Taste Testing ‘Exotic’ Spice Blends and Recipe Hacks for Using Them

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Mike getting ‘Dukkah’ right is absolutely brilliant!

[@SortedFood]

The boy did good! 👏

[@victoriashevlin8587]

@@SortedFood mike? Is that you answering comments?

[@alantaylor7407]

Mike was robbed..

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@alantaylor7407 Agreed.

[@kaldo_kaldo]

@@alantaylor7407 He was robbed? Barry guessed 7 and Mike guessed 5. What are you smoking? Barry won completely fairly.

[@enzosison3799]

I know Mike didn't win but he really deserved this badge. He showed an understanding of spices and flavor. Plus, he's the only one who recognized a spice blend straight away.

[@s_rofbear]

Agreed!!

[@Eliza-xd5ck]

Please make all the badges into physical patches and give them and a sash to the boys at the end 😂 maybe sell them as merch too..?

[@SortedFood]

This is the stuff that Bens dreams are made of!

[@noellebaroman1091]

@@SortedFood omg yes pls

[@jamyedowell245]

This is a brilliant idea! (Especially selling them!)

[@ninjaofslo]

I just can’t wait to see Ben or James rip one off

[@kyndramb7050]

I would definitely buy some badges.

[@JordanThatblondegirl]

I kinda wish the list of spices had been highlighted when they correctly identified the thing since there were so many included ingredients

[@misterkayy]

Exactly my thought. Missed opportunity for the editor, or more work whichever 😒

[@Ambziie]

Me too

[@amarsekarwangi18]

From 13:29 onwards you can see barry and mike switch shots a lot and that'll probably be hard to edit because the editor has to constantly switch the lists to fit who's talking

[@regiorage4002]

@@amarsekarwangi18 That would be only if they add the list over the "final cut", however the editor could add it and highlight the spices over both Mike's and Barry's takes individually and then stich them together.

[@amarsekarwangi18]

@@regiorage4002 yeah that's what i was thinking too but that still takes more work, on the bright side though i didn't count how many spices they got right so at the end the results surprised me too😄 adds more suspense to the announcement imo!

[@erinhowett3630]

Do a Courage badge and Patience badge! As a former line cook, I think those two things really mark the difference between home cooks and professional cooks. Have them make something that requires constant stirring or a long wait for patience. Like caramel or dark roux or risotto. For guts, something that requires fire. Super high heat sear, or a flambé.

[@SortedFood]

GREAT idea - thank you!

[@Shelsight]

Great idea, Erin! Make them kick off a large pan of Caramelised onions at the very start of a 2-3 hour filming session - but give them other v intense tasks while the onions are cooking. Like in a professional kitchen (where everyone stirs the onions if/when passing) they need to stir the onions multiple times over the two hours of filming the other tasks - but they’re not allowed to set timers to remind them...

[@catlynjones8116]

courage badge could also be tied to making a dish that is well outside their comfort with things like bugs or durian fruit, but they also then have to eat what they made.

[@JohannaSarkar]

Jamie's not gonna do great on the patience badge, I mean he can barely cut vegetables without getting bored!

[@sazjay3174]

totally awesome idea

[@SChck212]

Id' love to see James revisit all these and see how many he can identify... that man's palate is incredible.

[@acpatinojr7]

I’d watch it! :3

[@louisecookson4786]

Yeah definitely

[@xavvey]

Yes!

[@greenveg42]

Please, this!

[@constantsong]

This would be amazing!

[@maevid1]

I love how Ben made all of these blends and didn't just go out and bought them. Just really shows how much you can do from home when you have the necessary things.

[@SortedFood]

100%

[@gentlelikefire8392]

@@_to_-cn8wd In bulk, a lot of these spices are super affordable and they last a long time. My parents buy whole spices and make curry powder and garam masala at home all the time. In the long run it is a cheaper investment than buying a small amount each time you go

[@The_Yukki]

@@gentlelikefire8392 In bulk, buying spices in bulk kinda defeats the point of buying them as they go stale with time (ofc unless you're working in food industry)

[@brandondavis6365]

@@_to_-cn8wd You can buy the spices for a spice blend for less than $30, and that will last you for a while. If you can’t afford them and want to, my bet is you just need to prioritize your spending. The fact that you have the free time to watch this video and you’re watching and commenting on this video on a device worth hundreds of dollars, if not more, proves that you can probably afford a bit of cumin if you wanted. Disposable income isn’t a matter of privilege, it’s a matter of planning. If you’re tired of being broke then do something about it.

