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Herbs and Spices on Your FoodsBY: Evelyn Lalisan | Category: Food | Submitted: 2010-04-07 00:50:32
What would make your food tastier? The answer would be seasoning your food with some herbs and spices! Just remember not to overdo it. Herbs and spices should compliment your food, not overwhelm its flavor. You may have to learn some basic information about the use of herbs and spices to know its proper handling and uses. Cooking If you are cooking soups or stews, it may be better to add the spices and herbs an hour before or a few minutes before placing on the table. Remember not to cook the spices and herbs too long because this may result in too pungent or strong-tasting flavor. To enhance the flavor better, crush the herbs and spices and mix well into the dish. If you are doing quick cooking, you can add the dry spices in the early part of the cooking time. If you are using fresh spices and herbs, you must add these at the latter part of your cooking time. Don't use more than 3 spices and herbs in one dish. Some exceptions to this may be Indian cuisine especially curry, or unless a recipe you are following says so. You may switch other ingredients with some herbs and spices to make your dish more interesting. You can use Cilantro in lieu of Parsley; use Savory in lieu of Thyme, Anise seeds for Fennel seeds or Oregano for Marjoram. Substituting ingredients and spices would help create more variety in your food preparations. Don't be afraid to experiment! You can make use of the mortar and pestle or grinder to break up whole spices. If you want to use the spice in its whole size, you can make it more flavorful if you roast the whole spice in a dry pan under medium heat taking care not to burn them. Storage Remember to store your herbs and spices in a cool and dry place. These should be free from too much heat, moisture or dampness and too much light. These factors would make the spices and herbs lose their flavor quickly. Keep your spices and herbs in small glass jars or tightly sealed synthetic containers. For larger quantities, you may place them in air tight sealed containers and place inside the freezer to keep them fresh. Remember to avoid storing dry herbs and spices inside the fridge because of humidity. Dried herbs and spices would retain their flavors for about a year if properly stored. Whole spices may retain their flavors for as long as 3 to 5 years if properly stored. Growing and Proper Harvesting of Herbs and Spices Dry the herbs upside down by their stems on racks or slats. Dry them in a well lighted area where you have enough room for air to come through. Try to keep the area cool and free from humidity. You can use a dehydrator to dry your herbs and spices. Another way to do so is to place the herbs on permeable cooking paper and cook low on the microwave for about 3 minutes. But do check your manual first for instructions or cautions against drying herbs. Harvest leaves, buds and flowers when these start to open out or unfold. Seeds should be gathered when these are brittle and brown in color. Don't harvest herbs during rain or humid circumstances. For best results, gather your herbs in the early morning when the sun is not too hot and the herbs are in their most potent condition. Now that you know more about herbs and spices,wouldn't it be nice to grow some of your own? You can use them in your cooking and you would be proud that you have used your own home-grown herbs and spices! Article Source: http://www.writearticles.org/ About Author / Additional Info: Comments on this article: (0 comments so far)
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