Herbs and spice – adding flavour to your life
“A meal no matter how ordinary can be made extraordinary by adding fresh herbs and spices.”
What’s your culinary know-how? Do you know the difference between your herbs and spices? They’re both parts of a plant used to enhance the flavour of food, but people often confuse them…
A spice is usually any dried part of a plant, such as dried bark, roots, berries, seeds, twigs, or anything else that isn’t green or leafy. As you may have guessed, the green and leafy part of a plant is considered an herb! Herbs can also be used whether they’re dried or fresh, as opposed to spices, which can only be used dried.
Spices are generally used for seasoning and flavouring, but not usually the main ingredient. So what’s what in the herbs and spice aisle of your local grocery store?
Herbs
Basil is generally used fresh, and is one of the main ingredients in pesto. It features a lot in Italian cuisine and has a strong, pungent, and often sweet smell.
Chives are actually part of the onion family, and commonly used with fish, potatoes, soups, and lots of other dishes. Their leaves add a mild flavour and are typical of French cuisine.
Coriander’s feathery leaves and dried seeds are popular in Mexican cuisine, but also feature in Asian and Middle Eastern dishes. The leaves are a key ingredient of spicy dishes like salsa, guacamole and some garnishes. The dried seeds are more of a spice, with a lemony citrus flavour, and are typically used in Indian curries.
Rosemary is a member of the mint family and is extremely pungent, which makes the herb ideal in meat dishes like stews or roasted meats. It’s also used as flavouring for lamb, pork and chicken. It’s a very strong herb and should be used sparingly to avoid over-flavouring.
Thyme is a common component of the bouquet garni, and of Herbes de Provence which, despite its name, is actually a spice. Thyme can be either fresh or dried.
Spices
Cardamom are small seed pods with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds. It’s the world’s third most expensive spice by weight, after saffron and vanilla! Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, and is intensely aromatic. It’s often used in Indian cooking and sweet baked dishes or spiced tea.
Cayenne pepper is a hot chili pepper used to flavour dishes. It’s used in cooking spicy dishes, and often used to marinate chicken. It’s a key ingredient of hot sauces and buffalo wings wouldn’t be the same without it…
Sri Lanka produces about 80% of the world’s supply of cinnamon, which actually comes from the bark of a variety of trees and is used in both sweet and savoury foods. The spice has a very pungent taste and scent, and is used in preparing chocolate, as well as many dessert recipes and spicy teas.
Cumin has a very distinctive flavour – it’s an ingredient in chili powder and can be used ground or as whole seeds. It’s great in curries, stews, and soups to warm the soul!
What are your go-to herbs and spices when cooking up a storm in the kitchen?
Basil is generally used fresh, and is one of the main ingredients in pesto. It features a lot in Italian cuisine and has a strong, pungent, and often sweet smell.
Chives are actually part of the onion family, and commonly used with fish, potatoes, soups, and lots of other dishes. Their leaves add a mild flavour and are typical of French cuisine.
Coriander’s feathery leaves and dried seeds are popular in Mexican cuisine, but also feature in Asian and Middle Eastern dishes. The leaves are a key ingredient of spicy dishes like salsa, guacamole and some garnishes. The dried seeds are more of a spice, with a lemony citrus flavour, and are typically used in Indian curries.
Thyme is a common component of the bouquet garni, and of Herbes de Provence which, despite its name, is actually a spice. Thyme can be either fresh or dried.
Spices
Cardamom are small seed pods with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds. It’s the world’s third most expensive spice by weight, after saffron and vanilla! Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, and is intensely aromatic. It’s often used in Indian cooking and sweet baked dishes or spiced tea.
Cayenne pepper is a hot chili pepper used to flavour dishes. It’s used in cooking spicy dishes, and often used to marinate chicken. It’s a key ingredient of hot sauces and buffalo wings wouldn’t be the same without it…
Sri Lanka produces about 80% of the world’s supply of cinnamon, which actually comes from the bark of a variety of trees and is used in both sweet and savoury foods. The spice has a very pungent taste and scent, and is used in preparing chocolate, as well as many dessert recipes and spicy teas.
Cumin has a very distinctive flavour – it’s an ingredient in chili powder and can be used ground or as whole seeds. It’s great in curries, stews, and soups to warm the soul!
What are your go-to herbs and spices when cooking up a storm in the kitchen?
Cardamom are small seed pods with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds. It’s the world’s third most expensive spice by weight, after saffron and vanilla! Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, and is intensely aromatic. It’s often used in Indian cooking and sweet baked dishes or spiced tea.
Cayenne pepper is a hot chili pepper used to flavour dishes. It’s used in cooking spicy dishes, and often used to marinate chicken. It’s a key ingredient of hot sauces and buffalo wings wouldn’t be the same without it…
Cumin has a very distinctive flavour – it’s an ingredient in chili powder and can be used ground or as whole seeds. It’s great in curries, stews, and soups to warm the soul!
What are your go-to herbs and spices when cooking up a storm in the kitchen?
