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Go on. Go check the expiry dates of the spices on your spice rack. If you’ve got some cardamom pods there, how long ago did they go out of date? No really – go check!
I thought I used cardamom pods regularly. Clearly I don’t.
February 2010!
I’ve been using the same old bottle of stale dried up cardamom pods for five years after their best before date! I genuinely had no idea!
Spices don’t go off like many foods do, but they do lose potency over time, and this will impact the flavour of a dish. My old stale bottle of cardamom pods has just been replaced by a dropper bottle of liquid Holy Lama Naturals Spice Drops which arrived through the post recently.
“Stop what you’re doing folks! Got to tell you about these spice drops from @holylamanaturals. They make dried ground spices seem so fusty and dusty by comparison. Am bowled over!” Nigella Lawson, Instagram
Holy Lama Naturals is an ethical family business conceived of by Mr. Vijay Deo in 2000. His family have been producing essential oils according to Ayuvedic principles for almost 70 years in Kerala, South India. In fact, his father, Mr. D. V. Deo, was a pioneer in essential oils industry in India. They make a range of body care products and handmade soaps, and branched out to start a range of edible Spice Drops. Vijay’s daughter, Gouri Kubair, has brought the family business to the UK market and it was her who kindly sent me my review samples.
Holy Lama Naturals is founded on important values ensuring ethical and sustainable business practices. They employ mainly disadvantaged women both at their factory in India and in the community, proactively supporting education and health for their employees and their employees children.
They have been awarded membership by the Vegan Society for manufacturing cruelty free products, and are also part of the British Association for Fair Trade Shops & Suppliers for following fair trade principles.
Ok, so they’re awesome! They’re everything you want a business to be – ethical, sustainable, cruelty-free, empowering women – and they make a fantastic range of products!
Spice Drops are highly concentrated extracts of herbs and spices, retaining all the natural goodness of the plants without any artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. An emulsifier is used and is matched to each concentrated spice extract so that a consistent, balanced flavour is obtained, and so that the extracts will mix with your food and drinks.
I was absolutely delighted when I opened my parcel and there were three rather unusual flavours included: rose, cardamom and lemongrass. I never buy rose water as I end up using it once and the rest of the bottle goes to waste. As soon as I saw the rose extract the first thing that popped into my mind was nougat.
Despite not owning a stand mixer I gave making nougat my very best try, and I was rather pleased with the results. I used a bit too much rose (six drops) but it was still delicious. I was really surprised at how much you could taste the rose in the nougat with using so very little extract.
Other things I learned while making nougat (I followed this recipe with a few adaptations):
1) light corn syrup is clear, which is why nougat is white. Replacing light corn syrup (I’ve never seen this on UK shelves) with golden syrup makes a ghastly coloured yellow nougat.
2) Blanched almonds turn really unpleasantly brown quickly if roasted. Next time start with raw almonds.
3) A stand mixer would make things a lot easier. I used my food processor with the whisk attachment and it just wasn’t up to the job. While pouring scalding hot sugar syrup into the beaten egg white the whisk stopped whisking and I ran out of room in the bowl, so I had to frantically pour it into another bowl and finish it off by hand. Still, it worked, mostly!
I experimented with the cardamom extract in this honey-glazed pears dessert with cardamom cream. It takes less than 10 minutes to make and tastes oh-so-lovely! The cardamom extract really gives a wonderful depth of flavour that you just can’t achieve with dried, ground spice (especially if your jar is five years out of date like mine!).
All in all I’m really impressed with the Holy Lama Spice Drops, both for the quality of their product and for their ethical and environmental policies.
You feel all scientist-like using them too.
They recommend you use one drop per 200 ml of liquid, or more for a stronger flavour, but they recommend that the drops are added at the final stages of preparation or just before serving, so you don’t cook with them.
I wonder if the spice shelves of the future will be made of liquid extracts?
You can find Holy Lama Naturals on their website, Twitter and Facebook.
