Spices refer to specific parts of plants with natural flavors or scents used as seasoning or condiments, giving food unique sensory attributes such as aroma, spiciness, numbness, heat, bitterness, sweetness, etc. Spice powder is a product composed of dozens of plant-based raw materials with distinctive aromas and functions, derived from plant roots, stems, leaves, buds, seeds, and more. The mesh size of spices refers to the granule size, which also affects the application scenarios and flavor changes in food.
Hotpot, Braised Foods
When making hotpot, braised duck, soy products, etc., large granule spice fragments are an excellent choice. These spices can be placed in a spice bag and then put into the braising pot. Large granule spice fragments can fully contact the ingredients in the braising liquid, allowing the aroma to penetrate the food evenly. The braising time generally lasts for several hours, and spices of this mesh size can bring out the best flavor during this period.
Stewed Soups
When stewing beef, lamb, pork, or poultry, coarse granule spice fragments can be directly added to the pot. They withstand long heating durations without quickly losing their aroma. During the stewing process, as the temperature rises and time progresses, their aromatic components gradually release, adding rich flavors.
Pickled Foods
When making pickled foods, using medium mesh spice fragments is more appropriate. Spice fragments can be directly mixed with the meat for pickling. Since pickling takes a long time, medium spices can slowly release their aroma over time, making the flavor more intense and lasting.
Sauce Preparation
In making sauces like bean paste and sweet bean paste, medium mesh spices are used. Their moderate size ensures ample surface area for mixing well with other ingredients during grinding and frying, without losing the original flavor of the pepper due to being too finely ground.
Mixed Seasoning Preparation
When making mixed seasonings like five-spice powder or thirteen-spice, 40-60 mesh spice powder is required. These fine granules of spice powder can be precisely mixed according to the formula ratio and ensure that various flavor components rapidly and evenly disperse in the dish when using mixed seasonings.
Baked Goods
When making bread, cookies, and other baked goods, finely meshed spice powder is widely used. It can be uniformly mixed into the flour, and during the baking process, the finely ground spice powder can better blend with the dough, imparting a refined and evenly distributed flavor to baked goods.
