Herbs and Spices

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Herbs Leaves, stems or flowers of an aromatic plant

Fresh or Dried

Dried herbs are stronger than fresh

When using dried herbs crumble or crush them to release flavor

Use 2-3 time more fresh then dried

Add fresh herbs at the end of cooking

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Spices Bark, roots, seeds, buds or berries of an aromatic

plant.

Usually dried – ground or whole

Might be fresh, such as ginger

Store in tightly covered containers in cool dry place.

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Basil – Italian Dishes

Basil, a popular herb with a mild and sweet flavor that has a name which means 'king' in Greek language. And it is rightly called so because many culinary experts consider it a royal herb. Used primarily for its aroma, basil is used a lot in Indian as well as international cuisines. While freshly plucked basil adds much needed fragrance to the dish, dried basil leaves mostly contribute to the taste

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Sweet Basil: One of the most common varieties of basil that is used in tomato based dishes and Italian cuisine.Lemon Basil: Found mostly in Asia and north-eastern Africa and is used predominantly in Thai cuisine.Thai Basil: Identified with its purple stem and flowery green leaves, Thai basil has a mint-like flavour.Holy Basil: Also known as tulsi, Holy basil is grown in most Indian homes and has many medicinal qualities.

Health benefits of Basil- Helps control blood pressure- Ensures oxygen carrying capacity in blood- Rich source of powerful antioxidants

Popular Basil dishes: Pesto, Basil tea, Tomato Basil soup, Basil pasta salad, fruit salads and Margarita pizza.

 

Types of Basil

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Bay leaf refers to the aromatic leaves of several plants used in cooking. These include: Bay laurel. Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance.

Popular Bay leaf dishes : Soups, Stews, Meats

Use the whole leaf, but remove before serving

Bay Leaf

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Chives

Chives give a mild onion-like flavor to many foods and often are blended with other herbs for salads, soups and omelets.

They have beneficial effects on the circulatory, digestive and respiratory systems. Chives are usually served in small amount

Popular Basil dishes:

Potatoes, Garnishes, Seafood, Soups Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Cilantro/Coriander LeafThis member of the carrot family is also referred to as Chinese Parsley and Coriander. It is actually the leaves (and stems) of the Coriander plant.

Cilantro has a very pungent odor and is widely used in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian cooking. The Cilantro leaves look a bit like flat Italian parsley and in fact are related.

Popular cilantro dishes : Mexican Food, Thai Food, Sauces, Salsa D

elhi

ndra

/ che

fqtra

iner

.blo

gspo

t.com

DillDill Weed is a tall, feathery annual in the parsley family.  

The weed is used to make Indian vegetables. In Western cuisines it is used to flavor herb vinegars, and shellfish, rice, bread, soups and stews.

The Dill weed has aromatic leaves which are used fresh to flavor many South Indian dishes. Like bay leaves sometimes, they are added for their flavor and kept aside while eating.

Popular dill dishes : Fish, Potatoes, Pickles, Dips, Carrots, Bread

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Mint Mint is one of the most commonly used and grown ingredients across the world. It is a fresh, flavoursome, lush green herb that comes with a long shelf life so it can be stored in airtight bags for months. Menthol, its core ingredient gives it the characteristic aroma and flavor. Popular Mint dishes: Desserts, Lamb, Tea, Mint chutney

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Lemon Grass

Lemongrass has a refreshing lemon-lime taste with a tinge of mint and ginger.

Lemongrass is a key ingredient in Asian cuisine, particularly Thai, at home in curries, stir fries and noodles. It pairs beautifully with fish, chicken and coriander.

Popular lemon grass dishes: Chicken, Seafood, Thailand Cuisine, Indonesia Cuisine

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Oregano

Oregano is an important culinary herb, used for the flavor of its leaves, which can be more flavorful when dried than fresh.

Popular oregano dishes: Italian Food, Mexican Food, Pizza, Spaghetti, Tomato Sauce

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Yet another herb that derives its name from Greek language, Parsley is mostly used for garnishing than flavoring.

Dark green in color with stubby stems, when sprinkled over dishes minutes before serving, the aromatic herb plays its role in tempting the taste buds. While its fresh scent accentuates the flavor and of any dish,

Curly leaf Parsley: Less fragrant and bitter in taste, it is a popular garnishing ingredient for soups and salads.Italian or flat leaf Parsley: Very flavoursome and is used during cooking the dish as it retains its flavour till the end.

Popular Parsley dishes: Mashed, buttered Parsley potatoes, meat and vegetable soup with Parsley garnishing, Parsley pesto, and grilled trout with lemon.

