Thai flavor in ready-to-use form…

Love that exotic spice of Thai food? Spicy Thai seasoning packs all of that flavor in dried form, ready to use when you’re looking for that flavorful kick. You can use it as it is as a dry rub for steaks, pork, or shrimp. Or mix it with coconut milk to create a delicious spicy marinade for noodle dishes. Just a dash, too, can warm up your grilled vegetables with an exotic twist.

The heat source? Thai chili powder, if available. It’s a big heat, so use sparingly if you’re thinking to double-down on the chili powder used in this recipe. If you don’t have Thai chili powder, opt for crushed red pepper. It doesn’t carry quite the spiciness, so use a little more than you would the Thai pepper.

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Two popular spices, plus…

Tired of always reaching for that salt and pepper to flavor up your food? Garlic pepper seasoning is a robust spice blend that’s surprisingly versatile. It matches two of the most popular spices – garlic powder and ground black pepper – but the seasoning doesn’t stop there. Paprika provides a little sizzle, brown sugar a little sweetness, and ground cumin a delicious earthy undertone. Onion powder, parsley, and salt round things out to top off the flavors.

It’s delicious as a pork or steak seasoning, but don’t stop with meat. Mix it with mashed potatoes (or sprinkle it over french fries), try it mixed with a marinara sauce for pastas, or simply sprinkle some in oil for use as a simple dipping sauce. It’s also a terrific way to spice up popcorn. It may quickly grab that space right next to your salt and pepper on your go-to spice rack. 

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Middle Eastern flair…

If you’re cooking spicy Middle Eastern food, you’re going to run into the need for Baharat. It’a popular spice blend made of some of the most aromatic spices in the world, including nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Try it as a rub (it works well with chicken, beef, or lamb), or mix it into sauces and stews to provide an aromatic warmth to the dish. You can also simply use it as a condiment to add a little extra spice to vegetables, dipping sauces, or bland meats.

The heat in Baharat comes in two forms. First, chili pepper based paprika provides the true spiciness. Due to the dilution among the other spices, it’s a mellower warmth, so feel free to increase the amount to match your spiciness tolerance (or opt for a hot paprika instead of a generic or sweet variety).

Second is a good amount of black pepper that provides a pungent earthiness to the mix. It adds a subtle warmth along with that well known black pepper bite. Together with the paprika it’s a powerful combo that matches the flavor intensity of the more aromatic spices. 

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Some extra oomph…

Many don’t realize, but chili powder is, in fact, a seasoning mix made from many ingredients, including cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. It’s one of the reasons chili powder typically doesn’t pack too much punch in the spicy department. The other reason: Store bought chili powders often use lesser-heat peppers, like poblano pepper, as the hot pepper base. So store-bought chili powders are typically mild. But any true spicy food fan won’t settle with simmer, so why not make a batch of spicy homemade chili powder for yourself ?

This recipe includes ingredients you likely already have in your spice rack, so pulling together a fiery DIY chili powder is really simple. It’s balanced for that little extra oomph, mixing paprika with cayenne pepper powder to stoke the flames. You can raise the ante even more by opting for a hot paprika instead of a mild variety. To learn more about the different levels of paprika spiciness, take a look at our article Is Paprika Spicy?

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Put that spice rack to work…

Just like Cajun seasoning, Creole seasoning is relatively easy to make at home. All it takes is a few more ingredients beyond its Cajun cousin. This recipe is overall light on salt compared to commercial options out there, so play with the amount you use to get the flavor you’re looking for in your dish. The heat is provided by cayenne pepper powder with a little coming from the sweet paprika base. If you want to temper down the spice, cut a tablespoon of cayenne and replace it with paprika.

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