Fan of Tasting History? Asafoetida and garum make me think so. Good youtube content you might enjoy if you have not seen it.
I have never heard of sand ginger, and have never used Angelica root. But I think I will seek out sand ginger at some point, it sounds interesting.
Not a fan of 5 spice, don't hate it, but rarely go that way. I have used it on goose and duck with great success, and will use it for that again. I think I've had too much cheap take out that uses a heavy hand with 5 spice. I don't cook a lot of game, but it seems an ideal match to a lot of game.
Sichuan peppercorns? That's the one Chinese cuisine I actually make proper dishes from! Everything else is just vaguely Chinese. Love me some peppers, but we don't keep many varieties in the house. Sarawak is good! Usually we use Tellicherry, and we have a coarse and fine grinder loaded at all times. Fresh is best. The only time I used pre-ground is when I am trying to recreate the taste of childhood. Which is basically salt, old pepper, and surprisingly good paprika.
I am a fan of this mix for north African cuisines:
Ras el Hanout
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
I make a chicken and apricot tagine that is pretty nice with it. And I am more likely to add a pinch of this than 5 spice to give a "what is that flavor" twist to a dish.
Thanks for the suggestions!