Moisture can ruin your favourite seasonings, but a kitchen cupboard staple could save them. Culinary specialists have shared an effortless trick to rescue ruined spices using an item already in your cupboards.
Why spices clump together
Experts at the Royal Society of Chemistry explained that shaking open containers over steaming hot saucepans allows moisture to enter and bind dry particles. The Institute of Food Science and Technology adds that ambient dampness in British kitchens doesn't help the situation either.
The rice hack that costs less than a penny
Food scientists at the University of Reading advise dropping a few grains of uncooked dry rice into your shakers as a natural desiccant. BBC Good Food notes it can help absorb trapped moisture before it ruins them once-and-for-all.
With a 1kg bag of long grain rice—containing roughly 50,000 individual grains—selling for just £1.20 at Tesco, a tiny pinch can cost less than a penny. Consumer advisers at Which? say this makes the trick 'virtually free' compared to repeatedly buying new spice jars.
How to fix clumped spices
Push five to 10 grains of rice straight into the clumped powder to restore free-flowing movement almost instantly. The grains should be too large to pass through the holes when you next sprinkle it over food.
Spices likely to clump
The full list of spices and seasonings that are likely to clump together includes salt, black pepper (ground), white pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, mustard powder, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, dill, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves (ground), allspice, ginger, cardamom (ground), Italian seasoning, curry powder, chili powder, and garlic salt.
The hack keeps the interior of the glass completely dry, preventing spices from clumping and stopping harmful mould from forming over time. Maintaining fresh, usable spices also encourages healthy, low-salt home cooking, reviving a time-tested method that British chefs have relied on in damp kitchens for generations.
