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.

PartSeed Bark Root Flower Fruit Chilli Leaf Resin Bulb Stigma Blend Paste Seasoning

MealBreakfast Lunch Dinner Supper Snacks and tea time Drinks Desserts and sweets Street food Pickles and preserves Feasts 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

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreRock samphire A coastal succulent with peppery leaves and carrot-scented roots, used fresh or pickled.Leaf · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇭🇹 HaitiEpis A blended flavor base of peppers, garlic, and herbs essential to Haitian cookingHot and fiery · Sharp and pungent

🇵🇸 Palestine and 4 moreGreek sage A hairy Mediterranean shrub with pink flowers and edible fruit galls.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sweet and mellow

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreCalifornian white sage An aromatic desert shrub whose seeds flavour maize foods and roots make tonic teaSeed · Herbal and green · 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

🇮🇳 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

🇳🇵 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

🇹🇷 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

🇱🇦 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

🇨🇳 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

🇲🇽 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

🇰🇭 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 🇺🇸 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

🇻🇳 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

🇵🇸 Palestine and 4 moreSyrian oreganoزَعْتَر The aromatic herb native to the Levant, essential for making za'atar.Warm and sweet-spiced · Herbal and green

Photo credits on this page

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

Parsley: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bay leaf: Χρήστης:Andrikkos / The original uploader was Andrikkos at Greek Wikip, Public domain, source
Jimbu: CJoshi0, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Rock samphire: User:Jymm, Public domain, source
Houttuynia: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Epis: LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Syrian oregano: Kippi70, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Shiso: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Tarragon: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Gingermint: SEWilco, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Californian white sage: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Greek sage: This file is a work by Ester Inbar ( user:ST or he:user:ST ). More of, Attribution, source
Herbes de Provence: Unknown author, CC BY 2.0, source
Thyme: Evan-Amos, CC0, source
Chile de árbol: Cliff Hutson, CC BY 2.0, source
Lolot pepper: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Vietnamese coriander: Joditran, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Korean mint: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Kesum: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Basil: Castielli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bay Laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
Black mint: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, source
Lemon basil: Kembangraps, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Black cumin: AndreHolz at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source