After the spice is collected, it needs to be subdivided according to the usual methods. The process determines the shape and role of the spice in the dish. It is also very important. Let’s take a look at the three common forms of spice .

  1. Use the whole spice

Some kinds of spices does not undergo any processing, such as bay leaves, sesame seeds, etc. When in use, it is generally cooked together with food in water, so that all the taste and flavor are dissolved in the soup, so that the food can be absorbed to achieve the purpose of seasoning. This method of use is the most traditional and original method of spice, and it is also the most common method.

  1. Processing into spice powder

Spices go through drying processes such as sun-drying and drying, and then pulverized into granules and powders of different sizes by a grinder, such as pepper, etc., which are directly mixed with food when used.

  1. Extracting the spice to get essentialoil etc.

The spice are distilled, extracted and other processes to make their effective ingredients—essential oils—extracted and diluted to form liquid oils, such as pepper oil, which are added directly to food when used.

Traditional Spice processing

There are many ways to process traditional spices. Commonly used methods include preparation, steaming, boiling, frying, broiling, baking, roasting, water flying, etc. The specific methods are as follows:

1. Preparation

One is to make the spices pure, and the other is to cut and crush, that is, picking, picking, kneading, scraping, sieving, cooling, and cutting, pounding, grinding, pounding, frustrating and other methods are used to remove impurities, excess water, and deterioration. Some and other non-medicinal ingredients, and make their size and specifications meet the requirements.

  1. Steaming

That is, the use of steam or water to heat the fragrant materials; it can be steamed or added with auxiliary materials; the steaming time and the number of times depend on the requirements. This method can not only make the fragrance materials mature from raw, but also adjust the medicinal properties and separate the fragrance materials.

3. Boiling

The main purpose is to adjust the properties of the medicine and remove its peculiar smell.

4.  Frying

Stir fry with liquid auxiliary materials to make the auxiliary materials infiltrate and combine with the fragrant materials to change the medicinal properties of the fragrant materials. The auxiliary materials commonly used in making incense mainly include honey, pear juice, wine and so on.

5.  Roasting

Put the fragrant material in a container (pottery, etc.) and heat it to dry.

6. Water flying

The crushed fragrance material is ground with water (the powder is “flying” into the water), and then the slurry is allowed to stand for precipitation, and the precipitate is sun-dried and ground for use. This method can prevent the fragrant material from being lost by flying powder during grinding, and can separate the water-soluble components in the fragrant material, making the fragrance more delicate.