Kitchen life hacking: how to keep a bay leaf

How do you usually keep the package with the bay leaf? Forget about it! You did everything wrong. ;) We'll tell you how to store the bay leaf. And as a bonus, that was not so boring, to share unusual and very useful recipes for tea, in which the ingredient is present.

In order to bought spices and spices retain their flavor and aroma are not lost, they should be stored in compliance with certain rules. Otherwise absolutely normal for the type of spice in the end may not give the taste that was expected of it, due to improper storage (corny damp).

Bay leaf is no exception.

Bay leaf - the collective name of laurel leaves (Laurus nobilis), used for culinary purposes as flavorful seasonings. leaves are removed, as they are hard of ready meals. In cooking, it is also used bay leaf, crushed into powder. Bay leaf - is not only valuable condiment, but also excellent medical agent which possesses sedative, diuretic, antihypertensive and narcotic properties. can not keep a bay leaf for over a year, it loses flavor and becomes bitter.

Wikipedia

The laurel sheet contains sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C and B-6.

The shelf life of laurel - not more than one year. After this period, it loses its flavor and starts to taste bitter. It can not be stored uncovered on a shelf with the other seasonings.

What to do to it as long as possible retain their flavor and cooking properties? Store it in an airtight container in the freezer! Frozen bay leaf retains almost the same flavor and taste, like leaves from a freshly opened pack.

Also recall that the bay leaf is kept in the dish for 10-15 minutes, after which it is better to remove, otherwise it will start to taste bitter. Therefore, it is best to add it to the dish for 5-10 minutes until cooked.

The dishes which use laurel

Bay leaf is used as a seasoning mostly in Mediterranean cuisine, many European cuisines, as well as in North and South America. It is added to soups, stews, meat, fish (in boiled, stewed, jellied, marinated herring), seafood (crab, shrimp, scallops), in many vegetable dishes, sauces and, of course, pickles.

In the form of crushed bay leaf gives a much more pronounced taste and flavor. Extract of dishes crushed bay leaf is problematic, so it can be put in a special gauze bags, which are then extracted from the dishes.

Kalmyk tea

Boil the mixture of water and milk in a ratio of 1: 1, add a little salt, green fill with bay leaf tea (at 1-2 leaf tea) and boil for 5 minutes. At the end before serving, add a little butter.

Chai masala

Ingredients:

• 1 h. l. cinnamon;
• 0.5 hours. l. ground cardamom;
• 7-8 pea black pepper;
• 0.5 hours. l. ground coriander;
• 8-10 buds cloves;
• 0.5 hours. l. cumin;
• a pinch of nutmeg;
• 2-3 bay leaves;
• 250 ml of water;
• 250 ml of milk;
• 1 tbsp. l. black tea;
• 1 tbsp. l. grated fresh ginger root;
• 1-2 tbsp. l. Sahara.

Preparation. Mix all the spices, fill with water and bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Let boil for 1 minute, then add black tea, and grated ginger. Leave to simmer 1 more minute. Then add milk and sugar, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another minute.