'Herbs in my garden' archive

One of the most oft forgotten principles of cooking is that it pays to begin with the best quality ingredients. No matter how good your salad dressing is, for instance, if your vegetables are wilted, your salad will still look … (more...)

Purple basil has a more intense flavor than Thai basil and it is prudent to use less for cooking. But what I really love to do with purple basil leaves is to use them for garnish. Rolled then finely sliced, they make a dish not … (more...)

There are only three kinds of chili in Filipino cooking: siling labuyo (bird's eye chili), once in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the spiciest chili in the world but which has since relinquished the title to new … (more...)

Yes, I grow herbs at home. Yes, most of the herbs used in my cooking are picked from the garden. Yes, I have learned to propagate by cutting. Yes, I buy potted herbs on a semi-regular basis especially those varieties that cannot … (more...)

The best thing about having a well-stocked pantry and a small herb garden is how I can whip up a great meal in so little time without limiting my options to canned goods and instant noodles with MSG laden seasoning. I made a simple … (more...)

Back in the old house, four kinds of basil grew in my garden -- lemon basil, holy basil, sweet basil and Thai basil. The lemon basil and sweet basil did not thrive, the Thai basil died even earlier, but the holy basil grew and … (more...)

Some claim that kaffir lime is a variety of lime native to Indonesia and Malaysia. There are others that say kaffir lime is not a true lime but a subspecies of the citrus family. The fruit is green with a bumpy skin; the leaf … (more...)

Cilantro refers to the leaves of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum). Sometimes called coriander leaves or Chinese parsley, it is a familiar cooking herb just as the coriander seeds are a familiar cooking spice. Not only … (more...)

Lamb curry is almost always associated with India where it most probably originated. But lamb curry also figures prominently in Southeast Asian cooking, particularly in Indonesia where it is known as Gulai Korma, Malaysia and … (more...)