Why we toast dry spices before using them

Cumin, coriander, cardamom, fennel, mustard — all of these seeds double their aroma if you toast them for 30-45 seconds in a dry pan over medium heat, until they start to smell like... themselves.

Then grind them fresh and add them to the dish at the end, not the start. The difference between a regular curry and a good one is, 99% of the time, this small, free step that no professional ever skips.

It doesn't apply to paprika, ground cinnamon or other already-powdered spices — those burn fast and lose their layers.