[@brandondavis6365]

@@The_Yukki in America, at least, buying bulk spices doesn’t necessarily mean buying spices in bulk. You can go to Whole Foods and buy spices in any amount you want in the “Bulk Food” section. In fact that’s exactly what I do. I’ve purchased spices in as small an increment as 0.1 Oz. The bulk section is exactly where you should be buying your spices.

[@christinathomas119]

Mike definitely deserved a badge. He was using inferring the flavours with educated guesses rather than throwing out any spice he knew and hoping for the best!

[@Eliza-xd5ck]

I feel like at the end of the 3 minutes they should have locked in final answers and gotten plus points for every correct one and minus points for all the ones they got wrong so they couldn't just name every spice ever 😂

[@GoldyMcGoldface]

Definitely. Barry definitely didn't win this, he just randomly guessed.

[@saira9632]

Yeah that would have made it harder

[@asiyah7714]

Yes, that's a great idea!

[@asiyah7714]

@@GoldyMcGoldface Completely agree

[@chandrawong449]

@@saira9632 Not harder - just more fair.

[@organicgrains]

Poor Mike out here actually trying to use his taste buds to recognize spices rather than just naming all the spices he could think of.

[@SortedFood]

I made the mistake of saying no negative marking... think Barry took advantage! *Ben

[@foodbs]

Barry literally just saying all the spices he can remember

[@foodbs]

@@SortedFood honestly should take that badge back

[@michaelneuhofer5084]

@@SortedFood you could make the final in a way, both taste the spice blends at the same time and have to say a spice they taste alternately.

[@CharleneBorg6]

They should definitely have deducted points for wrong answers!!

[@Yagunitto]

can we have that "like a chef" series back, please! it's the best cooking hacks I ever get!

[@elizabethashley42]

I second this! I've put a bunch of those hacks into practice in my regular cooking and would love more.

[@NaraShikamaru21]

I want the return of 3 recipes too. I still make stuff from them.

[@amorty456]

Yes!

[@Yagunitto]

@Faisal Suyudul Annas nice

[@marley7145]

Yes please!

[@remis.4565]

I'm really ecstatic you guys included Advieh! Persian cuisine is honestly incredibly diverse, and doesn't really get mentioned much - since Iran is home to hundreds of different cultural influences which have developed there over thousands of years (Turkish and Russian influences in the north and northwest, Arabic in the southwest, Indian in the southeast, Turkmen/Mongol in the northeast, just to name a few), those influences are very apparent in the thousands of vastly different dishes you can get around the country. The "standard" Iranian cuisine is itself superb (kabobs, stews, great rice, etc.), but if you include all the local elements there's a dizzyingly vast amount of flavors and foods you can get, which I for one think you will absolutely love discovering!

[@rosemaryyoung6293]

One of my favourite cuisines (and countries to visit!), so diverse - every meal is an experience! That said, I would be dangerously overweight if I lived in Iran...!!

[@samgrant83]

Still a bunch of see you next Tuesdays under the current regime - have to call that one out, so no apologies

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Since Ben is leading the charge, obviously there’s Geography, History, Botany and Chemistry involved. But the REAL challenge is making it fun for 3 Unruly Students 😂

[@SortedFood]

Spot on!

[@isabella7921]

@@SortedFood Meanwhile.. I'm over here wondering why Ben gets spicier the longer I watch Sorted... 🤔🔥

[@feitocomfruta]

@@isabella7921 probably because the normals have made him quite salty over the years...

[@MrAndMrsGameNight]

The Challenge felt flawed in the sense that they were able to just shout out spices and had no penalty. Barry basically treated the first round as a "lemme name ever spice I can think of" There should have been point deductions for each wrong answer.

