, inspiration.
- Olive Oil - the good that's in love.
Harissa Paste Recipe
Here are two of those time-tested spice blend recipes. Mix them at will for flavor or spiritual effect. One thing to note: all the spices that come in seed form are to be ground, either before or after heating.
The first one is a paste from Africa and is called Harissa. What is harissa? A mix of dried spices made into a paste or sauce for a meat dip.
Makes 120ml, 4 fluid oz. or ½ cup, which is enough for most any dish. Double for larger batches.
- 12 dried red chilies
- 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 fresh garlic cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- 4-6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
- Discard the stems and some of the seeds of the red chilies, using seeds as per the cooks’ taste for hot foods. No seeds will make a milder product, more seeds will make a hotter product. For a less pungent sauce use less red chilies, like 2 or 3 instead of 12.
- Soak the chilies in warm water for 30 minutes to soften.
- While the chilies are soaking, dry-fry the coriander and cumin seeds to bring out the flavor and then grind them to a powder.
- Pound the garlic and salt in a mortar with a pestal, then add the drained chilies and pound the whole mixture until it goes smooth.
- Add the rest of the spices and gradually add the oil, pounding until the sauce is well blended and about the consistency of mayonnaise.
- Use the harissa immediately or transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator.
Garam Masala Recipe; a North Indian Spice Mix
The next recipe is for a Garam Masala; a good mixed spice recipe for stirring in rice or other dishes, and any Masala can be in powdered form or paste form. Makes 16 tablespoons, or a bit more than 1 cup.
- 10 green cardamoms
- 6 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 4 Tbsp cumin seeds
- 10 whole cloves
- 5cm/2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp ground mace
- EVOO (optional) to make a paste, if desired
- Before adding the spices, gently warm a heavy-bottom pan.
- Bruise the cardamom pods and put them in the pan with the coriander, cumin, cloves cinnamon stick, peppercorns and bay leaves. Keep tossing the spices over a gentle heat until they explode their rich aromas.
- Remove the seeds from the cardamoms and break up the cinnamon stick into small pieces.
- Grind everything into a powder, then add the mace.
Choose the spices according to what is needed in life at the moment, or for taste; either way, it’ll be an enjoyable, pleasantly-scented dish in the end.
Sources:
WitchinInTheKitchen, "Magical Properties of Common Herbs and Spices," by Zedral Z, published 05/2008, accessed on 2/23/2011 at 2:18pm
Dean Coleman, "Herb and Spice Reference Chart," by Dean Coleman, published 2007, accessed on 2/3/2011 at 12 noon.
BibleMeanings, "Bible Meanings," no author or publication date listed, accessed on 2/3/2011 at 11:45am.
Sandy McCollum - Did you hear about the woman in Oregon who had four kids of her own, fourteen foster kids, two large dogs, three cats and a man? She sold ...
Join the Conversation