Herbs and Spices Camomile to Cumin
Camomile
Chamaemelum nobile
Description
This low-growing plant grows to a height of up to 25cm and has flowers that are similar to daisies
Native to the Mediterranean, it has been known since ancient times. Its name comes from the Greek word 'ground apple.' In England in the Middle Ages it was used as a strewing herb for its fragrance, in Spain it was used to flavour sherry.
Uses
Fresh flower heads can be added to salads for fragrance and decoration. The dried leaves can be made in to a tea.
Capers
Capparis spinosa
Description
Growing to 1m high it is a prickly sprawling plant. It has tough roundish dark leaves. The plant’s flowers only bloom for 24 hours then die. The caper is the unopened flower bud that is rich in capric acid. This gives a distinctive aromatic flavour enhanced by pickling.
Native to barren dry areas of the Mediterranean.
Uses
The most common use of capers are when pickled in wine vinegar. It popularly used as a condiment and as additions to sauces and vinaigrettes, in salads, with cooked vegetables, fish, chicken and lamb.
Caraway Seed
Carum carvi
Description
A biennial herb it grows up to 61 cm high and has finely divided leaves and clusters of white flowers.
Native to central Europe and North Africa, the ancient Greeks and Romans used it in love potions. In England was used with baked apples.
Uses
used within the traditional seed cake, sprinkled over bread, can added to boiled onions and root vegetables. The leaves can be added to salads or cooked and used in a similar way to spinach.
Cardamom
Elettaria cardamomum
Also known as: Cardamom pods or seeds, Eliachi (Green)
Description
A perennial plant with branched subterranean rhizomes from which several erect leafy shoots grow. The leaves are long, narrow and dark green in colour. The flowering stems extend horizontally above the ground and bear small elongated flower clusters on stalks. The fruits or pods are thin skinned oval capsules containing up to 20 seeds. They range in colour from light green to dark brown. They sweet and highly aromatic flavour.
Native to monsoon forests and in particular India and Sri Lanka.
Uses
Used as whole pods (with seeds) in curries. Ground seeds and pods or seeds only, whole and ground in pickles, beef and pork dishes; in bread, buns, biscuits, cakes and with fruit.
Cassia
Cinnamomum cassia
Also known as: Bastard cinnamon, Cassia bark
Description
One of 250 varieties of camphor laurels and not to be confused with flowering cassia, which a legume. A fragrant evergreen tree with flame-coloured bark. Similar in appearance and taste to that of cinnamon.
Recorded in Chinese history as far back as the 4th century BC when it was regarded as the ‘tree of life’. It was also mentioned in the bible. As a commodity it is cheaper than cinnamon.
Uses
Use as cinnamon or a substitute. The bark is referred to as ‘quills’ which are stronger than cinnamon and are used in stews, curries, vegetables, fruit salads and percolated coffee. Ground cassia is used in baking particularly cakes, pastries, sweet snacks and chocolate. Ground cassia, its oil and oleoresin are used in the manufacture of perfumes, confectionery, beverages, chewing gum and pharmaceuticals on a commercial level.
Cayenne pepper
Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens
Also known as: Red pepper, Chilitepines, Chilli Pepper, Ginnie pepper
Description
A perennial shrub growing to 2m high. Its drooping pods vary in length from 6-7mm to 15cms and strength of flavour. The smaller pods can be extremely fiery in flavour. The pods contain small yellowish seeds that also contribute to the intensity of its strength. The flavour is sweet, warm and peppery initially then gives way to the intensity of the ‘heat’.
Native of America. They were introduced by Columbus and were being widely cultivated by the mid 17th century.
Uses
Chilli peppers are now used in abundance throughout the world for their distinct flavours and biting hotness. Commonly used in Mexican, oriental, Indian and Italian foods. It is also often used as a condiment.
Chervil
Anthrisus cerefolium
Also known as: Gourmet’s parsley
Description
A small biennial herb growing up to 30cms high. It has bright green, soft fern like leaves similar to parsley. White umbrella shaped clusters blossom in summer. It has mild flavour of pepper and aniseed.
Originally from eastern Europe it is now virtually native of most of Europe and the northern hemisphere. It was introduced into England and France by the Romans.
Uses
Fresh or dried leaves are used in meat, egg, cheese and fish dishes; in barbecue sauces, pickles, soups and salad dressings. It makes up one of the French ‘fine herbs’.
Chilli
Capsicum family
Also known as: Lalmarach, Mirchi, Morich, Poivre rouge
Description
A range of species which have been a part of the human diet in the Americas since about 7500 BC. They were discovered in the Caribbean by Columbus and named "peppers" because of their similarity in taste with the Old World peppers of the Piper genus.
Uses
May be used fresh, preserved or in a flaked or powdered form.
Often used the add 'heat' to a wide range of dishes including sauces, salads, curries, plus many others.
There are a wide range of varieties of both fresh and other forms, some offer a mild spicy flavour, whilst others are exceedingly hot - so care must be used when choosing and using.
Varieties
Aji, Cayenne, Habaneros, Jalapeño, Paprika, Pequin, Tabasco, Rocoto, Scotch Bonnets
Chinese Pepper
Xanthoxylum piperitum
Also known as: Fagara, Sansho, Szechuan pepper, Japanese sansho and Chinese chiao
Description
Small red-brown seeds similar to black peppercorns. Less intensive heat than black peppercorns but with a lemony taste.
