Your cumin is in my peanut oil.

bingo — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:47:32 -0800

What are the rules of thumb for mixing various spices and cooking oils for optimum flavor? I sautee a lot of vegetables. Sometimes I use peanut oil, sometimes almond oil, sometimes sesame, sometimes canola. I tend to throw in a few spices at random: cumin, cayenne, parsley, coriander, whatever. Usually there are multiple vegetables involved. So, I end up with something that tastes good, but the randomness of it bothers me. I think: was the oil good enough on its own? Is there something about the combination of cumin and sesame that would have worked out better if I hadn't involved mushrooms? Is coriander typically used with sesame oil rather than canola?

Yes, of course I realize that I can experiment endlessly, trying every possible combination. But I don't want to do that. I want someone who knows more than I do to explain some general principles that will guide me.

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Your cumin is in my peanut oil.