Honey-glazed Pears with Cardamom Cream
Ingredients
- 4 large pears or 8 small ones
- 40 grams butter
- 4 tbsp runny honey
- 200 ml double cream
- 1 drop cardamom Holy Lama Spice Drops
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
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Instructions
- Peel, core and quarter the pears.
- Heat a saute pan over a medium-high flame and melt the butter until it begins to bubble.
- Add the pears and gently saute until they start to brown and begin to soften.
- Pour over the honey, and gently turn the pears so that they get coated on all sides. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
- Whip the double cream with the icing sugar and drop of cardamom extract until it forms soft peaks.
- Spoon the honey-glazed pears into the bottom of a serving dish and top with a spoonful of cardamom cream. Drizzle any remaining liquid from the pan over the top, if desired. Serve immediately while the pears are still warm.
GIVEAWAY
Holy Lama Naturals have very kindly offered the chance for one of my UK readers to win their Spice Drops Starter Pack containing 9 bottles of spice drops in a gorgeous solid wooden handmade box for storage. RRP £35
The Spice Drops included in the box are:
- Cardamom extract
- Cinnamon Extract
- Ginger extract
- Mint extract
- Pepper extract
- Tea masala
- Vanilla extract
- Tikka masala
- Mulled wine
A great way to get introduced to the Spice Drops range!
HOW TO ENTER
For your chance to win a Holy Lama Spice Drops Starter Pack Gift Box with a Solid Wood Box RRP £35 enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Come back and tweet about the giveaway every day for more chances to win!
TERMS & CONDITIONS
This giveaway is open to UK entries only. Entrants must be age 18 or over. The winner will need to respond within 7 days of being contacted; failure to do this may result in another winner being selected.
The prize is offered and provided by Holy Lama Naturals. The prize is to win a Holy Lama Spice Drops Starter Pack Gift Box with a Solid Wood Box RRP £35. There is no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable.
There is no entry fee and no purchase is necessary to enter this giveaway. The promoter (Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary) reserves the right to cancel or amend the giveaway and these terms and conditions without notice.
Entry into our giveaways will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
If you need some help using Rafflecopter, here’s a quick clip to show you how. Rafflecopter will pick the winner at random from all the entries received. I will be verifying entries and any automated entries or those who have claimed they have made the mandatory blog post comment and really haven’t will be disqualified. It’s mandatory!
Closing date is midnight on Monday 15 June 2015 (GMT) and the winner will be announced that day.
Don’t forget to visit my Giveaways Page for other fab prizes!
OTHER SPICE DROPS RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Carrot and Ginger Soup by A Glug of Oil
Spiced Golden Turmeric Milk by Kellie’s Food to Glow
If you want to be kept up to date on my recipes, occasional craft tutorials, adventure stories and giveaways then please subscribe to my weekly newsletter; it gets sent out every Monday morning if there is new content. Your email address won’t be passed on to anyone, you will never be spammed and you are free to unsubscribe at any time, no questions asked. Make sure you confirm your subscription or you won’t receive the newsletter – if it hasn’t arrived check your junk mail folder.
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Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary was sent a selection of spice drops for review purposes. All opinions expressed are our own and this is not a paid post.
Easy Slow Cooker Cuban Chicken
This reminds me of a pear Belle Helene that I often ate but the Cardamon cream makes it a little more interesting. Must try.
I’d love to try to make Turkish Delight.
I would try cardamon in a apple crumble – i always put five spice on the crumble mix but would spice the apple instead
My Dad makes this fantastic pistachio, pear and cardemom cake so I would get the recipe for that I think.
Cake, I love experimenting with spices and cake.
The Tikka one in a chicken Tikka chaat on a puri bread
Chicken tikka xx
poached pears
Probably something with the ginger first – Rhubarb crumble with a drop of ginger
Lemon meringue Pie
The delicious sounding poached pears
apple pie with cinnamon drops
Turkish Delight 🙂
I’d have a go at making some biscuits, or maybe some ice cream!
