Herbs and Spices

Deffinition

HERBS

Deffinition
Types
Uses and Examples

Fresh or Dry

Herbs are usually the leafy parts for plants and can be
sweet or savoury in flavour.
Herbs can be classified into different types such as
culinary, medicinal, sacred and those used for pest
control.
Herbs are mostly from the leaves from plants and
used for providing flavor in cooking (thyme, lavender,
coriander leaves), for health purposes (shilajit,
Kava) in some cultures and used for pest control
(mint, peppermint).
Fresh and Dry

Spices

Deffinition

Types
Uses and Examples

Fresh or Dry

Spices are seasonings obtained from parts of a plant

such as fruits and seed, bark, dried buds, stigma, roots
and rhizomes and resin used in food for flavour, color
or as preservatives.
Spices are used to flavor and color food and often also
used as remedies for some ailments
Spices that are used to flavor food include coriander,
fennel, mustard, cinnamon, mace, clove, saffron,
ginger, asafoetida, and those used as a treatment for
ailments are asafoetida, bay leaf oil, cinnamon, cloves,
cumin, fenugreek, turmeric etc. .
Dry

ALLSPICE
-- is the hard berry of an evergreen tree native to the West Indies and Central America. Its name quite possibly
reflects its flavor, which as a hint of the flavors of several spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It is most
commonly sold in ground form, though the whole berry is available in spice shops and is used in pickling and to
flavor broths and marinades. The mildly spicy-sweet flavor of ground allspice enhances apple desserts, banana
breads, spice cakes, cookies, chutneys, and recipes utilizing squash, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes.

BASIL
- is one of the most relished of herbs and one that has an important place in herbal lore and legend, spanning
many ages and cultures. In the summer, the intoxicating scent of fresh sweet basil fills produce markets, and its
brief season should be fully enjoyed. Though basil makes an excellent dried herb whose sweet-and-spicy flavor is
welcome in many dishes, the result is very different when using it fresh. Fresh basil is the main component of pesto
sauces and has a special affinity with tomato-based pasta sauces and fresh tomato salads (as in the classic tomato,
mozzarella, and basil salad). Dried basil is good in soups, marinades and vinaigrettes, grain dishes, herb breads,
and omelets. It may also be used to flavor tomato sauces

BAY LEAVES
---> are the whole, dried leaves of the bay laurel tree and are most useful in long-simmering recipes, such as soups
and stews, where their flavor has a chance to permeate. Its warm, somewhat woodsy character lends itself
especially well to recipes that contain tomatoes, beans, corn, and potatoes.

CARAWAY SEED
- the seeds of a biennial plant native to Europe, have a sharp, distinctive taste that puts them in the category of
flavorings that are either loved or intensely disliked. They are best known for adding zest to rye and pumpernickel
breads; try expanding their use to flavor recipes emphasizing potatoes or other root vegetables (such as parsnips or
turnips) as well as cabbage varieties.

CARDAMOM
-derived from a plant native to India, is available in whole or ground form. Bought whole, the seed pods must be
opened, revealing several small, dark seeds. These aromatic seeds have a flavor that is hard to describe, but is
appropriate for both sweet and savory dishes. The whole seeds lend an aromatic quality to grain dishes, especially
fruit-and-nut grain pilafs as well as curries containing potatoes or peas. In ground form, cardamom may be used in
the same sort of baked goods in which youd use allspicesquash, pumpkin, or sweet-potato pies, for example, or
batter breads. It may also be used to season those same vegetables when they are served as side dishes.

CAYENNE PEPPER
-is perhaps the hottest of ground spices, ground and dried from a very hot variety of a pepper of the
capsicum genus. A small amount goes a long way and is used to give fiery flavor to Mexican, Indian, and some
Southeast Asian cuisines and is also useful in spicing Creole and Cajun specialties. Cayenne pepper lends itself to
vegetable or bean stews, curries, chilies, spicy cold noodle dishes, and hot-and-sour dishes.

THYME

-A delicate looking herb with a penetrating fragrance, thyme is a wonderful addition to bean, egg and vegetable

dishes. Both fresh and dried thyme is available in your local supermarket throughout the year.
Thyme leaves are curled, elliptically shaped and very small, measuring about one-eighth of an inch long and onesixteenth of an inch wide. The upper leaf is green-grey in color on top, while the underside is a whitish color. Along
with fresh sprigs of parsley and bay leaves, thyme is included in the French combination of herbs called bouquet
garni used to season stock, stews and soups.

ROSEMARY

-Looking like a small sprig from an evergreen tree the wonderful smell and assertively pine-like fragrance and

pungent flavor of rosemary goes a long way to flavor to chicken, lamb, pork, salmon and tuna dishes as well as
many soups and sauces. As an evergreen, rosemary is available throughout the year.
Rosemary grows on a small evergreen shrub belonging to the Labiatae family that is related to mint. Its leaves look
like flat pine-tree needles, deep green in color on top while silver-white on their underside. Its memorable flavor
and unique health benefits makes it an indispensable herb for every kitchen.

FENNEL
-Fennel is crunchy and slightly sweet, adding a refreshing contribution to the ever popular Mediterranean
cuisine. Most often associated with Italian cooking, be sure to add this to your selection of fresh vegetables from
the autumn through early spring when it is readily available and at its best.
Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged. The stalks
are topped with feathery green leaves near which flowers grow and produce fennel seeds. The bulb, stalk, leaves

and seeds are all edible. Fennel belongs to the Umbellifereae family and is therefore closely related to parsley,
carrots, dill and coriander.