Dry Toasting Spices

Purpose

Wake the aroma of whole spices before grinding and adding them to a braise.

Controls

Tomato Bredie dry-toasts coriander seed and cloves just until fragrant; cinnamon stays whole and is added later. Stop before the spices scorch.

Process

1. Heat coriander seed and cloves in a dry pan until fragrant.
2. Grind coarsely and reserve the specified portion of coriander for finishing.

Failure Modes

Symptom	Likely cause	Corrective action
Bitter spice flavour	Whole spices scorched during toasting	Use moderate heat and stop as soon as the spices become fragrant.