I’d have to try them out in a spiced bread pudding or tea loaf!
Sliced bread and butter pudding
Think I’d keep it simple to start with and try some drops in ice cream
I would try the Pepper and Cardamom drops in a lamb stew/curry
Chicken tikka
A spiced bread and butter pudding
I would use these to flavour some home-made biscuits
the pears
I tried a beautiful lamb tagine in Morocco that I’d love to recreate!
I would be making some poached pears also!
making some Turkish delight with the rose extract
I’d try making the nougat, something I love to eat but have never made
In a vegetarian curry
I’d use the cinnamon drops in an apple cake 🙂
That nougat looks delicious. Or maybe the pears. Or maybe Turkish delight.
Cantonese style chicken
A Ginger, spiced tea loaf.
Spicy Moroccan couscous with lamb and vegetables
A delicious curry
A vegetarian curry for my son and his fiancée would be my first dish. Thank you.
The pears definitely! They look amazing!
would have to be veg curry
in a curry 🙂
I would love to make a cake with them
A nice curry
I’d use them in a vegetable curry
Sag aloo followed by kulfi
I’ve never tried these before so I’d probably begin with something simple like a vanilla cheesecake before I got a bit more daring
In a curry
Mixed herbs and buttery potatoes
Would go lovely with a curry for the family
Mulled wine poached pears!
some yummy vanilla custard
I think a spicy dessert would be great for after a bbq! So might experiment with that…
Tikka masala :}
a curry of some sort no doubt!
In a veggie curry
I would use them in a curry
to be honest i think my other half would be the one experimenting with these
I’d try the Tikka Masala first
in my favorite curry sauce
In a ginger cake!
I have always wanted to make turkish delight, so that would be my first port.
But, a curry would be a very close photo finish xx
A vegetable curry
Vanilla custard
i think i would make a nice rose meringue
Ooh I’d love to try these in one of my curries!
I would love to try make turkish delight or perhaps a nougat
I would try a Chicken Curry with them first x
I’d use them in Asian Vegetable Stew
I would use the Vanilla Excrat to make some yummy fudge
A vegetable curry.
I’d make a really special biryani with the final layer of rice delicately scented with cardamom and rose
Curry I think
I would love to try those honey glazed pears, they look divine!
Banana cake.
I would experiment with using the drops in my homemade lactose free ice cream – our local Indian restaurant does a gorgeous cardamom ice cream that I would love to try to make at home.
I’d try using the cardamom in biscuits
I love the simplicity of the honey glazed pears, so I would try those first!
A curry would be nice x
I’d probably add some drops to my chicken curry
In a salad dressing
Would be nice to make a lamb kheema. Then some vanilla butter cookies for dessert!
Maybe a spicy sponge cake or biscuits
I would add couple drops of Rose extract in a homemade sorbet to arouse my tastebuds !!
I have done turkish delight with rosewater before but It’s definitely not even close to this type of rose extract.
Ooohh, I wish they would have lavender one aswell
They would make some posh ice cream!!!
Looks interesting. I wonder if they will expand into other shops, or will just be available online or with Ocado.
The easiest!
a vegetable curry
ginger parkin x
i’d use the vanilla to make some blondies 🙂
To add a bit of ginger or cardamom spices to my porridge! I love livening up my breakfasts to make them a bit more unusual and exotic. Wonderful giveaway. Rosie x
I’d try adding a drop of mint to hot chocolate.
Ooh, it would have to be turkish delight 🙂
I would use the vanilla and cinammon drops in toffee apple pudding
I will admit freely I am an awful cook, I haven’t a clue. My Mister however is amazing at cooking spicy food so the first thing cooked would be his choice.
I’d start off with some ginger biscuits or cake
I would love to experiment with them , first probably some vanilla butter cookies
biscuits with ginger
Homemade Rose Turkish Delight its easy and lovely! x
I would want to try the mint or ginger to make cake fillings!
