C is for coriander

C Is For Coriander

You won’t see coriander used very much in most American cuisine, but it is a staple in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Coriander has quite a history with mankind, the herb was discovered in the pharaoh tombs in Egypt and it is also referenced in the Bible as one of the bitter herbs eaten during Passover.  I have only had the opportunity to use ground coriander seeds in my culinary creations, but the entire plant can be used.

The seeds of the coriander plant are probably used the most in cooking, which can readily be found your local spice isle, but different cultures tend to use this plant in different ways. The stalks and pungent leaves of this herb are frequently used in salads, soups and other dishes in many parts of the world, such as The Middle East, Southern Asia and Mexico. In Thailand, the root of this herb is used frequently in curry dishes; it is said that the root has a more intense flavor than the leaves. Thanks to all of my kitchen adventures with my close friend Chris, ground coriander seeds became my first love in the kitchen. 

There is just something about this exotic spice that excites my palate and warms my heart. My favorite characteristic of ground coriander seeds is that you can never use too much of it. The flavor is very much a side show to any dish; it is always delicate and never overpowering. Coriander’s subtly sweet and savory flavor seems dance across your taste buds in the background as you are occupied with the more predominate flavors of the dish.  As described by my good friend, “Coriander is a light, lemony spice that brings a refreshing note to any dish”, and I can’t agree with him more!  We have used it on almost everything, especially his famous chicken noodle soup. I was hoping on sharing my own version of the recipe with you by now, but that will have to wait for another blog post.

If you haven’t had a chance to try this subtle spice, I would very much recommend picking it up at the grocery store and giving it a whirl. Ground coriander seeds are a great addition to many soups, stews and many other dishes. I’m almost certain that you will love it, so just do yourself a flavor and start using it in your cooking! If you were to use the seeds whole, I would recommend roasting the seeds a bit in an ungreased pan to enhance their flavor.

Till next time,

~Mr.McLovin

B Is For Basil

B is For Basil: One Of The Great Culinary Herbs

Did you know that there are over 20 different varieties of the basil? Yeah, that is a whole lot of flavor that you have been missing out on!! Basil is one of the great culinary herbs; the different varieties are used extensively across Europe and Asia in cooking. This little herb is loved by cooks across the world for its rich aroma and distinctively sweet scent and flavor.

You can buy dried basil in your local grocery store, this option is convenient, easy to use and basically lasts forever… but it isn't even close to the fresh alternative! You can usually buy fresh basil in your produce section, but you are going to be paying more. Instead of paying the premium, I would recommend is growing it yourself!

The best part of growing your own basil is that you are not limited to the selection at your local grocery store. With a quick visit to your local nursery, you should be able to find several different kinds to choose from and grow. If that doesn’t suit your fancy, you can always order seeds from the comfort of your home, online. With a click of a button, your choices will be limitless!

Harry Potter Fighting a Giant Basilisk

Fun Fact: Basil has both positive and negative associations that include love and fear, danger and protection, and life and death. The negative connotations probably come from basil’s Latin epithet basilicum, which links it to the basilisk; a mystical serpent that can turn you to stone with its deadly gaze.

Currently, I am growing two different kinds on a windowsill; a common sweet basil and a lemon basil plant. Once the plants become a bit more established, you can transplant it to a container outside (season permitting) or just keep it inside. I plan on keeping my herbs in the kitchen, they add a nice bit of green to the atmosphere and they will always be just an arm’s length away when you need them in your cooking adventures. Regardless of what kind you decide to buy or grow, using them is relatively the same.

My basil plants, started from seeds.

Whenever I have fresh basil to use, I will just pick a few of the leaves and roughly chop them into the required amount. Since fresh basil is more flavorful in comparison to its dried counterpart, don’t be too worried about cramming the exact amount onto that teaspoon.

Tomorrow, I will be blogging about one of my favorite spices from the Middle East. Stay tuned to see what you have been missing out on!

Till next time,

~Mr.McLovin