The Spice That Gives Your Grains A Depth Of Flavor

There's a spice generally reserved for sweets and holiday drinks that holds the key to a completely different take on grains. It's known for putting some pizzaz in apple ciders, transforming pastry dough into a delicious breakfast, and is a trademark of banana cake. Sold in powder form or in sticks, at specialty spice shops and in your local grocer, this common spice is cinnamon, and it can transform your grains into flavorful side dishes and main star meals.

If you love cinnamon, you probably already use it for a lot of things, from making cinnamon rolls with frozen bread dough to crafting homemade cinnamon simple syrup for winter cocktails. Cinnamon is also a great companion to many grains besides the whole wheat in your cinnamon rolls. Around the world, cinnamon is combined with grains for meals at any time of the day. It's added steel oats, quinoa, rice, couscous, and more. It adds a warm element to all your standard grains and provides flavor that can be complemented by other spices, especially since grains offer a bland foundation for most dishes.

Rice pilaf is a great place to start when you're pairing cinnamon and grains. This warm rice dish is usually made with cinnamon, turmeric and other warming spices as well as a variety of other ingredients. Rice boils in broth, cinnamon and other spices as you're making pilaf and as chunks of meat and vegetables are added, creating a dish that has an extraordinary depth of flavor. Cinnamon is also a traditional ingredient in biryani, a South Asian rice dish that combines meat and rice into a hearty, fragrant meal. Couscous is another grain that works well with cinnamon and can be tailored to fit any meal. Combine cinnamon, apples and couscous for a delicious sweet and spicy breakfast. Cinnamon, couscous, and orange are a great combination for a Moroccan-style stew with plenty of grains.

Cinnamon, apples, and oranges are great flavors to combine in grain-based dishes, especially if you're making oatmeal or some other kind of hearty breakfast. From adding orange to a classic cinnamon roll recipe to making orange and cinnamon rice pudding, it's a combo that's so delicious you can't go wrong.

A little cinnamon goes a long way, so be sure to add it slowly to whatever grain you're cooking. Remember you can always add more if you'd like a little more flavor down the road. Another great tip for cooking with cinnamon is to add it to your dish early, allowing the spice to marinate with your grains and other ingredients. Balance out cinnamon with other warming spices like ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and saffron for an exquisite touch to your meal. Toast your cinnamon and other spices quickly in a pan before putting them in your dish to add an extra layer of flavor.

It's also important to know the difference between the kinds of cinnamon to tailor this spice for your specific dish. Ceylon cinnamon, for instance, is less common than some of its counterparts. It's sweeter and fruitier than the stronger flavored cassia cinnamon, which is well-loved for spiced wines and other recipes that require a strong cinnamon flavor. Saigon cinnamon, or Vietnamese cinnamon, has an even stronger flavor and spicier notes than the other two varieties.