I would flavour something simple like some banana nice cream and experiment with them a bit !
I think I would try the nougat it’s my Dad’s absolute fave thing and his 70th is coming up, he likes spicy biscuits too so his faves are ginger would try using it for those too and he also adores marzipan and Lydia Dominic and Seb love making him marzipan sweets so it might be fun to try using them there.
with custard xxx
I’d make a spicy banana cake
with custard xxx
Some fruity biscuits.
I would like to try marshmallows
i’d like to try them for baking
I’d definitely have fun experimenting with these….and I have to say cardamom cream sounds amazing, so I’d try that first I think!
I’d start simple -melt some good quality milk chocolate, add a little cardamom and some pistachios then pour onto a lined baking tray and allow to set. A big freeform bar of flavoured chocolate!
I’d use them in some cakes.
The pears with cardamom cream
I’d adapt my banana and almond cake to try some spice!
curry and rice
I’d like to try something with cardamom, I like the taste but never get on with grinding the pods! Perhaps the pear recipe?
I would like to try the Marshmallows
I would like to try marshmallows
I’d love to try the nougat
I’d try the nougat!
I have got to have a go at making nougat!
I would try the nougat as it’s something I have never made before,to be honest it’s not something I’d even thought about making until now. x
Definitely have to try the pears with cardamom cream – just need to work out best vegan substitutes for the butter, honey and cream. Did see a recipe for vegan clotted cream using coconut cream which I might be able to adapt….. First thing I’d make would probably be rhubarb and ginger cake 🙂
(oh, and I think I’d have to try your pears! Just lovely 🙂 )
Wow, the pears and the nougat both look amazing! Those spice drops sound wonderful, really useful!
I want this please! Curious to see how it compares to my powder spices.
I’d give my lasagne a little bit of kick 🙂
I’d make a sticky ginger cake with mulled wine spiced cream, yum!
What an amazing idea and it must keep so much fresher than dried herbs in jars. I would use the cinnamon in my apple pancakes, the ginger in my Beef Satay, and I would definitely try to make home made curries with the others.
I used to make my own versions of Kulfi which was seriously calorific but I’d like to try a traditional recipe and these would be lovely to flavour them with .
pears and cardamon
I’d use the vanilla extract to make some custard
I’d try the pears and cardamon – we love pears in this house!
Banana Bread looks nice.
I’d experiment with some cheesecake recipes
I would use them in a vegan curry 🙂
I’d experiment with some cheesecake recipes
Spiced pears with cardamon cream
a simple apple and cinnamon loaf
I’d try a curry first
These sound fabuous. I’d love to experiment and try adding the cardamon, ginger and vanilla drops to biscuit recipes.
I would cook a carrot & cinnamon cake x
Definitely a curry, not too spicy though, because my partner is a wimp!
I would make custard using the vanilla
would use to add a little bit of a kick to my banana cale
A CURRY
a veggie curry
chocolate fondants with flavoured cream centres
Carrot and cardoman cake
The pears look amazing I would definitley give them a go.
banana bread
Something with chicken
I would try some gingerbread men for my son.
Chai Tea – I recently got in to it and would be very interested in making my own.
I would add them to muffins
tikka masala thankyou
CHICKEN TIKKA
Nougat is a big favourite in our house!
I’d love to try out the Mulled Wine spice drops – saves faffing about with cinnamon sticks 🙂
My Walnut loaf
Moroccan chicken hmm!
A spiced bread and butter pudding
1. Kashasha + crushed ice + brown sugar + mint spice drops + water OMG… Best mohito ever
2. 4 portions red wine + 1 portion of orange juice + sugar + glass in microwave for 40 seconds and then 2 mulled wine drops…. Olala
3. Sliced banana & milk + sugar in a bowl + 2 drops of cardamom drops … Best pudding you can make in 30 seconds
mint fudge or a nice spicy chilli
i would love to try the ginger biscuits
A spiced bread and butter pudding!
