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.

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇩 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

🇺🇸 United StatesSpicebush The dried fruit of a North American shrub, used as an allspice substitute.Fruit · Citrus and bright · Sharp and pungent

🇦🇫 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

🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreChives The hollow leaves and purple flowers of a widespread perennial herb in the onion family.Leaf

🇮🇹 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 5 moreCulantroជីរបន្លា A tropical herb with serrated leaves, offering a deep and pungent coriander flavour.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sharp and pungent 🇺🇸 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

🇵🇪 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

🇲🇽 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

🇬🇪 Georgia and 1 moreBlue fenugreekუცხო სუნელი The blue-flowered annual herb that seasons Georgian stews and Swiss cheeseSeed · Earthy and deep · Bitter

🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 moreKesum An aromatic herb from Southeast Asia, used fresh in salads and soups.Leaf · Sharp and pungent · Herbal and green

🇨🇳 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

🇨🇳 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

🇯🇵 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

🇹🇭 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

🇮🇹 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 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

🇮🇩 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.

Parsley: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bay leaf: Χρήστης:Andrikkos / The original uploader was Andrikkos at Greek Wikip, Public domain, source
Pápalo: Wibowo Djatmiko ( Wie146 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Culantro: Maxintaft, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Jimbu: CJoshi0, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
Sassafras: Randy Everette, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Houttuynia: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Sansho: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kencur: Hariadhi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Blue fenugreek: Flyout, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Chives: Jamain, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Shiso: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Common thyme: Isidre blanc, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Tarragon: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Black mint: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, source
Indonesian bay leaf: W.A. Djatmiko ( Wie146 ), CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Spicebush: Jomegat, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Thai basil: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Thyme: Evan-Amos, CC0, source
Kaffir lime: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Fenugreek: Yak, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Common sage: Kurt Stüber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Garlic chives: Kurt Stüber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Vietnamese coriander: Joditran, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lemon basil: Kembangraps, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Rice paddy herb: Emilia Murray, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Korean mint: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lemongrass: Unknown author, CC BY 2.0, source
Roselle: Bamouzou, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kesum: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Basil: Castielli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lovage: 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0, source