Five easy to grow herbs and spices for Indian cooking

Indian food is famous for its use of herbs and spices. Vegetable gardeners will already have many of the ingredients for Indian cooking to hand – garlic, onions, peppers and tomatoes feature widely. Many of the flavourings used in Indian cooking will also be familiar. This article looks at five herbs and spices, commonly used in Indian cooking, which are very easy to grow.

Coriander, Coriandrum sativum

Coriander

Coriander is used both as an herb and a spice. The herb is also known as cilantro, a popular part of many cuisines and indispensable in Indian cooking. The spice is coriander seeds, used whole or ground and a key ingredient in curry powders.

Coriander is an annual plant, and not hardy. Seeds can be sown throughout spring and summer. An autumn sowing will give a late crop if given some protection from the weather. Germination takes up to 10 days inside and 3 weeks outside and the plants prefer not to be transplanted. The best locations are sunny and well drained.

Different varieties of plant are used for leaf or seed production, primarily because cilantro is well known for bolting (flowering) quickly – seeds sold for cilantro production are ‘slow to bolt’ varieties, to allow more leaf production. It’s still good practice to sow seeds every few weeks if you want a continuous supply of leaves. Leaves are only harvested from plants before the white flowers appear.

Plant spacing is 2 inches for a leaf crop, and 9 inches for a seed crop. Plants grow to around 30 inches tall and seed crops will need support as the seedpods form. The seed harvest takes place in late summer.

Mint, Mentha piperita and M. spicata

Chimney pot mints

A well-known and widely used herb, mint can be very useful in cooling raitas if you encounter a curry that is too hot for your taste buds!

Mints are the thugs of the herb world, often spreading rapidly and taking over. They are happy in containers, though, which keeps them under control.

Hardy perennials, mints can be grown from seed but are most often bought as small plants. They can also be propagated from cuttings and by division; container-grown plants will need to be divided and re-potted each autumn to keep them healthy.

Peppermint (M. piperita) as a stronger flavor than spearmint (M. spicata), but they are both equally useful in the kitchen.

Sweet bay, Laurus nobilis

Bay tree

Sweet bay is a tree that can grow to 26 feet tall. More often it is seen as smaller specimens, often grown for their decorative value. They can be grown from seeds or cuttings and actually prefer being grown in containers.

Plant care is dependent on climate. In cool climates, sweet bay likes sunny and sheltered spots, with well-drained soil and some protection in winter. Pruning is done in spring. In hot climates, it prefers some shade and is pruned in autumn.

The dark green, shiny leaves are available for use year-round, and can be used fresh or dried. In Indian cooking they are commonly used for flavouring pulses.

Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel is a hardy perennial, a striking plant that is often grown for its decorative properties. A large plant, growing up to 7 feet tall and spreading around 18 inches, it should be replaced every 3 or 4 years to maintain flavour if it is being grown as a spice.

The planting area should be sunny, with well-drained and fertile soil. Fennel and dill can cross-pollinate, and so should not be grown close to each other. Coriander will affect the flavor of fennel, and so they should also be kept apart. Another problem is that fennel will rot over winter if its roots get too wet. Fortunately, fennel does very well in containers.

Harvest the seeds as they being to turn brown, and dry thoroughly. They are then used to flavor curries and pickles.

Dill, Anethum graveolens

Dill leaves are used as an herb in South Indian vegetable dishes, and the seeds are used to flavour daals (pulse dishes).

Seeds are sown in spring and can take up to three weeks to germinate. Dill dislikes being transplanted, and is best sown direct. Sow several batches of plants if you want a continuous supply of leaves.

Dill likes well-drained, sunny spots and shelter from wind. Large containers can be used. If allowed to set seed outside, the plant can become invasive.

I will be writing about less common Indian herbs and spices soon. In the meantime, try reading Grow Your Own Curry for some tips on growing your own ingredients for an Indian meal.

© Copyright Emma Cooper, 2007. All rights reserved.

Posted 19 November 2007, 18:12.  

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