Herbs And Spices For cooking

herbs and spices are used widely in the food industry as flavors and fragrances they are a great way to add natural flavor to any dish without significantly increasing the calorie count and they offer great health benefits also but what are the differences between herbs and spices How do we use them? What herb and spices go with what food. What is Herb and Spices? Herbs are the leaves flowers or stem part of a plant it can be fresh or dried while spices are usually dried it can be the seed fruit bark or root which are usually used for flavoring or coloring of foods keep in mind that there are some plants that are both herbs and spices for example: coriander is also known as chinese parsley or cilantro the leaves can be used as an herb and the seeds are dried and used as a spice another example is dill but let's talk first about the different kinds of herbs that are commonly found at home. bailey is an aromatic evergreen tree orlarge shrub with green smooth leaves it has more aroma when dried and it is best in pickling marinating and flavoring stews stuffings and also great for fish basil leaves are solid and oblong with a pointy end and it comes in many varieties it is most commonly used fresh in recipes because it has more flavor than dried basil. It can be used in many dishes including pasta sauces and pesto. coriander is a soft plant and the leaves are variable in shape broadly loaded at the base of the plant and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems as a herb it is highly aromatic with the scent of orange peel. Its delicate young leaves are a common ingredient in spice rub marinades, chili's sauces, soups and curries and work well with onions bell peppers tomatoes and potatoes. dill also called dill weed the plant has slender stems with alternating soft leaves the feathery leaves enhance seafood sauces salad dressings chicken and soup dill is also used as an attractive garnish. dill also called dill wheat has brown flat oval seeds in seed form dill is used as a pickling spice and to flavor breads and vegetables fennel seed has an oblong shape it has a striped color of dark green to white or dark brown to white all parts of the fennel plant can be eaten but it's the seeds that generate the most culinary interest thanks to their warm anise like aroma and fresh slightly sweet flavor fennel seeds can be used for making fish soup or fish stock sausage mixtures any pork dishes such as stews or casseroles salads particularly cucumber salad or making bread or biscuits ginger root is beige in color with a knotted rough appearance once peeled and grated ginger can easily be thrown into various sauces glazes and marinades to brighten up the dish it is popular in many traditional asian recipes like noodle bowls or stir fry one of the many uses of ginger is that it can tenderize and add flavor to meats mace is the spice made from the reddish seed covering of the nutmeg seed its flavor is similar to nutmeg but more delicate it is used to flavor baked goods meat fish vegetables and in preserving in pickling it is also used in dishes like stews curries and savory sauces nutmegs are egg-shaped dried seeds it is slightly sweeter than maize. nutmeg is essential to flavoring sauces and also goes well with baked or stewed fruit custards eggnog punches curries sauces particularly onion-based and milk sauces pasta and vegetables especially spinach. paprika is a ground spice made from dried red fruits of sweeter varieties of the plant it is made from special kinds of sweet orange and red peppers paprika spice adds vibrant color to any dish it can be sprinkled as a garnish for deviled eggs or potato salad or used as a flavoring for meat rubs. It has a sweet pepper flavor without any heat star. annie's seeds are larger and a dark reddish brown color while anise seeds are smaller and look more like fennel seeds it is also important not to confuse star anise with the japanese star anise which is highly toxic and must not be consumed despite its sweetness it is traditionally used in savory recipes particularly with meats it is often added whole to soups stews and braising broths to which it adds a sweet licorice peppery flavor star anise can be used whole or ground and finally on our list turmeric lemongrass is a plant that has several stiff stems and slender blade like leaves which droop towards the tips it is usually used to flavor teas and soups and is often found in thai and vietnamese cooking. marjoram is similar to oregano but is sweeter and milder it is a bushy aromatic plant that has square branching stems that are densely covered with hairy ovate leaves arranged oppositely in pairs marjoram goes well with meats such as pork lamb and veal its flavor is best when added near the end of the cooking process its mild flavor makes it a good addition to uncooked preparations like salad dressings. oregano is also known as wild marjoram oregano has purple flowers and spade shaped olive green leaves some of the most common uses of oregano include tomato centric recipes like pizza and pasta sauce as well as olive oil-based dishes oregano is commonly combined with olive oil to create flavorful oregano oil or marinades for lamb chicken and beef dishes. parsley is a bright green biennial plant that consists of two main varieties curled leaf are common parsley and flat leaf or italian parsley many dishes are served with fresh green chopped parsley sprinkled on top are commonly known as garnishing but it can be used also in soups, stews , braises and sauces to