3 Versatile Spice Blends To Elevate Your Cooking, From A Spice Expert

Grind the spices up in a spice or coffee grinder, seal them up in an airtight container, and you've got three blends to elevate any dish, any time:

Garam masala is a classic Indian spice blend that's used in a ton of dishes. Strong and spicy, it's great for whipping up chana masala or your favorite curry. It's also great in soups, like this winter squash soup recipe, for when you need a bowl of warming comfort. Here's what you need to make your own:

The classic Chinese five-spice blend is used on rubs for everything from chicken to salmon to steak. Beef and broccoli, anyone? It's another warming blend, and traditional Chinese medicine is big on fueling the digestive fire with lots of warm dishes and drinks, and this blend is great for that. Try it on roasted vegetables, or even toast nuts with it to snack on or add to salads. These are the five spices you'll need:

And lastly, for Mexican dishes, Koya offered this easy blend that uses eight spices you probably already have in your pantry. Similar to what you might find in your store-bought taco seasoning, you can add it to fajitas, taco fillings, and anything else you can imagine (rice bowls, huevos rancheros, this Mexican-inspired quinoa...need we go on?) This blend is versatile, savory, and pretty great with just about everything:

Experimenting in the kitchen with the tastes of different cuisines is a great way to broaden your palate and get creative with your cooking. With these blends, it's incredibly easy to spice up your favorite Indian, Chinese, and Mexican dishes in no time at all.