[@zuckasttv]

yeah, this one felt kinda bs with just naming every spice you know. Should've been after 3 minutes you get to submit like a final answer and then move on.

[@MrAndMrsGameNight]

@@zuckasttv right, like how are you going to award a spice badge to a guy that doesn't know what's in chinese 5 spice. At least Mike knew the name of his spice blend

[@leslielogan118]

Also mike had more he could name round one. More opportunity

[@barefootalien]

Yeah, I agree. Stakes for wrong answers, a longer time limit, and written answers maybe?

[@Willy_Potter]

I’m also not sure why the guys had to have different spice blends? Why roll a dice and give anyone an advantage #justiceforjamie

[@jwrs6292]

Speculaaskruiden! It's a Dutch mix of spices we use in dessert and baking. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, coriander seeds, aniseed, ginger, white pepper and ground cardamom.

[@SortedFood]

Nice!

[@shadowtheimpure]

I can see why you'd use it in sweets, it has a lot of notes that contrast and amplify the sweet components of a dish. Even in America, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, aniseed, and ginger are used in confection. Adding the coriander, cardamom, and white pepper is absolute genius though.

[@xSarileinx]

That sounds like Spekulatius, a cookie local to Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium :)

[@lelurve]

it sounds like a spell from harry potter xD must be good

[@pienewien1789]

@@xSarileinx we call it speculaas in the Netherlands.

[@VKuroYume]

Khmeli Suneli is amazing! My family is Russian, but they all grew up in Georgia so we use it a lot. The Kh part in Khmeli is pronounced with a hard H, which is not really a sound in English, but imagine you're clearing your throat from some snot and you're kinda there 😂

[@НастяЛАД]

Хмели Сунели)

[@hayyaananwar7856]

Like the proper way to pronounce khan

[@anonymousetrap]

My family is also Russian and we use this so much! I've even added it to savoury dishes from other cuisines, like bolognese, to give it that deep, umami flavour. So good.

[@gulsahfdn]

Hi, I want to try this spice blend. I live in Turkey, my mom is Georgian from Black Sea region in Turkey I want to buy this for her. I can go to Georgia very easily. What Georgian brand or place you recommend that I should buy it from? Or can you recommend a recipe online that I can make my own? Thanks

[@mohammedhussain6749]

I think Mike should have got full points for knowing it was dukkah right away

[@kaldo_kaldo]

I can see why you'd think that, but the goal was to guess what was in the spice blend. If he knew it was dukkah he had a major advantage in knowing what was in it - but alas he didn't know much of anything about the spice blend, just the name. That doesn't sound like he knows the spice to me.

[@mohammedhussain6749]

But with spice blends the individual spices don’t matter as much. Spices individually are harder

[@jesmiscellaneous8938]

@@kaldo_kaldo oh that’s a fair argument too. Maybe he could’ve been awarded 0.5 points instead ?

[@PH4RX]

@@mohammedhussain6749 Well the point was to figure out the components that make the taste of the spice blend not the name of it. I would argue that the individual spices do in fact matter. Try mixing a simple curry for example and leave out cumin or coriander. It will taste incomplete.

[@Himaniiibiebsy]

@@kaldo_kaldo oh but neither did Barry. He just named all of the spices he knew lol

[@tamta5678]

I would love to see you explore Georgian cuisine a little more. It is a small country but has a lot to offer, especially when it comes to food :D

[@SortedFood]

Would love to!

[@JuniperBoy]

Exactly. More people should know about the perfection that is khachapuri! Plus lobio is one of my favourite comfort dishes.

[@Twilink36]

I’ve discovered blue fenugreek recently, it’s now one of my favourite spices!

[@bobblelooble3530]

@@Twilink36 There's BLUE fenugreek? I'm just exploring the regular yellow kind. Which incidentally you can sprout and then collect 10x the seeds from. Never need to buy more than one bag!

[@TheophilosPorter]

I lived in kakheti for a year and don't know that I ever had that, at least certainly not by name. What would it be used on?

