Bay Leaves, Dried Organic 25g
Bay leaves come from the laurel (or bay) tree, a native of the Mediterranean region. Traditionally used in making wreaths for victors, the bay has come to be a symbol of success. This herb has an ancient reputation for enhancing life and encouraging health and happiness.
Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavour and fragrance. The leaves are often used to flavour soups, stews, braises and pâtés in Mediterranean cuisine. The fresh leaves are very mild and do not develop their full flavour until several weeks after picking and drying.
As with many spices and flavourings, the fragrance of the bay leaf is more noticeable than its taste. When dried, the fragrance is herbal, slightly floral, and somewhat similar to oregano and thyme.
Culinary Uses: Bay leaves are used in soups, stews, meat, seafood and vegetable dishes. The leaves are most often used whole and removed before serving. In Indian and Pakistani cuisine bay leaves are typically used in biryani, other rich spicy dishes - although not as an everyday ingredient in home cuisine - and as an ingredient in garam masala.
Only one leaf is necessary to give a special flavour to meals, and it should be removed after cooking. A bay leaf should be included in white sauces, and also gives a distinctive flavour to milk puddings.
Bay leaves can also be crushed or ground before cooking. Crushed bay leaves impart more of their desired fragrance than whole leaves, but are more difficult to remove, and thus they are often used in a muslin bag or tea infuser. Ground bay laurel may be substituted for whole leaves, and does not need to be removed, but it is much stronger due to the increased surface area and in some dishes the texture may not be desirable.
INGREDIENTS
100% Certified Organic Bay Leaves
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : Egypt or India
STORAGE
Store in an airtight container.
Shelf life: 2 Years.
ALLERGENS
No known allergens.
While we do everything we can to avoid cross contamination, all products from The Health Shop are packed and stored in area that also handles peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds and cereals containing gluten. So, unfortunately we cannot guarantee that any products we sell contain none of these allergens.