I'm just wondering if anyone has a list/knowledge of which herbs and spices disolve the best in water and which in oil?

I'm guessing its most likely that they are better in oil as its mainly the oils in them that we want... which does make me wonder about the dishes where the spices are added to water to stop them burning ?

Steve

Expect it goes back to the adage 'oil and water don't mix' (think of an oil slick.) As the taste and smells in the herbs and spices we want are generally oil based we fry in oil to release them. As for which for what don't know!

this is a huge question, and one at the heart of cooking in general (actually its at the heart of life as we know it, Jim) but Indian food in particular.

As you say, Steve, most of the flavours that we want are based in the oily parts of the plant, and the food industry now uses solvent extracts of most of the spices that we are familiar with.

Any organic chemical (all flavour compounds are organic chemicals) have a preference for either oil, or water, or in reality, a little (or a lot) for both. In chemistry, there is an experiment that is done to estimate this. It is called the octanol water partition experiment, and the figure calculated is called the octanol water partition coefficient. What a mouthful!!

Don't be put off by this term, it is usually refered to as Kow (constant octanol water), and is indeed a constant for any organic chemical. The higher the number, the more it is oil-liking, and the easier it will dissolve in oil.

As to spices and herbs. Most of the flavour chemicals in spices are known, and their Kow are either known, or can be estimated by extrapolating from empirical data. It won't come as a big surprise to know that the strongly aromatic spices have flavour chemicals that are strongly soluble in oil. I'll list what I think are the more oil liking, and so on:

Strong oil liking (high Kow)

cloves, cardamom, cassia/cinnamon, nutmeg/mace, black pepper

chilli heat and colour, turmeric colour

less oil liking

coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, methi,

water liking

saffron, turmeric flavour.

Your comment about adding water to reduce the chances of burning: this is just that, it has nothing to do with any of the above.

It is fortunate that the strongly aromatic spices are rather woody, and can stand a bit of frying, indeeed, they really need to be fried in oil (a so-called hot oil extract) to get at their aromatic chemicals. Throwing these spices into water doesn't really work. So, when cooking with spices, there is an order that is apparent from the above discussion. If using the very aromatic spices, these should be heated in oil first. Keeping them whole, or coursely ground reduces the chances of burning. Then add the onions, garlic, ginger, chillies and continue to fry. There are flavour chemicals in those that need extracting as well. Then, you can add the less oil liking spices, like cumin and coriander, but you may have to make a water based paste, because these spices start to burn. Note, there is still oil extraction going on, as there is oil already in the dish. The water just keeps the temperature below 100?C

Finally herbs. These also contain chemical flavours that are oil soluble. Unless you are using bay, sage or rosemary, I think it is best to add fresh herbs very near to the end of cooking, else you run the risk of losing most of that flavour.

Is it coincidence that the most strongly aromatic spices are the most oil liking, and found in most fragrant garam masalas?

And rest.......

excellent, much as I expected, thanks for that ! It does help to form ideas of how spices should go in and when etc...

Steve

there does seem to be a very good logic behind it all.

Note, I would add both chilli powder and turmeric mixed with a little water, not at the oil stage, as these easily burn.