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

🇬🇧 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 🇮🇱 IsraelNufar basil A sweet basil variety bred in Israel to resist a deadly fungal wilt disease.Leaf · Sweet and mellow

🇨🇳 China and 4 moreSpearmint The square-stemmed herb with pointed leaves used for tea and flavouring oil.Leaf

🇲🇽 MexicoPineapple sage A Mexican shrub with leaves that smell of pineapple and flowers that feed hummingbirdsLeaf · Citrus and bright · 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

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

🇬🇷 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

🇮🇱 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

🇱🇦 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

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇩 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

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

🇨🇳 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

🇹🇭 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

🇲🇦 Morocco and 2 morePeppermint A hybrid mint with a sharp cooling taste, used in teas, oils, and flavourings.Leaf

🇰🇭 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

🇵🇪 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

🇯🇵 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

🇻🇳 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

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
Pandan: Zuhairali, 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
Chives: Jamain, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Shiso: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Tarragon: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Pineapple sage: Eric Hunt, CC BY 2.5, 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
Thyme: Evan-Amos, CC0, source
Kaffir lime: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Fenugreek: Yak, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Peppermint: Unknown author, CC BY 3.0, 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
Spearmint: Simon Eugster -- Simon 13:07, 2 July 2006 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
Black mint: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, source
Sansho: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Coriander: Thamizhpparithi Maari, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lemon basil: Kembangraps, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Garden cress: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source