Test Kitchen video tip: Toasting spices and nuts for flavor

When you want to add a little extra depth to a recipe, consider toasting any nuts or spices before adding them to the dish. Toasting helps extract the flavors and oils in the spices and nuts, lending depth and wonderfully rich flavor to a dish.

Toast whole spices on the stovetop using a heavy-bottomed saute pan over moderate heat. Stir the spices or shake the pan frequently so they toast evenly, watching closely so they don’t burn. A few minutes is all it should take to bring out the flavors; you’ll know they’re ready when you can smell them. (You can toast ground spices, too, though this is best done on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in the oven to keep the spices from burning.)

Toast nuts on a sheet pan at a 350- to 375-degree oven for several minutes until lightly darkened and fragrant. As with spices, watch that the nuts don’t overcook — they can go from nicely toasted to tragically burnt quickly.

Cooking is fun — at least it should be! No matter how long you’ve been in the kitchen, there is always something new to learn, whether it’s a simple twist on an old technique, or a handy tip to save time and energy. In this series of short videos, I demonstrate a variety of kitchen tips, ranging from how to hold a chef’s knife for maximum control to using a spoon to peel fresh ginger. If you have any gadgets, kitchen tips or questions you’d like me to explore, leave a comment or shoot me an email at noelle.carter@latimes.com.