B - SPICES, HERBS, AND BLENDS FROM A TO Z - The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs - Padma Lakshmi

The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs: An Essential Guide to the Flavors of the World - Padma Lakshmi (2016)

SPICES, HERBS, AND BLENDS FROM A TO Z

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PREVIOUS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: barberry, borage, black limes, baharat, bay leaves, berbere, bouquet garni, and basil

BAHARAT

Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend that is sometimes called seven-spice mix, although both the number and spices can vary from country to country. The word baharat means “spices” in Arabic, but it also refers to this popular mix of aromatic spices. A classic blend includes cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and black pepper, but many versions also include paprika and/or chile powder; in Turkey, dried mint is often added, and dried rose petals appear in some North African blends. Sumac and saffron are other possible regional additions. An all-purpose blend, baharat adds deep flavor, sweet and spicy notes, and a rich color to a variety of dishes. It is used to season rice dishes, including pilafs, and is stirred into soups, stews, and sauces. It also makes an excellent rub for grilled or slow-simmered meats, especially lamb, and grilled fish, and it seasons ground meat for kebabs. Baharat is blended with oil and used as a marinade, and it can also be combined with oil, and perhaps garlic and herbs, to make a table condiment.

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BARBERRY

BOTANICAL NAME: Berberis vulgaris

OTHER NAMES: thornberries, zereshk

FORMS: whole berries

Various species of the barberry bush are native to Central Asia, North Africa, and parts of Europe, where it grows wild. There are many different varieties, and some of the shrubs are considered purely decorative—the fruits of some barberries can be toxic, and only B. vulgaris should be used in cooking. (The branches of some species have thorns; the name “thornberries” derives from the belief that barberry leaves were part of Christ’s crown of thorns.) The small oval berries turn bright red when ripe and are harvested then.

Barberries are very tart when fresh (they were traditionally used as a souring agent), and so, especially in the Middle East, are more often dried for culinary purposes. When dried, the berries look like small dried currants. They should be soft, moist, and deep red; avoid dried barberries that have darkened, a sign of age. Their fruity flavor is tart-sweet, and they can be eaten as a snack, like dried cranberries.

Barberries are called zereshk in Iran, and zereshk polo is a favorite version of that classic Persian rice dish. They are also essential in the celebratory wedding dish known as “jeweled rice.” Barberries can be incorporated into a spice rub for grilled lamb or game meats, and they can be made into a jelly or jam to be served with mutton or other fatty meats. Barberries are used in rice dishes in Afghanistan. Be sure to remove any errant stems when rinsing or soaking barberries in cold water. In Persian mythology, they are considered a “cold” food; “hot-natured” people are encouraged to eat “cold” foods to achieve balance.

MEDICINAL USES: Barberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants; some consider them a superfood.

BASIL

BOTANICAL NAMES: Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil); O. sanctum (holy basil)

FORMS: fresh and dried leaves

Basil, a member of the mint family, is native to India, where it has long been considered a sacred herb; if not also indigenous to Iran and Africa, it has grown there for so long that its origins are lost in the mists of time. Sweet basil is the most common culinary type today, but there are many subspecies and hybrids. A sweet basil plant can be as tall as 2 feet or more; it has dark green, smooth, oval leaves and is strongly aromatic, with an herbaceous, anise-like fragrance and undertones of mint; the leaves have a peppery anise taste, again with notes of mint as well as of cloves. The leaves of holy basil, the variety known in India, have jagged edges and can range in color from dark green to purple. There are several different types, including some with a peppery, minty taste, perhaps with hints of ginger, and others with a more citrusy taste; tulsi is the Indian name. Opal basil has dark purple leaves and often a spicier flavor than sweet basil; purple ruffle basil has crinkled purple leaves with ruffled edges and tastes very similar to sweet basil. Other varieties include lemon basil and cinnamon basil, their names reflecting their flavors. Dried basil is usually sweet basil; high-quality dried basil is dark green and has a delicate minty, peppery flavor.

Basil complements most summer vegetables, from zucchini to eggplant, but probably none more so than tomatoes, whether sliced ripe tomatoes or a quick-simmered tomato sauce. (If you have only dried basil, crumble it into a tablespoon or so of olive oil and let it infuse briefly, then drizzle that over your sliced tomatoes.) It is a favorite herb throughout the Mediterranean, particularly in Italy, where one of its most famous incarnations is in pesto, the pounded sauce of basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pesto is used as a pasta sauce, of course, but it is also excellent as a fresh condiment served with grilled fish, or simply spread on grilled bread for crostini. The French version of pesto, pistou, is the classic garnish for minestrone. In India, basil is used more often in drinks than in savory dishes; it is also valued for its medicinal purposes. Purple and opal basil, as well as holy basil, are used in Southeast Asian cooking, in soups, stir-fries, and other dishes. The spicier basils are also popular in this region. Finally, basil also has a place in sweet dishes. Basil sorbet is very refreshing, and fruits such as sliced strawberries or blueberries can be macerated with sugar and slivered basil. Panna cotta and delicate custards can be infused with basil, and it adds a lovely note to poached peaches or rhubarb.

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Note: In India, sweet basil seeds, called subja, are used in drinks and desserts. When soaked in water, the tiny black seeds swell and develop a translucent gelatinous coating. They are the basis of falooda, a sweet, milky drink flavored with rose cordial that can be served as dessert (they are sometimes referred to as falooda seeds). They are also used as a garnish for desserts such as kulfi, Indian ice cream.