A native Chinese deciduous prickly ash tree, growing up to 3.5m. It was available in China before black pepper was introduced.
Uses
Used predominantly as a condiment or seasoning.
Chives
Allium shoenoprasum
Also known as: Onion chives, Rush leeks
Description
Growing to a height of 30cms, it resembles a grass particularly when young. It is part of the garlic and onion family. The leaves become tubular and hollow as it grows. In summer it displays spherical mauve blooms. It has a mild flavour and aroma of onion. Garlic Chives are similar to Onion Chives in that they are a grass like plant. They have flatter tubers and there bloom is white. The flavour is that of a mild taste of garlic.
Grown in China and first recorded in 3000BC and the Mediterranean regions before Christian times.
Uses
It is used fresh or dried and can be cooked although excess cooking will destroy structure and flavour. It is added sauces, salads, cheeses and dips or any dish requiring a mild onion flavour.
Cinnamon
Cinnamomum zelyanicum
Also known as: Dalchini
Description
A bushy evergreen tree growing up to 10m. It has low-set branches with strong grey bark. It has spotted green-orange shoots with shiny, leathery and green leaves. Cinnamon is taken from the inner bark of the shoots. It has a sweet pungent aroma
Native to Sri Lanka which is still the largest exporter of Cinnamon and regarded to be of the best quality.
Uses
It is used in stick form as taken from the tree or ground. Stick form is used preserving, mulled wines and curries or to spice coffee. Ground is used in cakes, milk puddings, fruit pies and particularly with apples. It is a traditional ingredient in mixed spice and curry powder.
Cloves
Eugenia caryopyllata
Also known as: Laung
Description
An dense evergreen tree growing up to 15m high. The cloves are small unopened flower buds in clusters of up to 15. They are harvested as the base begins to turn a red colour. They are then sun dried and become darker. The flavour is sweet, spicy and aromatic.
Native to Moluccas in Indonesia. It was introduced to China around 200BC. It is derived from the Latin word ‘clavus’ meaning nail, which the cloves resembles. It was also used as a breath freshener in Roman times.
Uses
Used Whole or ground. It is often stud (whole) into roast ham and pork; in fruit punches, percolated coffee and mulled wine. Ground, it is used in sweet mincemeat, Christmas pudding, milk puddings and biscuits. It is an essential ingredient of fruit pomander.
Coriander
Coriandrum sativum
Also known as: Chinese parsley, Cilantro, Duan ketumber, Hara dhania, Pak chee, Yuan sai
Description
An annual plant growing up to 1m. It has an erect stem and serrated dark green leaves. It has pink flowers and seed clusters from which the seeds fall when ripe. The white seeds are round with slightly orangey flavour and aroma.
Native to the Mediterranean regions. Records show it was used in Egypt as far back as 1575BC and also mentioned in the Bible and Sanskrit. It was introduced into England by the Romans. It is also one of the first herbs to be grown in America by colonists when introduced in the late 17th century.
Uses
The seeds are used whole in pickling spice or ground in casseroles, curries and apple pies. The leaves whole, ripped or finely chopped are added to salads, curries and as a garnish. It is particularly widely used in Indian, Thai and Chinese cookery.
Coriander Seeds
Coriandrum sativum
Also known as: Sabut Dhania, Kotimli
Description
The seed of the above is globular and almost round, brown to yellow red, with alternating straight and wavy ridges.
Uses
Whole or ground, in commonly used in many spice mixtures, savories, vegetable dishes and pickles.
Cubeb Pepper
Piper cubeba (Fructus Cubebae)
Also known as: Java peppercorn, Javanese pepper, Kabab-chini, Poivre du Java, Tadamiri, Tailed pepper
Description
With stalked hollow berries, larger than common peppercorns.
Native to Indonesia, it was popular in the 16th and 17th century as a cheaper alternative to the then rare common pepper.
Uses
Use as to common pepper, though it does have a pronounced bitter flavour, which may be why its popularity has decreased over the years.
Cumin
Cuminum cyminum
Also known as: Cumin seeds, Shah Jeerun, Zira
Description
An annual plant growing up to 60cms. It has a long slim branched stem and leaves divided into long narrow segments, similar to fennel. The seeds resemble caraway seeds but are yellow-brown in colour. It has a strong slightly bitter flavour.
Native to the Mediterranean region and is known to exist as far back as 5000BC. It is also mentioned in both the old and new testaments of the bible.
Uses
It is used whole or ground. It is one of the key ingredients in curry powder and is widely used in Spanish and Mexican cookery (it provides the distinctive flavour in Mexican chilli dishes). It is used cheese and fish dishes.
Curry Leaves
Helichrysum angustifolium
Also known as: Kadipatha, Black Neem
Description
A strong smelling aromatic leaf of similar in appearance to bay leaves but with a very different flavour.The dark green leaves are almond shaped, are available fresh or dried.
Fresh leaves have a short shelf life but can be stored in a freezer for up to a week
Uses
To as a flavouring in many Asian dishes including curries, meats, vegetables, lentils and breads.
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