I would try the Tikka Massala
mmm carrot and ginger cake
cardamom and orange cake maybe?
I think ginger biscuits while I work out what else to make
I’d love to try the tea masala for making chai tea. Then perhaps use it in hot chocolate.
I’d love to make some Nougat for my Mum’s birthday
ooh hard to choose, but probably Tikka Masala
I had a quick look on their site, and there’s a delicious sounding recipe for a mango smoothie using the cardamom drops- think I’d give this a go.
I would like to try and make some cinnapie
i’d like to try the tikka masala
Cinnamon buns.
I would have a go at this one
They sound great, I’d live to try them – maybe start with some flavoured meringues to see how they work? Some unusual flavours there, be fun experimenting!
Something cinnamon flavoured for definite
I’m not sure, I’m thinking something with apples like a twist on a tart takin, or maybe add to my roasted veggie curry. Then again, rhubarb is in season right now so that would be good …
I will bake a honey and ginger cake
maybe something simple like rice pudding
I would put it in a salad dressing to spice up summer leaves
I have a sweet tooth so the nougat would be great for me
I’d love to experiment with Spice Drops in home made ice creams!
Not sure yet but definitely a dessert.
No idea i would have to go through my cookbooks
I would love to try the nougat, it looks and sounds amazing.
Rhubarb syllabub, using the cardamon. Our rhubarb is ready in the garden!
something basic but yummy.. the vanilla in rice pudding
a type of curry x
I haven’t a clue I’d have a good google
The pears looks and sound delicious , would love to try xx
i would use the ginger for some yummy biscuits ! fab giveaway x
Honey-glazed Pears with Cardamom Cream sounds good
The cinnamon first in an apple crumble, added to the apple mix I think it would be great
the chicken tikka
My Chocolate Mousse recipe – would love to try adding Ginger and Cardamon to it
I would use them to make interesting drinks
A mulled wine jus sounds just fine.
Oh, what a lovely recipe, saw it this morning on Instagram and was jealous thinking if was your breakfast 🙂
Those spice drops sounds very interesting!!
Ooh, some ginger cream to have with a moist sponge cake would be delicious!
I’d try the chicken tikka
The Honey-glazed Pears with Cardamom Cream look amazing!
The Honey Glazed Pears with Cardamom Cream
I would try the tikka masala
Pears and cardamom cream – I wish I could try it right this minute! Cardamom also goes really well with banana, so I’d serve it with banana bread.
I would first try the spice drops on the Sri Lankan dessert Wattalapan then on the curry dishes. this will be perfect!
There are so many oil drops to try, it’s difficult to decide which one to try first
I would love to try these in the Sri Lankan dessert Wattallapan, pluz all curries
I would definitely make a lamb kheema, these sound great.
the cardamom drops sound fantastic, all the flavour without the ‘bits’ that the bairns always moan about
I would try the pears – my husband loves things like this so i would be in the good books 🙂
I would like to make a chicken tikka masala
I’ve never seen these
Oh I love Gouri, We were first introduced to Spice Drops when they were first launched a year or so ago. We use them a lot. The mulled wine spice drops came in very handy last Christmas !
probably the Tikka masala
I honestly don’t know! but I am sure I will think of something xxx
I’d try the cardamom drops in golden turmeric milk.
Mmmm, I’d start with your pears and cardamon, it sounds delicious.
Morrocan Chicken, I would like to give it a twist
Oh my God, this is such a brilliant product idea. This would be a fab addition to my kitchen; I think I’d use these extracts in curries or I could use the ginger to create a delicious cake!
Ooh I would try the chicken tikKa. Or try mint in a mohito maybe??
As someone who loves pears, this is something I would definitely want to try x
i’ve never heard of spice drops but they certainly sound good. Those pears look absolutely delicious <3