BAY LEAVES

BOTANICAL NAMES: Laurelus nobilis (Turkish); Umbellularia californica (Californian)

OTHER NAMES: bay laurel, sweet laurel, sweet bay (Turkish)

FORMS: fresh and dried

The bay laurel is a tall evergreen tree native to Asia Minor, but it has grown around the Mediterranean for centuries and has long been associated with the cuisines of the region. Its Latin name means “noble laurel,” and in Greek and Roman times, winners of battles or sports competitions were often crowned with a laurel wreath. Poets were sometimes recognized in the same fashion—thus the origin of the term poet laureate. Most bay leaves, including those on the supermarket spice shelf, come from Turkey. California bay leaves are from an entirely different species and are much stronger than Turkish bay leaves.

Unlike most herbs, bay leaves are traditionally preferable when dried, although recently, more chefs have begun using the fresh leaves. The fresh leaves can be strong and bitter, but they mellow somewhat when dried. Both types of bay leaves smell like a combination of menthol and eucalyptus, with notes of camphor. Look for deep green leaves when buying dried bay; pale or yellow leaves are older or were improperly stored and will have less fragrance. California bay leaves are longer and narrower than bay laurel leaves. Cookbook recipes that do not specify the particular type of bay leaf should be assumed to mean Turkish leaves; if substituting California bay, use half the amount.

Bay leaves pair well with other Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, marjoram, oregano, sage, savory, and thyme. They are at their best in stews, braises, and other long-simmered dishes. Moroccan tagines often include bay leaves, and in Turkey, they are used to season lamb and rice dishes, including pilafs. They complement tomatoes well and are added to many tomato sauces. Bay leaves are an essential seasoning in bouillabaisse and many other Mediterranean fish dishes. The leaves are usually added whole and then removed before serving, but they can also be crumbled before being added to long-cooked stews and the like. Bay leaves are often an ingredient in rubs for steak and other meats, and they are an essential part of a bouquet garni. They should not be eaten whole.

BENGALI FIVE-SPICE MIX

See Panch Phoron.

BENNE SEEDS

See Sesame.

BERBERE

Berbere is a spicy Ethiopian seasoning mix that typically contains ajowan, cayenne or other chile powder, paprika, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, but regional variations are also made with nutmeg and other ingredients. Like garam masala in Indian cuisine, it has broad applications, and local cooks tend to tailor it to the preparation at hand. Most versions have a coarse, earthy texture and a brick-red color. Berbere is an essential ingredient in doro wat, the chicken stew that is considered Ethiopia’s national dish, and it adds its pungent flavor to other stews and to soups. It is used as a dry rub for meats, poultry, and fish that will be grilled, roasted, or panfried. Berbere can be combined with oil to make a seasoning paste, or a dip for flatbreads, and it is often fried in oil at the start of cooking to provide the seasoning base for a stew or other dish.

BLACK CARDAMOM

See Cardamom.

BLACK CUMIN

See Cumin.

BLACK LEMON

See Black Lime.

BLACK LIME

BOTANICAL NAME: Citrus latifolia

OTHER NAMES: dried lime, black lemon, loomi, omani limes, noomi basra

FORMS: whole and ground

Limes, like all citrus fruits, are native to Southeast Asia, but dried limes come from the Arabian Peninsula. They are Persian limes, and they were originally dried on the trees themselves. Today, they are picked when ripe and dried in the sun; sometimes they are boiled before drying.

Dried limes are about 1 inch in diameter and range in color from off-white to tan to black. They have a faint citrus fragrance and a sharp, sour flavor, with a slightly fermented taste. As they dry, most of the pulp dissolves, leaving a hard outer shell. Dried limes are sold both whole and powdered; if possible, buy whole limes and crack or crush or grind them at home, for more intense flavor. Wrap them in a towel and hit them with a mallet or hammer to crack them. They are quite brittle and, once split, can be ground with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. Make sure to remove any seeds from the shell before grinding. Commercial powdered lime is somewhat coarse.

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Dried limes are used in Persian cooking as a souring agent, like tamarind. They are usually cracked or ground before they are added to a dish but are occasionally left whole. If adding a whole dried lime or two to a stew or soup, carefully pierce it with a sharp skewer or knife to allow the cooking liquid to permeate it and absorb the flavor of the lime—and be sure to squeeze the aromatic juices from the lime back into the stew at the end of cooking. Fish is cooked with black lime throughout the Persian Gulf, and powdered black lime flavors pilafs and other rice dishes; it can also be used as a rub for grilled fish, poultry, and meat. Black lime is occasionally one of the ingredients in local versions of the Middle Eastern spice mix baharat.

BLACK ONION SEEDS

See Nigella.

BORAGE

BOTANICAL NAME: Borago officinalis

OTHER NAMES: bee bread, starflower

FORMS: fresh and dried leaves

Borage is native to the Middle East, specifically Persia and modern-day Turkey. It has droopy green leaves and purple or blue star-shaped flowers and is as widely grown as an ornamental plant as for culinary use. Both the leaves and flowers have a distinct cucumber-like taste, and borage is often used in refreshing summer drinks; it is also one of the ingredients in Pimm’s Cup, the popular British cocktail. The dried flowers are infused to make a soothing tea in Iran, where borage is known as gol gavzaban (spellings vary), and elsewhere in the Middle East, as well as throughout Europe.

BOUQUET GARNI

A bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs used in classic French cooking to season stocks, soups, and stews. The basic composition is 3 parsley sprigs or stems, 1 thyme sprig, and 1 bay leaf (large pots of stock or broth, of course, need larger bouquets), which are tied together with kitchen twine or wrapped in cheesecloth for easy removal at the end of cooking; sometimes the herbs are instead wrapped in a leek green or a celery stalk. Although a bouquet garni is easy to put together with ingredients that are usually on hand, dried herb blends of the same ingredients are available from some specialty shops and spice merchants. These are sold in jars or packaged like tea bags.

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