Herbs & Spices - Pint Sized Powerhouses
Published: 01-Jul-2020 Category: Food Bulletin Newsletter
Tags: Herbs, kitchen Pharmacy, spices 
By Ashok Vasudevan
Herbs & spices - Pint sized powerhouses
When we think of herbs and spices, one word that jumps out is versatility. Its colorful, fragrant, medicinal, umami and finds its way in flavored and infused waters and in your balconies as more than just ornamental plants. Dyes, foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fragrances and toothpastes - you can run from spices, but you can’t hide! Join us as we discover some of the spice & herb remedies.
Fact check: Spice Oils & Oleoresins
There are a couple of ways to extract the goodness or the essence in herbs & spices - essential oils and oleoresins. The oils contain the antimicrobial compounds to fight bacteria, fungus and several viruses & excellent preservatives. Oleoresins are a mix of essential oils and resins, they retain the total flavor of the spice, and provide the taste. Oils provide the aroma.
Microgreens: plants harvested at seedling or cotyledon stage
Microgreens contain multiple times the nutritional density of the mature plants. They don’t need fertilizers and are ready to eat in 10 – 15 days. An apartment windowsill will do – plant a handful of mustard, coriander, fenugreek seeds in a pot of soil, water carefully, and watch the microgreens grow. Great in any dish.
Homemade Spice Oils: so gourmet & so healthy!
Two simple methods: either hot or cold infusion. Hot: heat half the oil to 60C (140F), add whole spices/herbs of choice, cook on low 5 mins. Remove, cool, add remaining cool oil, strain out solids & bottle it. Cold: add whole spices/herbs in bottle, add lightly warmed oil (30C / 86F), cool & seal. Let sit 2 weeks before use.
Heal yourself by infusing water with Spices or Herbs
Various spices & herbs alleviate different symptoms. Carom seeds (ajwain): cuts indigestion, bloating & acidity. Cumin seeds: regulates blood sugar & cholesterol, aids digestion. Tulsi (holy Basil): cleanses gut, cuts acidity. Here’s how: Boil 2 teaspoons whole spice/herb in 1 glass water for 15 mins. Strain, add water to daily water bottle and sip all day. Do not refrigerate.