Parsley

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Thyme releases its strong, pungent flavour very slowly and hence is mostly added to the recipe along with all the other ingredients. The herb is widely used in dishes that involve tossing, sauteing and stewing such as scrambled eggs, salads and soups. Both fresh and dried forms of the herb are popular ingredients for a wide variety of dishes across multiple cuisines. Thyme also contributes greatly to meat and vegetable preparations and is a significant element for marinades.

Popular Thyme dishes: Spiced Roast Salmon, Thyme and Garlic Chicken, Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Thyme, and Thyme Au Gratin Potatoes.

Thyme

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Rosemary

The firm, woody herb with fragrant, needle-like leaves is Rosemary. Bittersweet and lemony in taste, the aromatic herb is popularly used across dishes that involve stuffing or dressing. Besides that, it is also used as a flavoring agent for soups, meat dishes particularly lamb and vegetable platters.

Popular Rosemary dishes: Rosemary lamb shanks, Rosemary chicken with potatoes and Rosemary shortbread.

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Sage plays the role of a seasoning ingredient for fatty meats such as poultry and pork, which is during the early phase of cooking. This is mainly because it helps in digestion and ensures a toned flavor.

Popular Sage dishes: Pork, Turkey, Stuffing, Mushrooms

Sage

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Tarragon

Tarragon has a flavor similar to anise or fennel. Sweet with a licorice flavor, it is., tarragon is a necessary ingredient during the preparation of hollandaise sauce, Béarnaise sauce, sauce tartare, Montpellier butter and many vinaigrettes as well as salad dressings. This plant is always

Popular tarragon dishes: Chicken, Eggs, Mushroom, Seafood ( Lobster Bisque, Béarnaise Sauce etc.

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Allspice

Allspice is a cured, unripe berry from a tropical evergreen tree. Allspice when ground releases aromatic notes reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Popular allspiced dishes: Pickling, Stews, Baking

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Caraway

Popular caraway dishes: Apple, Pork, Sausage, Rye Bread, Goulash Soup

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Cayenne

The cayenne pepper, also known as the Guinea spice, cow-horn pepper, red hot chili pepper, aleva, bird pepper or especially in its powdered form, red pepper, is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, jalapeños, paprika, and others.

It is named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana.

Popular Cayenne dishes: Any food, but can add lots of heat!!

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Chili Powder

Blend of cumin, garlic, onion and red chili

Popular chili powder dishes: Tex-Mex, BBQ

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Cloves

Clove is an herb. People use the oils, dried flower buds (for Cooking), leaves, and stems to make medicine.

Meats, Stocks, Sauces, Baking , Soup

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Coriander /Cilantro Seed

Variety of cooking uses in savory and baked foods

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Cumin

An aromatic spice with a distinctive bitter flavor and strong, warm aroma due to its abundant oil content. Cumin "seeds" are actually the small dried fruit of an annual plant in the parsley family

Seeds – used crushedPopular cumin dishes: Mexican , Arabic

and Indian Food

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Ginger

Root of plantAromatic, pungent and spicy, ginger

adds a special flavor and zest to Asian stir fries and many fruit and vegetable dishes.

Popular ginger dishes: Baking, Asian Foods

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

NutmegSeed kernel inside a fruit

Nutmeg is a spice from the nutmeg tree, which is native to several Indonesian islands. Both nutmeg and mace come from the same plant. Nutmeg is the ‘nut’, while mace is the surrounding lacy ‘aril’. Nutmeg has a warm, spicy aroma and flavor and can be used in sweet and savory cooking.

Popular nutmeg dishes: Baking, cheese, eggs, Béchamel Sauce

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Paprika Powder

Finely ground powder from dried paprika and dried chili

Popular Rosemary dishes: Garnish, salads, sausage, casseroles, Goulash

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Pepper corn

Dried unripe berryBlack pepper (Piper nigrum) is

a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning.

When dried, the fruit is known as a peppercorn

Popular pepper corn dishes: Most common – black pepper, used in most foods

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Poppy Seeds

From poppy flowerBaking, Salad Dressing

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Saffron

Saffron is the dried yellow stigmas from a small purple crocus. Each flower provides only three stigmas, which must be carefully hand-picked and then dried,

Most expensive spice in the worldPopular safron dishes Mediterranean

and Asian foods

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Sesame SeedsFound in the pod of a tropical plant

Popular sesame seed sdishes Baking, Tahini Paste, Asian Fish dishes

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om

Del

hind

ra/ c

hefq

train

er.b

logs

pot.c

om