Eastern Promise from EHL’s Four New Asian Blends

21 Apr 2016 --- EHL Ingredients has launched four new Asian herb and spice blends following the surge in popularity of Thai and Chinese dishes.

The new range from the leading importer, blender and packer of food ingredients includes Thai seven spice, Spicy Thai fish seasoning, Chinese five spice and Aromatic Oriental. The versatile spice blends can be rubbed onto meat or fish, used in vegetable dishes, or incorporated into formulations to recreate authentic Asian meals and accompaniments.

The new Thai seven spice blend is a unique combination of crushed chillies with paprika, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, ginger and celery, perfect for manufacturers to include in chicken or pork dishes - like Pad Thai or Red Curry Pork - as well as in stir-fried vegetables. It can be sprinkled onto foods, used as a rub or marinade or added to creamy curries.

The new spicy Thai fish seasoning brings an authentic flavour to baked, grilled and fried fish dishes as well as fishcakes, soups and ramens.

EHL’s Chinese five spice is a subtle combination of fennel, cassia, star anise, clove and black pepper. The spice traditionally encompasses different tastes - sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy, which provide an essential seasoning base in Chinese cooking for dishes such as stir fries and chow mein.

The Aromatic Oriental dry marinade is a multipurpose, authentic mix of star anise, ginger, fennel and cinnamon, ideal for use on a range of proteins or meats for meal centres.This versatile marinade is quick and easy to use but its simplicity does not compromise on taste.

Food manufacturers can take advantage of the market’s growing demand by incorporating EHL’s Asian blends to dishes, to create Thai and Chinese inspired meals and accompaniments for today’s well-travelled consumers.

Tasneem Backhouse, managing director at EHL Ingredients says, “We launched our new Asian blends range following the surge in popularity of Chinese and Thai cuisine among UK consumers.

“Chinese has long been a favourite food among Brits as a takeaway, for eating out, and as ready meals and ingredients kits for cooking in the home and we expect this popularity to continue. We are also seeing the emergence of Thai restaurants, chains, street food outlets, and takeaways, as well as meal kits from supermarkets, and consumers are also recreating dishes themselves at home with spice blends and kits for popular meals and accompaniments such as aromatic spicy curries, soups, stir fries, soups and noodle dishes.

“Our blends give food manufacturers and processors quality ingredients to create the traditional favorites and novel dishes for supermarket shelves and foodservice outlets.”

“We’re always looking out for the next big food trend to create herb and spice blends for manufacturers to add to formulations for authentic world foods and we’re aiming to launch more blends, seasonings and marinades in the coming months to strengthen our portfolio.”

As well as new Asian blends, EHL stocks around 200 organic ingredients, including herbs and spices, beans, lentils and peas, herbs, nuts and dried fruits, seeds and flakes, grains and rice, oils, vinegars, salts, sugars and syrups, as well as other ingredients such as flour, honey and fruit concentrates. EHL also offers a range of 30 organic blends, as well as bespoke organic herb and spice blends which can be sold as ready-made mixes.

EHL’s ingredients are available to manufacturers and food processors, direct and via wholesalers, distributors and cash and carries. It supplies organic and conventional formats in bulk 25kg bags, and products can be ordered in smaller quantities if required and packed down to 1kg bags.