[@irehannah1989]

I personally found this to be one of the more informative episodes! Would love to learn more about spice blends as well as spices that we are not used to cooking with every day. Also I really hope that Mike's unfortunate loosing streak will turn into a 'dark horse winning the whole competition ' kinda thing😅

[@evilmissmunchkin]

Oo

[@OneSneakySloth]

Can honestly say the book Ben suggested is super informative - has information on spice blends AND individual spices (including how best to draw out their flavour during cooking). I’d strongly suggest it if you’re interested in the science behind it!

[@uguugu98]

Yoo my country represented thx guys

[@akankshapatwari4167]

As an Indian, spices are my life. To give you an example I make a lentil dish almost everyday to which I add a spice blend made of 10-12 spices.

[@SortedFood]

Sounds delicious!

[@Speculum81]

What's the name of the blend?

[@AwayFromTheShadow]

Drop the recipe for us will you?

[@apoorvas6062]

@@Speculum81 they could be talking about kitchen king, that's a wonderful blend for people trying to get into Indian cooking and who don't want to buy like 10 packs of different kinds of spices

[@PH4RX]

@@apoorvas6062 They are Indian, so chances are they have 10 packs of different spice lying around. Probably more.

[@Pixels_and_Points]

Mike deserved a badge just for naming his spice blend and knowing how to use it!

[@ohjessika]

With Mike's knowledge about his spice blend, I feel like he should have gotten the badge! It felt like Barry was just guessing by the end lol

[@kaldo_kaldo]

Does he really know about the spice blend if he knows the name but not what's in it?

[@asiyah7714]

Barry was definitely guessing

[@dorapinisetti3337]

@@kaldo_kaldo the point was to correctly identify the spices instead of throwing random shit.

[@asiyah7714]

@@dorapinisetti3337 Exactly

[@pierrerossouw6083]

I'm a spice and herb fiend and often revert to classic blends that have been around for hundreds of years - there's a reason for their longevity. And guiding someone like my mother, now 78, through a discovery of taste sensation is a joy to behold. From a simple pear, eaten as is from the fridge, to giving it some life with Chinese 5-spice and some double-cream yoghurt. This is why herbs and spices are so vital in the kitchen. I am proud to say that I have over 55 different herbs/spices in my collection and always on the lookout for something to add. Just the well-known and humble paprika has so many variants that you could easily fill 5 different jars, each one unique. One of the best vids in a while. Please continue to explore this route. From cloves and dried orange peel in coffee to making your own Ras-el Hanout. Taking the every-day and elevating it to "wow" level.

[@NehaPadhi]

My Indian heart is fluttering with joy! Spices❤️❤️❤️

[@SortedFood]

Let's see what you think by the end of the video! 😀

[@mmekh2244]

Omg same!

[@NehaPadhi]

@@SortedFood the guys had me screaming at the screen...COME ON! Don't think I was heard though 😂😂😂

[@shkudo4457]

It’s unfair that barry got 3 on the first one.. he mentioned all the spices that’s not a palate that’s guess work 😂

[@arjunkishore4080]

I want to see how many people come back to this video after seeing Barry lose this badge

[@Enitramm]

«You can sow it on for now but I might rip it back off again if you forget any of this» A warning clearly not headed by mr Taylor 😂

[@THCLK]

@@petrolsquirrel it is a year old episode... dont go into the comments then... thats like taking part in a conversation over star wars a new hope and complaining that they are spoilering you... if you havent watched it after 1 year -> dont go into the comment section

[@95DreadLord]

@@petrolsquirrel I can't see this being a spoiler since there is like a year between today and then

[@emmamcdonald3410]

mean

[@emmamcdonald3410]

@@THCLK shut up u fool!

[@jeffreypalumbo8667]

Give Mike the badge for instantly naming Dukkah and the mini lesson on how to use it! Plus he totally would have got the Chinese Five Spice! There was a couple of years that he used it in every sorted recipe he could

[@Guacward77]

“Hyssop.” “YOU PISS OFF!” Sorry Mike, salt wasn’t an accepted spice in this challenge 😂

[@SortedFood]

Hahaha

[@vultureTX001]

it should have been an auto win for someone IDing this spice. It's a medicinal herb and frankly does not stand out in any way.

