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EveryMasala

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.

PartSeedBarkRootFlowerFruitChilliLeafResinBulbStigmaBlendPasteSeasoning
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperSnacks and tea timeDrinksDesserts and sweetsStreet foodPickles and preservesFeasts and banquets
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreBasil A tender culinary herb with glossy leaves and a licorice-like aroma, native to tropical Asia.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreParsley A bright green herb from the celery family, used fresh across Europe and the Middle East.Leaf · Bitter · Herbal and green 🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreTarragon A slender perennial herb with anise-scented leaves, prized in French and Middle Eastern cooking.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Sweet and mellow 🇬🇪 GeorgiaUtskho suneliუცხო სუნელი A Georgian spice blend centered on blue fenugreek, with roots in Persian and Mughal traditions.Earthy and deep · Herbal and green 🇭🇹 HaitiEpis A blended flavor base of peppers, garlic, and herbs essential to Haitian cookingHot and fiery · Sharp and pungent 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreGingermint A sterile mint hybrid grown for essential oil and chewing gum flavour.Herbal and green · Sweet and mellow 🇰🇭 CambodiaKroeungគ្រឿង The pounded herb paste that gives Khmer dishes their base flavourPaste · Herbal and green · Hot and fiery 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 5 moreLovageлюбисток A tall European herb with celery-like leaves and spicy seeds used in soups and broths.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreBay leaf The dried or fresh leaves of the laurel tree, used to infuse depth into slow-cooked dishes.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇫🇷 France and 3 moreHerbes de Provenceèrbas de Provença A dried herb blend from southwestern France, now a global kitchen staple.Warm and sweet-spiced · Herbal and green 🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreThyme The dried leaves of a Mediterranean mint-family herb, used to perfume stews and baths alike.Leaf · Earthy and deep · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇬🇪 GeorgiaKhmeli suneliხმელი სუნელი A flexible Georgian blend of dried herbs and seeds for stews and meats.Blend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep 🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreJimbu A dried wild onion herb from the Himalayas, used to season lentils and meat.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreMugwort艾草 (ài cǎo) Aromatic leaves from the Artemisia genus used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine.Leaf · Bitter · Herbal and green 🇨🇦 CanadaMontreal steak seasoning A dry rub of garlic, pepper, and dill for grilling meat, born in Montreal delis.Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇮🇹 ItalyCommon thyme A woody Mediterranean herb with small grey-green leaves and a sharp, spicy-sweet flavour.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Sweet and mellow 🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreMexican oreganoorégano cimarrón A fragrant shrub from the Americas, its leaves provide a thyme-like herbal note distinct from Mediterranean oregano.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent 🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreHoja santa The large, heart-shaped leaf of a Mexican pepper plant, used to wrap and flavor food.Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 3 moreAshanti pepper The dried fruit of a climbing vine, used for its fresh, herbaceous heat in West African stews.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Bitter 🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 morePápalo A pungent herb from central Mexico to the Andes, used fresh in salsas and tacos.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent 🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreEpazoteepazōtl A pungent leafy herb from the Americas, traditionally used to flavor beans and stews.Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright 🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreCommon sage The gray-green leaves of a Mediterranean perennial used in European roasts and traditional remedies.Leaf · Herbal and green 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreShiso紫蘇 A mint-family herb with serrated leaves, used fresh or pickled across East Asia.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreBlack cumin The tiny black seed of a wild annual flower, used across the Middle East and South Asia.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCulantroជីរបន្លា A tropical herb with serrated leaves, offering a deep and pungent coriander flavour.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇲🇽 MexicoChile de árbol A small, fiery Mexican chili pepper known for its grassy heat and bright red dried pods.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Smoky 🇻🇳 Vietnam and 4 moreLolot pepperlá lốt The heart-shaped leaf of a creeping vine, used to wrap and flavor grilled meats in Southeast Asia.Smoky · Herbal and green 🇵🇹 Portugal and 4 moreRosemary A fragrant Mediterranean shrub with needle-like leaves used for seasoning and remembranceHerbal and green 🇰🇭 Cambodia and 5 moreVietnamese corianderrau răm The fresh leaves of a tropical herb used in Southeast Asian soups and saladsLeaf · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent 🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreKorean mint배초향 An anise-scented Asian mint leaf used in Korean stews and herbal traditionsLeaf · Anise and liquorice · Herbal and green 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 moreKesum An aromatic herb from Southeast Asia, used fresh in salads and soups.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇱🇾 Libya and 5 moreWhorled savoryza'atar rumi; za'atar franji A pungent Mediterranean shrub with dark leaves and pink flowers, used in ancient cooking and modern herbal teas.Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇺🇸 United StatesMrs. Burns' Lemon Basil An heirloom sweet basil cultivar from New Mexico with intense lemon flavor and large leaves.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Floral and perfumed 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreBay Laurelδάφνη The dried leaf of a Mediterranean evergreen, used to infuse slow-cooked dishes with herbal depth.Sharp and pungent · Bitter 🇵🇪 Peru and 3 moreBlack mintHuacatay A South American marigold herb used as a paste or dried seasoning in Andean cookingLeaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇱🇦 Laos and 5 moreLemon basil A hybrid herb with a bright citrus scent, used across Southeast Asia and Africa.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Herbal and green 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreKencur沙姜 A stemless ginger-family rhizome with a peppery, camphorous biteRoot · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green 🇻🇳 Vietnam and 4 moreHouttuynia折耳根 A heart-shaped herb with a sharp fishy taste used in salads and teas across Asia.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright 🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreSassafras An aromatic tree of North America and East Asia, famed for filé powder and root teaLeaf · Citrus and bright · Anise and liquorice

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven spices you may not know, what is cooking this week, and one blend explained step by step.