5 Best Herbs and Spices to Enhance Your Food

Herbs and spices add flavour, texture and aroma to the food you cook. Adding just a pinch of herbs and spices transforms bland boring food into exotic dishes.

Both herbs and plants are basically from plants. While herbs are primarily from fresh leaves, spices can be from the dried stalk, root or fruit of plants. The flavour from herbs is generally mild whereas that from spices is fairly strong.

Let us now look at some popular and frequently used herbs. Mint and cilantro are used as fresh leaves while oregano, basil, thyme, parsley and rosemary are some common herbs that are used dry. These can be used for flavouring or seasoning in Mediterranean, Italian or continental cuisine.

Oregano adds a delicious taste and enriches pizzas, pastas, salads, sandwiches and other Italian dishes while basil can be added as an ingredient or garnish with all types of recipes around the globe.

With its light aroma and mild taste, parsley goes well with potatoes, tomato-based sauces, poultry dishes, grain-based salads & salad dressing. It is rich in vitamins, protein and antioxidants. Rosemary, with its cooling, woody and minty taste, instantly adds a burst of flavour to beverages and cooked food. It also helps improve immunity. Thyme is a herb that is used for seasoning a variety of dishes. Adding thyme at the marinating stage adds depth and flavour to any dish.

Coming to spices, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and cardamom form an essential part of everyday cooking. They add a much stronger aroma and flavour than herbs and are used to thicken sauces and batters as well. While some spices contribute to the flavour of food others add colour or aroma. Most spices have medicinal properties as well. They have anti-inflammatory properties and also help in improving immunity.

Black pepper powder is used as much for its flavour as for its medicinal properties. It adds an edgy taste and earthy flavour to stew, curries and dal and even beverages.

Cardamom powder is used for enriching dishes such as cakes, cookies, sweet dishes and marinates with its rich aroma and distinct fragrance. It is the main ingredient of the Indian curry. It provides quick relief for symptoms of cold and cough.

Cinnamon powder is used as an ingredient in cakes, cookies, and desserts. While it adds only aroma when used in the stick form, the powder adds flavour also.

Clove powder is one of the most basic spices in Indian cooking. A little bit of clove can give any dish a distinct flavour. It has a subtle and slightly sweet taste.

Nutmeg powder adds sweetness and warmth to dishes and enriches vegetables, starch, tomatoes, white sauce, curries, biscuits, cakes and milk puddings. It helps with digestion and good sleep.

Thus herbs and spices not only add flavour and aroma to the food we eat but also have numerous health benefits with their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties.

Source Link: https://medium.com/@Ranjithabalan/5-best-herbs-and-spices-to-enhance-your-food-bbb4a2739855