[@teje25]

If at any time there should be a tie, this is it. Mike even knew the name of the first blend he got. He just wasn't that comfortable with guessing all over the place.

[@jonathanbennett5151]

I’ve been watching the channel for years now and I’ve recently been diagnosed as diabetic, would be amazing to see a video on diabetic food hacks, love the channel and video as always ❤️❤️

[@JordanThatblondegirl]

+

[@OrWhatWeHave]

Love it. I also have been watching the channel forever and currently have gestational diabetes!

[@HuSanNiang]

then cinnamon is the correct spice for you.

[@thesocialmisfit]

Thank you for not including Indian spices. As an Indian, I am tired of people thinking that all of our food is spicy and nothing else to it. I have legit seen youtube videos where people ate indian sweets and made faces and said it was too spicy 🙄. Thanks to Sorted team, I got to know different spice blends from different parts of the world. I really loved this. It is so amazing, the type of ingredients that go into traditional cooking. We are swimming in marigolds during festivals and weddings, but I had no idea that some part of the world, the dried petals are used in flavouring a dish! This was awesome guys. Thanks for the research.

[@Getpojke]

I think you all already love my favourite pre-made blend which is Za'atar. When incorporated into something like Yotam Ottolenghi's beetroot za'atar dip I'm in 7th heaven. One you may not have heard of is hwawar tal-fenek, its a spice blend from Gozo & Malta that's mainly for rabbit & is really good, blends the Med & North African flavours nicely.

[@kentillborn]

I love that sorted does so much international stuff. I'd love if you could cover Bolivian cuisine, my family used to live there and the food is really interesting and good, but very unknown to a lot of people.

[@ColeCorvin]

Would have loved to see the spices checked off or change in some way when they guessed them correctly.

[@discreetscrivener7885]

I’d love to see James give this a go just so we can all marvel at how discerning his palette is.

[@TerraDoctor]

Palate!* :p

[@FAILaTHON97]

You guys got a spare Ebbers lying around? I also need a friend to cook for me and teach me about food.

[@jackmitchell41]

Barry just sat there an named every herb, spice and leaf he knows!

[@ajalfano]

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

[@SortedFood]

Barry!!! 😂

[@misterkayy]

Its not like barry doesn't have a tongue lol. Coriander seeds cumin cinnamon such spices are strong and easy to spot, as was spotted by mike too. He saw bay leaf pieces in there so one upped mike. But completely threw in cayenne, which i think isn't too random considering they both expressed how hot the blend was immediately after tasting it and also because it was so herby the heat couldn't have been from somewhere east like ginger or sechuan pepper. Just my thoughts

[@MyDestinyisDivine]

I would like for you guys to make some Nigerian food. Jamie would definitely love suya.

[@sibulelemancunga4014]

Here for this 🙌🏽 I'm South African and I'd love to see more Central, West and East African meals explored

[@gaurib]

It is an experience to hear Ben talk about those spices. He's just so passionate about everything food related. It is a really beautiful trait

[@somewhatsuicidaliguess]

Oh wow, I really forgot it was Wednesday. But honestly, I needed this right now, because nothings brings me back down from a stressful as hell workday as quick as a sorted video. And God damn, today was a Trainwreck of a day, so I'm absolutely loving it.

[@SortedFood]

We hope your day gets better from here on in.

[@somewhatsuicidaliguess]

Thank you ! And it definitely will, and yes, you can take the credits for that

[@PokhrajRoy.]

OMG NO MIKE CANNOT LOSE AGAIN! Anyway, there are more episodes. Go Mike! AEEEYO 👏🏾

[@Zestric]

The whole time I'm just picturing Barry holding both some thyme and some rosemary and seriously asking if they are the same herb. That was the Beef Wellington battle if I remember.

[@tokagerkun]

why is Barry in the finals, if I start naming all the spices in our kitchen, I could have gotten almost all spices in any of those blends in 3 minutes

[@SiangW]

I think it'd be really interesting to see cooking with edible flowers. On that note, perhaps a badge on ingredient knowledge, particularly seasonal ingredients, not just veg but meats and seafood etc.

