Herbal and green
Thyme, oregano, basil, curry leaf and bay: green, resinous and fresh.
Herbal spices smell of green leaves and grass. Thyme, oregano, bay, sage, rosemary, curry leaf, basil and mint are used in cooking everywhere.
What makes them herbal
Compounds such as thymol, carvacrol, rosmarinic acid and menthol give the green, resinous and minty notes. Many herbs from dry Mediterranean hills hold more oil when dried, so dried oregano is often stronger than fresh.
How cooks use them
Herbs go into sauces, roasts, stews, marinades, soups and teas. Blends such as herbes de Provence, za'atar and bouquet garni are built around them. Fresh herbs are often added at the end, and woody herbs early.
Tips
Rub dried herbs between the fingers to release oils. Store them away from light, and replace after a year.
Herbal and green on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Kroeung: Goomba King ( en:User:Trilinguist ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source