Benefits Of Dried Bay Leaves

By Marla Mills


Dried bay leaves hold an exceptionally sweet-smelling character which are utilized in many distinctive dishes and they are a produce of Bay Laurel tree. Their character and smell is altogether different from normal plant produce. Although its used worldwide but Asian and Mediterranean dishes basically contain this ingredient very frequently. The size of the leaf and its flavor might change relying upon where its grown.

Although, they are used in their original form but sometimes that are also available in ground or crushed form. Crushed ones comprise of more stronger flavor than the whole ones but as they are not edible so it could become a difficult task to remove them whilst you are eating. The best way to use them in your cooking is to put them in a muslin cloth so that you can remove them easily.

Apart from its use in cooking, they are also used to get rid of flies, moths, cockroaches and other insects. The vapors released are effective in killing crawling insects. You could either put them in an uncovered jar and place the jar where insects could be seen or you could also tie them up in a piece of cloth and hand that pocket anywhere you want to. They cause no harm to human beings which is an added advantage.

Its better to purchase dried bay leaf since its usability is much more amazing than the freshly picked ones. You can effortlessly store them for a year or so while fitting them tightly in a container. Additionally you can freeze them in a freezer bag and when you take them out they will taste new and smell the same.

Never store them for a long time because once they loose their life they become flavorless to an extent. Also, as they are easily available in the market and do not cost a fortune to buy them therefore you don't require to stock them in large quantities. ```

It is a standard ingredient in Indian garam masala which is widely used in many South Asian dishes. Garam masala is basically a ground mixture of various different spices including cardamoms, cloves, black pepper and other warm spices including bay leaves. Without this ingredient garam masala will definitely loose its wild taste.

You could effectively dry the fresh bay leaf right at your own home. Its a simple process just pick them from the plant when right season arrives otherwise damage could be caused to the growing plant. They are ordinarily picked from plants that are 2 years or more older in age because younger plants are not yet ready for harvesting.

Therefore, dried bay leaves are much more than just an ingredient to worldwide cuisine. They provide a lot of health benefits as well this is the reason why people use these in many different dishes. Whether you're making rice, curry, soup or any other dish, this single ingredient can bring a flavorsome taste to your dish without any hard work at all.




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