[@iamnoone21]

I love how Ben immediately catches the die and chucks it back at Jamie, so unphased lol

[@TerraDoctor]

Unfazed* :)

[@iamnoone21]

@@TerraDoctor thank you--I backspaced and retyped both spellings so many times and finally just picked one lol

[@izuizabela6613]

I feel like Ben would get along with Max Miller from the Tasting History channel - they both are such food nerds

[@Missmethinksalot1]

Ben was as good as the fanciest show's host..the info, the cadence, the just-right humour. Loved this video! Very professional

[@georgieroberts8697]

Barry just naming every spice he knows😅

[@irehannah1989]

That's exactly what I thought 😁😂

[@asiyah7714]

So true!

[@simpleNAILart7]

Thought the same! Also seems like he didn’t like the pork

[@eirelavmai]

@@simpleNAILart7 he never looks like he likes the food.. it’s just the look he has, to me at least.

[@Shadowreaper5]

Regardless of how well they did, props to the boys for identifying the uses of their spice blends so well.

[@jeor1298]

Barry rolling a six and making a joke: "That's gonna be hard to beat." :D Ben explaining the joke: 'Yes.' :[ This is why I'm here.

[@Maddalena880]

I took it as a d&d reference and it made my day!

[@SleepStarvedNerd]

I really like this because I think a key to a lot of cultural cooking throughout the world is specifically the spice blends used, Not just the main ingredients or a particular cooking method

[@aaronm6047]

Mike should definitely be awarded the spice badge too! He actually named one right for starters and he wasn't just shouting random spices 😂

[@zombine64]

What's wonderful about these unique challenges, is that as a viewer you're learning alongside the lads.

[@dhruvsharma7247]

As much as I enjoyed this challange I feel like there needed to be a cap on guesses or something like that since you could just list of 20 spices in the hopes you guessed the correct one which makes the badge somewhat invalid imo sadly.

[@barefootalien]

I think Mike deserves the badge as well. 5 spices isn't bad at all, plus he just flat-out knew what the first one he had was called!

[@kylapowell2682]

Really fun, but wish that the ones they got right changed colours, so I could know which they got right.

[@CatVanSlizzard]

i think mike definitely deserved the badge since he was the only one to actually identify his spice blend which is so impressive!

[@Fyreflier]

the _rage_ on Mike's face when Barry revealed he didn't even get Chinese Five Spice XD

[@YubMarael]

Just noticed how professional the channel has gotten its production is crazy and educational and fun at the same time 😵

[@millsada]

I do feel mike deserved the badge more as barry felt more like he was throwing any spice he thought of. Great vid though

[@ChaunceyS]

I always want more "food science with ben" kind of things, and this is exactly what I mean. Imparting knowledge of various foodstuffs and the practical uses of them is incredibly useful, and just great to know in general.

[@DarkXanadu]

I feel as if Jamie and Mike should get a badge for knowing what kinds of foods those badges should go with

[@tychdewieg]

I really like how with the badges, especially in the early stages of this new format, you can quite clearly see what the 3 normals are good at. For examply Barry is very creative and puts effort into making plates of food look good, which reflects in him having the knife skills badge. Love this new format guys :)

[@benmcnutt223]

Would love to try this with my family, a real great way to test your palette

[@SortedFood]

A real good family challenge.

[@katyportell853]

A local pub does (or rather, did pre-Covid) a great quiz where one of the rounds was a tasting round! You had to identify a wine, and then ingredients of a cocktail, and ingredients of 3 different dishes (like sauces). So hard, but so much fun!

[@benmcnutt223]

@@katyportell853 can you remember what pub did this?

[@katyportell853]

@@benmcnutt223 Absolutely! It’s The Castle in Tooting, near Tooting Broadway station. Their pub quiz night was epic when they ran it and you had to book several days in advance to get a table because the place was heaving. My mates and I did that quiz for my 30th birthday because I love it so much! I hope they bring it back when it’s safe to do so…

[@katiestarns300]

as a southern american who is so bored with food lately i am so excited to order some spice blends. i am so appreciative of this channel and the practical ways to celebrate food.

[@krisa9022]

Ben told Barry he'd rip the badge away if he forget any of the spice blend info; he stayed true to his word!

