Tag: herbs and spices
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Black Mustard Seeds
These tiny little seeds come in a range of colours from very dark brown to yellow depending on the climate where they were grown. They taste like yellow mustard seeds but slightly more intense and aromatic. Their taste reminds me of a green pea but earthier and with a pronounced but very pleasant warmth. They…
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Mukhwas, Indian Breath Freshener And Digestive
Mukhwas is an Indian mix of fennel and other spices, served after dinner as a breath freshener and digestive. The aniseed flavour of the fennel seeds, the addition of mint essences and added sugar leaves the mouth feeling clean and smelling great. This is what I used: 1 tsp Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp Dhanna Dal 1/2…
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Cumin
Cumin is the seed of a small annual herbaceous plant that is native to the Middle East and is in the same family as parsley and coriander. It has a most wonderful warm earthy flavour and smell. You can use them whole, as an ingredient or garnish in their own right or grind them for…
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Bay Leaf Tree: Grow and Eat
The humble Bay Leaf tree is a must have in a kitchen garden. Once you try fresh or freshly dried bay leaves in your cooking you won’t go back to the store bought version. Like many herbs, they lose their fullest, layer rich aroma and taste as they wait in transport and store shelves. I…
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PK’s Bouquet Garni
One of the perks of having a kitchen garden is that you always have fresh herbs and spices at your finger tips. This is great if you want to make a fresh homemade bouquet garni. A bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs that were traditionally woven together (I tend to use little cloth bags for convenience however). …
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Turmeric
Turmeric is one of my essential cooking ingredients. You will see it peppered throughout the blog as it forms the basis for many masalas and marinades. It is reputed to be very good for your digestion and helping to reduce inflammation. Fresh turmeric is becoming more available in Perth. You can use it as you…
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Chili Pepper: Hoa Lat
Hoa Lat is a bushy, heavy producer of medium sized, long tapered fruit. It is another of my mild heat range favourites and is so easy to grow. The fruit starts of yellow-green and ripens to a bright glossy red. Taste: I have only eaten this raw in salads and haven’t cooked with it. It…
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Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola is a herbaceous perennial native to Asia that can be grown as a ground cover or in a pot. It is often used in cooking as you would a leafy green in curries or soups. It can be eaten raw by itself or in a salad for that bit of zing. It also…
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Sage
This essential herb can be grown in Perth as a perennial or an annual. I keep it trimmed down to a small clump to encourage growth. It was missing from my herb garden but no more 🙂 Next time you do a roast leg of lamb, season with salt, rosemary and sage for that most…
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Basil And How To Store It
This ‘king of herbs’ is an amazingly aromatic cooking annual. It grows to about 15cm tall and although it does better in summer sun it will provide all year. It dries well but I would avoid freezing it as it doesn’t hold up well. I use it in salads, pasta, pizzas, pesto, soups and stocks.…
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