Choice and storage
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| Bay leaf plant. Word for darkish inexperienced leaves with flower buds. Photograph courtesy: Andy |
Historically, bay leaves are picked and dried slowly below the shade away from direct daylight to retain their risky important oils.
Within the spice shops, one would possibly come throughout completely different sorts of bay leaf preparations. Fully dry, and floor (spicy powder) kinds can be bought in such shops. Purchase from genuine sources and keep away from these with off-smell, spots, or fungus-inflicted leaves.
As soon as at residence, retailer bay leaf in an hermetic jar or container and maintain it away from direct gentle. Since they lose taste early, laurel leaves shouldn’t be saved for longer than a yr.
Dried bay laurel berries are additionally getting used as a flavoring merchandise in dishes.
Culinary makes use of
Shiny, dark-green bay leaves can be utilized contemporary. Nonetheless, they’re at their finest after being allowed to wilt below the shade for just a few days until their bitterness has gone, however the leaves nonetheless retain their pleasing aroma.
When you come across bay leaves within the cooked meals, simply maintain them apart earlier than consuming. In addition to being fairly strongly flavored, the laurel leaves are leathery in texture and difficult to chew and swallow.
Listed here are some serving suggestions:
Bay leaf is likely one of the components in bouquet garni together with thyme, sage, savory, celery, and basil.
The spice can be used within the preparation of court docket bouillon. Court docket bullion is readymade preparation made from water, salt, white wine, vegetable aromatics (onion and celery), and flavored with bouquet garni and black pepper.
Its dried leaves brewed into an natural tea.
Fashionable as tej patta, dry laurel leaf at all times discovered a spot within the kitchen spice field in India. The leaf is added to taste fried rice, biriyani, chutneys, and so on.
Bay Laurel can be a vital ingredient in lots of traditional sauces reminiscent of bread sauce, tomato sauce, and béchamel.
Bay leaves added to taste cuisines reminiscent of seafood, poultry, meat, rice (pulov), and vegetable dishes.
Bay leaf is used to taste candy dishes like sweetbreads, custards, and lotions.
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Discard Laurel from the meals earlier than serving since they could trigger choking, and injure the tongue and the digestive tract. Pregnant ladies ought to keep away from consuming them in extra because the chemical compounds in them could trigger abortion.
(Medical disclaimer: The data and reference guides on this web site are meant
solely for the overall data of the reader. It’s not for use to diagnose well being issues or for therapy functions. It’s not a
substitute for medical care supplied by a licensed and certified well being skilled. Please seek the advice of your well being care supplier for any recommendation
on drugs.)
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Additional studying:
USDA Nationwide Nutrient Database. (opens in new window).
Gernot-Katzer’s spice pages. (Opens in new window).