[@theblackantonio]

This is one of the most amazing videos on this channel! I thought it would be taste testing pretentious spice blends but nope, actual genuine cultural cuisine from around the world! WOW!!! Great job, Sorted!

[@theuniquebean]

I've been wanting to try more exciting spice blends this is perfect!

[@tigerlillie88]

I love the how dynamic of this video. The energy plus the knowledge combo paired with delish looking food is my kinda show. Well done guys

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Jamie thinking he’s getting a badge after guessing only two components of a Spice Blend is the energy we need: Unabashed Enthusiasm 😂

[@leifbogwald]

I think it might also be called "irrational confidence"..

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@leifbogwaldThat too 😂

[@DQ1111-j3g]

@@PokhrajRoy. m..........

[@stalelemonproduction]

It's better than guessing everything he's ever seen and still getting less than half of what's there, and winning the badge anyways. I'm glad Barry lost it, didn't deserve it to start

[@morgannichole3197]

As soon as we can gather again, I'll be putting these spice blends to work and look forward to the book Ben mentioned. Thanks for educating and entertaining!

[@hafsawwm9029]

Ben looked so uninterested when Mike was giving the hack for fried chicken 🤣🤣

[@Brooksie603]

A few popular spice blends where I live in New England (not sure if it's available all over the US) is "Old Bay Seafood Seasoning" (Celery Salt, Red Pepper and Black Pepper, and Paprika), "Bell's Seasoning" that is typically used around thanksgiving (Rosemary, Oregano, Sage, Ginger, Marjoram, Thyme and Pepper) and "CAMP MIX" that has 4 different types. "ORIGINAL" (garlic, onion, black pepper, salt, white pepper and celery salt) for pretty much anything you like. I use it mainly on meats and potatoes, "SPUD FIXIN'" (Garlic Salt, Onion Salt, Black Pepper, Salt, White Pepper, Celery Salt, Onion Extract, Garlic Extract, Paprika, Parsley) used on Potatoes aka Spuds, "LEMON PEPPER" (garlic, onion, black pepper, salt, celery salt, white pepper, citric acid and turmeric)

[@seanmegan1278]

Mike clearly gave the least guessed answers. Well done Mike. (Anyone else disappointed Jamie forgot cardamom? James was so proud of him in that Marathon in ?Edinburgh?)

[@nadiarimbing1642]

Please try this, this is called Bumbu Bali in Indonesia, it works with meat, poultry products and tofu too. I never make this, but I have eaten countless tofu with bumbu bali, and I love it, all time favorite, i got this recipe from a website though 3 cloves garlic 6 shallots 3 bird’s eye chilies ½ inch fresh galangal ½ inch fresh ginger 2 inches fresh turmeric ½ tsp cumin, toasted and ground ½ Tbsp coriander seed, ground 1 kaffir lime leaf, minced 1 tsp kentjur, ground 2 green cardamom pods, ground ½ tsp white pepper, ground ½ tsp nutmeg, ground ½ tsp long pepper, ground ½ tsp shrimp paste (terasi, optional) (Sometimes people add tomato, candle nut and sugar, tasted nice with fried tofu or hard boiled eggs) METHOD Reduce all ingredients to a fine paste in a food processor, or if you prefer, in a rough mortar, like with a sambal oelek.

[@madmazig]

Kind of feel like there was an advantage there just for listing off as many spices as they could think of. Would like to see what the scores looked like if you subtracted the wrong guesses from the right ones.

[@Stettafire]

My favourite spice blend: Ginger, Garlic, Cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, chilli powder. Ginger is prepared by using a stick of ginger, slicing it then pounding it in a pestle and mortor. Garlic is prepared in the same way. I use whole caynne peppers and mash them into a pulp also. Salt needs to be sea salt, not table salt. Chilli powder is just bought. I'll use it as a marianade by added soy sauce and seasme oil to it, or I'll add it to soups and sauces.

[@cass2000]

Can they get a badge later? Like if Mike and Jamie in a later challenge prove to use their spices increasingly well, could they get the badge?

