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EveryMasala

Leaves and herbs

Curry leaf, bay, basil, oregano, kaffir lime and fenugreek: aromatic leaves, fresh and dried.

A leaf: bay, curry leaf, kaffir lime, pandan. Often added whole and taken out before serving.

Leaf spices and aromatic herbs include bay, curry leaf, kaffir lime leaf, pandan, mint, oregano and thyme. They are used fresh or dried for scent more than for heat.

What they are

Leaf spices come from woody shrubs and herbs. Bay laurel, curry leaf and kaffir lime leaf are tough leaves that give flavour and are usually not eaten. Others, such as mint and oregano, are tender and are eaten whole. Many grow in warm climates and are used fresh in the places where they grow.

How they are used

Curry leaves are fried in oil at the start of a South Indian dish, bay is simmered in stews, and kaffir lime leaves go into Thai curries and soups. Dried oregano and thyme are rubbed into meat and sauces, and mint tea is a drink across North Africa and the Middle East.

Buying and keeping

Fresh leaves keep a few days in the fridge and curry leaves freeze well. Dried leaves should still be green and fragrant. Replace dried herbs after a year.

Leaf on EveryMasala

The spices written up so far, best known first.

FlavourHot and fieryWarm and sweet-spicedSweet and mellowEarthy and deepCitrus and brightSharp and pungentSmokyFloral and perfumedBitterAnise and liquoriceSour and tartSavoury and umamiNumbing and tinglingHerbal and green
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperSnacks and tea timeDrinksDesserts and sweetsStreet foodPickles and preservesFeasts and banquets
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreFennel The anise-scented seeds and crisp bulb of a Mediterranean perennial herbSeed · Anise and liquorice · Sweet and mellow 🇮🇳 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 🇵🇪 Peru and 1 moreMuña An Andean aromatic herb brewed into tea across Peru and BoliviaLeaf · Herbal and green 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreSpearmint The square-stemmed herb with pointed leaves used for tea and flavouring oil.Leaf 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreIndonesian bay leafdaun salam The aromatic leaves of a Myrtaceae tree used to flavour soups and stews across Indonesia and Suriname.Leaf · Bitter 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreEast Indian arrowrootകൂവ A wild South Asian ginger valued for its turmeric-scented foliage and starchy rhizome.Root · Earthy and deep · Herbal and green 🇲🇽 MexicoPineapple sage A Mexican shrub with leaves that smell of pineapple and flowers that feed hummingbirdsLeaf · Citrus and bright · Sweet and mellow 🇮🇱 IsraelNufar basil A sweet basil variety bred in Israel to resist a deadly fungal wilt disease.Leaf · 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 🇺🇸 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 StatesSpicebush The dried fruit of a North American shrub, used as an allspice substitute.Fruit · Citrus and bright · 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 🇦🇫 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 🇬🇷 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 🇹🇭 Thailand and 3 moreThai basilโหระพา A Southeast Asian herb with purple stems and anise notes, used in curries and soups.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Hot and fiery 🇳🇵 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 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreAilanthus-like prickly ash椿叶花椒 A wild Asian prickly ash with piquant berries and edible young leavesFruit · Sharp and pungent 🇵🇪 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 🇮🇹 ItalyCommon thyme A woody Mediterranean herb with small grey-green leaves and a sharp, spicy-sweet flavour.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Sweet and mellow 🇫🇷 France and 2 moreCorsican mint A tiny creeping mint from the Mediterranean islands, known for its strong peppermint scent and low-growing habit.Leaf · Sharp and pungent 🇨🇳 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 🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreChives The hollow leaves and purple flowers of a widespread perennial herb in the onion family.Leaf 🇬🇪 Georgia and 1 moreBlue fenugreekუცხო სუნელი The blue-flowered annual herb that seasons Georgian stews and Swiss cheeseSeed · Earthy and deep · Bitter 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreRoselle The deep red calyx of a hibiscus plant, steeped into a tart drink or cooked as a leafy green.Fruit · Sour and tart · Citrus and bright 🇮🇱 Israel and 5 moreCoriander The leaves and dried seeds of an annual Mediterranean herb used in cuisines worldwide.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 morePandan The fragrant leaf of a sterile screwpine, used to scent rice and desserts across Asia.Leaf · Sweet and mellow · Floral and perfumed 🇺🇸 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 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreSansho山椒 The dried berries and young leaves of a spiny Japanese shrub, prized for their numbing citrus heat.Seed · Citrus and bright · Numbing and tingling 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCulantroជីរបន្លា A tropical herb with serrated leaves, offering a deep and pungent coriander flavour.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇲🇽 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 🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreKaffir limeมะกรูด The bumpy-skinned citrus fruit and double-leafed shrub of Southeast AsiaFruit · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreFenugreekحلبة (hilba) The cuboid seed of an annual legume, prized for its bitter warmth and maple aroma.Seed · Bitter · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇮🇳 IndiaWild cinnamon The aromatic leaves and bark of a Western Ghats tree, once known as malabathrum.Leaf · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇲🇦 Morocco and 2 morePeppermint A hybrid mint with a sharp cooling taste, used in teas, oils, and flavourings.Leaf 🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreCommon sage The gray-green leaves of a Mediterranean perennial used in European roasts and traditional remedies.Leaf · Herbal and green 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGarden cress A fast-growing edible herb with peppery leaves and seeds used in salads and traditional medicine.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Sour and tart 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreGarlic chives韭菜 A flat-leaved Allium with a garlic scent, used across Asia as a herb and vegetable.Leaf · Sweet and mellow 🇰🇭 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 🇱🇦 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 🇻🇳 Vietnam and 1 moreRice paddy herbngò ôm A tropical aquatic herb with lemon-cumin notes, native to Southeast Asian rice fields.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Warm and sweet-spiced 🇰🇷 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 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreLemongrasssereh; tanglad; takhrai; sera A tropical grass with citrus-scented stalks used in Asian soups and herbal teasLeaf · Citrus and bright · Sweet and mellow 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 moreKesum An aromatic herb from Southeast Asia, used fresh in salads and soups.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · 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
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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.