infuse an herbal flavor into dishes. rosemary is a shrub with fragrant evergreen needle like leaves and white pink purple or blue flowers rosemary is used as a seasoning in a variety of dishes such as soups casseroles salads and stews because of the high aromatic smell it is best with game chicken lamb pork steaks and even fish especially oily fish it also goes well with grains mushrooms onions peas potatoes and spinach sage is a short woody plant with grayish leaves and blue to purplish flowers it has a savory slightly peppery flavor fried sage can be crumbled over a dish to heighten flavor at the last moment sage can also be used to add fragrance to sauces compound butters meat marinades pastries and breads adding fresh sage leaves to cocktails and teas can hit an instant herbal flavor. thyme is a low-growing plant with wiry stems that are stiff and woody the leaves are small and oval with gray green color flowers can be white to lilac and are in small clusters thyme is highly aromatic with a hint of clove and mint fragrance thyme is used for adding layers of flavor without being overwhelming it's commonly used to season soups sauces and braces it can be added to potatoes rice dishes vegetables and even fresh bread now let's talk about spices. spices are usually dried and ground into a powder for convenience. A whole dried spice has the longest shelf life so it can be purchased and stored in larger amounts making it cheaper on a per serving. basis Basis allspice tastes like a combination of cinnamon nutmeg and cloves which is why it is named allspice it is brown and resembles large smooth peppercorns fresh leaves are similar in texture to bay leaves and similarly used in cooking ground allspice is used to season meat soup stew vegetables and baked goods as you would use ground nutmeg cinnamon or cloves it will usually be added at the beginning of cooking or baking. Cardamom is recognized by its small seed pods triangular in cross section and spindle shaped with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds cardamom has a strong unique taste with an intensely aromatic fragrance that can quickly overpower other ingredients so moderately add it in it's ideal in curries teas, baked goods and sausages. cayenne Cayenne peppers are generally skinny mostly red colored peppers often with a curved tip and somewhat rippled skin cayenne pepper is widely used in mexican asian, indian and southern cooking among others just a pinch adds a sweet spicy heat to an entire pot of beans enchilada sauce fried chicken it also adds a nice kick to egg dishes and dry rubs for meat and seafood. cinnamon is a fragrant bark with a sweet woody and fruity flavor cinnamon is found in a huge variety of sweets including breads such as cinnamon rolls hot cross buns and morning buns cookies such as snickerdoodles rubella and baklava apple desserts such as baked apples apple pie apple crisp and apple crumble. cloves are the dried unopened nail shaped flower buds of an evergreen planthey are reddish brown in color and have a strong aromatic flavor and aroma cloves give lending flavor to meats curries and marinades as well as fruits such as apples pears and rhubarb, cloves may be used to give aromatic and flavor qualities to hot beverages often combined with other ingredients such as lemon and sugar they are a common element in spice blends like pumpkin pie spice and speculo spices. Coriander is ovate globular and has many longitudinal ridges on the surface its color when dried are usually brown but maybe green straw colored four off white coriander is often used in spanish mexican latin and indian cuisine it's a common ingredient in spice rubs marinades chilis sauces soups and curries and works well with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and potatoes. cumin is oblong in shape it is longitudinally ridged and yellow brown in color cumin can be used both as the whole seed or ground cumin seed can be toasted before use in cooking to bring out its aromatic nutty flavor cumin is the main ingredient in most curry powders and Many spice blends it's reserved primarily for savory recipes like chili stews meat, fish and vegetables. curry powder a mixture of powdered spices that will differ depending on the region and dish it usually includes a combination of coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger , mustard fenugreek, cinnamon, clove, cardamom chilies and black pepper It is commonly used to flavor soups, stews, sauces, marinades , meat and vegetables. As the popularity of curry flavor increases creative chefs are finding more unconventional uses for the seasoning such as hamburgers, scrambled eggs and potato salad. Curry powder is popular in Indian dishes. turmeric is a bright yellow spice powder that is made from the root of a plant in the ginger family. turmeric has a pungent earthy odor the flavor of turmeric is described as a little bitter a little peppery like mustard or horseradish with a slight ginger flavor turmeric is always added at the beginning of the cooking process it will add a deep golden color which brings warm flavors to any curry or stew these are just the common list of culinary herbs and spices at home. there are a lot more herbs and spices are packed with nutrients and offer great health benefits keep in mind that every herbs and spice have a different aroma, flavor effect even color on food once we add them. If in doubt just add a little you can always add more if you're not satisfied because it's hard to remove what you've already added. thanks for reading