[@arklytte]

YES! Been waiting for this challenge! Been posting a request for something very like it in pretty much every one of these videos, and I'm super stoked they're finally doing it. We did something very like this in culinary school, only the instructor would usually cook something which featured the spice blend, and we had to identify the spices, as well as the cooking techniques, then make our own interpretation. Made me a much better chef, I feel. I think that the boys did a pretty good job overall, but they all are guilty of something that a lot of noob chefs (and pretentious foodies) are guilty of. They focused too much of their time and attention on what they would pair the dish with. Barry immediately mentioning jerk chicken, which then focused him on that, and he started trying to remember what ingredients are in jerk mix. Mike talking about how to use Dukkah, which **was** interesting, but wasn't the point of the exercise. Jamie spent his last minute fixated on what he'd put the spice on, not what was in it. It's a common mistake that a lot of people make, though, in fairness, it's a very hard habit to break, and one that our training chef spent a LOT of time and energy breaking us of. Overall, awesome video guys!! Cant wait to see more!

[@mollycarpenter2038]

I am going to have to venture to the store or order some of these cause they all seem interesting to work with

[@popartjunkie]

Being Iranian-American seeing you all feature advieh and then talking about how its used is bringing back fond childhood memories.

[@reneeseal5744]

Mike I need you to pull through on this one!

[@alexdavis5766]

#teammike too

[@masmanism64]

Loved the video! Definitely agree with others commenting that they should have written it down or finalized their answers somehow. Also think that each of the spice blends in the first round should have had the same number of spices in each blend, otherwise though this was an awesome idea.

[@FoxNimbus]

I truly cackled so hard at, "Hyssop-" "YOU piss off!"

[@lemontail8035]

My mom loves khmeli suneli, she often cooks chicken with it. So glad you showcased that part of the world and country with wonderful cuisine. Sometimes I kinda forget that you're in UK and don't get to experience some of the stuff that I do

[@celticecho]

I make a brilliant dish using Chinese 5 spice. It’s beef strips, mushrooms and broccoli. Mixed with the 5 spice and soy sauce and quickly stir fried in a wok. Highly recommended!!!

[@SortedFood]

Sounds delicious.

[@celticecho]

@@SortedFood - why not try it and let me know!

[@carol7]

Mike is the moral winner almost every other badge challenge episodes, but Barry and Jamie just take the win easily. Always rooting for you Mike. Better luck next time! Ben Should have taken off points for negative answers, maybe another future challenge.

[@cazzioc]

I just can't hear about five spice without Michael McIntyre's eponymous routine coming to mind!! 😂

[@ROBIEM97]

Really liked Ben's talk about chinese kitchen, really fun to see him talking in his element. Really interesting!

[@DraconaiMac]

Jamie has always been surprising in his ability to nail subdued flavors. This was unexpected.

[@asiyah7714]

I agree

[@DarkVadekGaming]

I've absolutely loved this episode, very fascinating. Actually, I've liked the Georgian and Persian/Iranian spices so much, that I've actually decided that I'll go to those countries when we can travel again. so intriguing

[@domcaste]

Barry just named a bunch of spices in the first minute of the Chinese 5 Spice, how was he not supposed to move on.

[@loko7657]

Mike got Robbed!! The fact he nailed the spice blend and meticulously called out what he was tasting, and gave a little history on it as well as the use of it was amazing

[@amaliejochimsen9057]

My guess is that Ben just had that dice at home and wanted to use it

[@SortedFood]

Probably 😂

[@Emma-td8bb]

I love seeing and learning about international food on this channel!

[@snowandlightsmusic]

😂 Barry's confidence about the other guys being screwed on the first dish when he named a dozen random spices and still got nearly every single one wrong 🤔

[@nusaibahhusain1241]

These spice blends are mind-blowing!

[@khristianidica1463]

Better call in hayama from food wars. He would have this challenge in the bag

[@AnnIe-et6oc]

Khmeli-suneli is quite popular in Russia, as people here really love the Georgian cuisine. Was quite a surprise to see it in this video, as the spices from Caucasus aren’t very popular around the globe, yet they’re incredible ❤️ the next condiment you should try is tkemali, the Georgian plum sauce (and then the rest of their signature dishes)