Herbs have been the base stone for trading culture for many centuries now. We now use the herbs found in Asia and South Asia in addition to our own, like Sunday Scaries for the added kick of taste and health benefits that they offer. With a more substantial market for fresh herbs in place, we don’t want to waste the herbs we buy, especially considering the waste of flavor we can’t afford. This post offers tips on trying the various varieties of available fresh herbs.
Cilantro
Cilantro has a strong flavor compared to parsley, and therefore everyone might not like it, but cilantro adds a much tangy, citrusy flavor to any dish. The best way to use cilantro is to chop the leaves up and use it in the dishes you are cooking. Don’t cook the chopped cilantro for more than three minutes, or it will lose its fragrance and taste. Mainly used to garnish the gravies and spicy food, you can use cilantro to add flavor to your sour cream, salads, or even stir fry veggies. You can also grind with tomatoes, onions, and garlic to obtain paste-like consistency that thickens the gravy you will love and enjoy.
Cannabis
This herb is a weed that loves to grow in most parts of the world. It is a natural herb that you can use for various medicinal and culinary purposes. Though weed is available as dried leaves, they are not as strong as fresh cannabis leaves immediately. New cannabis seeds offer both taste and health benefits. Hemp seeds give a nice texture to your dishes and taste great on their own, over salads or even fruit juice. They’re closest to animal protein in terms of amino acids: You can add it to your diet as a supplement bar or health drink. If you opt for the leaves rather than the seed, you can cook them similarly to spinach but in less quantity. You can also use hemp or thc oil to make your salad dressing. Not only is hemp oil a taste uplifter, but it also has several health benefits that include a herbal pain reliever, it also improves skin conditions, aids weight loss, and can help regulate blood sugar.
Mint
Mint is a global favorite with a special place in the culinary world. Mint also has a strong smell, ensuring that it stays and keeps your food fresh for longer. Mint is famous for its new flavor and aroma that you can use in salads or garnish your meat platters and add to making a mint mojito and mint chocolate chip ice cream. People love mint tea for its refreshing smell and taste that rejuvenates your mind and body. It is a versatile herb that you can add to your watermelon salad, use it in pesto with parsley or cilantro, add it to your cocktails, and much more.
Parsley
Parsley is a herb that offers many tastes and health benefits when added to a savory dish. Some people use it as a garnishing element, while others add it directly to their food while cooking. You can find two distinct types of parsley breed: the one whose leaves are flat and have a curly segment or the other one devoid of the curly part. Parsley contains certain nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, and some minerals like iron, calcium, and manganese. You can add it to your salads and salad dressings as it places a unique flavor on your tongue that you will enjoy. You can also chop and add it to the butter to glaze fish, chicken, or vegetables. Keep a bundle of parsley upright in a jar of water to keep it fresh for a longer duration in your kitchen: when needed, chop off a few leaves with a pair of kitchen scissors that won’t affect the rest of the bundle.
Basil
This is an absolute favorite in America for adding to foods cooked for a large population in most restaurants. It has an immensely mixed flavor between sweet-savory, like a cross between mint, anise, and pepper, eliminating the need for it and enriching the flavors present in the food: no need to add other spices besides salt to enhance its taste. You may also eat it raw by making basil pasta or steak, but if you are trying fresh basil, remember not to pluck all of the leaves off at once. You can shred it to add it to the cooking food: stack the basil leaves one over the other, roll it up, and slice up the roll to form shredded basil that you can directly transfer to the cooking. Add a few leaves of basil on a pizza that’s straight out of the oven, add it to the pesto you are making, tomato sauce, or salads, you name it. Basil enhances the taste of any food that you add it to.
Oregano
This herb is popular in the Italian kitchen, where it goes well with meat and vegetables. It has a strong flavor between sweet and spicy, which can be muddled by other herbs such as thyme, marjoram, or basil, and gives the food an earthy, slightly bitter taste that is delightful. This herb does not do well with humidity very quickly and should be stored in a uniquely built container that allows for good airflow. Therefore, it is dried up and used in the form of dry powder sprinkled on pizzas, garlic bread, or chicken. You can also use fresh oregano leaves while cooking chicken, in salads and salad dressings of olive oil, or even mix it with pizza dough for a herb flair.
Chives
This is one of the most readily available fresh herbs with a mild but noticeable flavor that stands below red and yellow onion. They are also easy to grow either in your house or outside, depending on what you require. You can use them as an added topping for salads, soups, omelets, and various other dishes that you would like to give a personal touch with. You can add chives to your mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, fish to add an onion flavor to it.
Conclusion
The use of herbs is an excellent thing to have been around for so long. And thanks to the provision of the pure herbal variety, it is now easier than ever before to get hold of some great tasting and healthy herbs that you can continue cultivating in your kitchen. No matter what fruits or vegetables or dishes you choose to make, if you want them fresh and nutritious, go for the locally grown herbs and herb oils that add extra flavor to the plate.
