Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 09:01 pm
Ideally, you use your herbs fresh, because then the aroma is usually most intense and the content of valuable ingredients highest. This is no different with curry herb. Nevertheless, dry or freeze can be useful.
Dry curry herb
Cut your curry herb to dry just before flowering, and the aroma will be nice and intense. However, expect that some of the flavor will be lost during the drying process. Nevertheless, it is a suitable method to preserve the curry herb, for example, for later preparation of tea or tea blends.
Curry herb is not poisonous, but can cause digestive problems if eaten directly. Therefore, chop the herb before drying only if you want to use it, for example, with the help of a tea or spice bag. Otherwise, better dry whole shoots, which you can also tie into bouquets.
How long does dried curry herb keep?
Carefully dried and properly stored, the curry herb will keep for several months, that is, until the next harvest. Make absolutely sure that the herb is well dried and stored absolutely dry. Moisture quickly leads to the formation of mold. Ideally, store your dried curry herb in a cool, dark place in an airtight container (screw-top jar or tight-fitting tin).
Freeze curry cabbage
Clean the curry herb for freezing as little or as short as possible, so that the aroma is not diluted. Again, chopping is not recommended. Much less flavor is lost when freezing than when drying, and the shelf life and uses are comparable.
The most important things in a nutshell:
- Harvest shortly before flowering
- high loss of aroma during drying
- extensive aroma preservation when freezing
- shelf life of several months (until the next harvest)
- Use of dried herb: Tea, seasoning
- Use of frozen herb: seasoning for meat and stews
- Do not eat the herb, it can cause digestive problems.
Tips
Even if the curry herb is dried or frozen, it should not remain in the dish prepared with it, as it can cause digestive problems.