Whether we use few leaves or a bundle, fresh herbs bring wonderful aromas and flavors to our dishes. They also reduce the need to add salt and oil and almost all spices are also medicinal plants.
Basil is a famous spice. The original homeland of basil is India and Iran, where it thrives as a perennial plant. Basilicon is a Greek word and means ruler (king) so some may say that a meal with basil is a royal meal. It’s important to point out that basil is a scientifically tested plant and its spicy, fragrant, but also healing effect has been proven. This means that basil is not only a spice, but also helps our health. Tear it off with your fingers because a metal knife takes away most of the most important ingredients from basil. As a spice to the dish, add it at the end of cooking so that valuable and medicinal ingredients do not disintegrate during long cooking. Green basil is common, but there are also purple and dark basil. Purple basil has curly leaves with nice serrated edges and can be used instead of its green cousins.
Thyme is a plant that everyone should have in the home pharmacy and in the kitchen, because its healing and nutritional value have been known since ancient times. Thyme is a small plant with an intense taste and aroma. Thyme goes well with garlic, tomatoes, olives and wine and thus makes an ideal base for Mediterranean cuisine. It is used in the preparation of soups, salads, vegetable dishes, marinades and sauces. A special advantage is that it does not mind long cooking and fresh thyme leaves are used when cooking beef, lamb, venison and mushrooms.
Parsley is the most popular spice in the world. It has a delicate and refreshing taste and beautiful bright green leaves, which is why it is irreplaceable as a spice or meal decoration.
Parsley is spice high nutritional value and medicinal properties, so a sprig of parsley is more than a decoration on your plate. It contains two groups of special ingredients, which are very important for our health. The first group of ingredients contains natural essential oils, which include myristicin, limonene, eugenol and alpha-thujene. The second group includes flavonoids: apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol and luteolin. In addition, parsley is an excellent source of vitamins C, A and K.
Ingredients and preparation steps
- 150 g of polenta
- 500 ml of water or vegetable broth
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 10 leaves of fresh green basil
- 10 leaves of fresh purple basil
- 10 sprigs of thyme with leaves
- 10 leaves of fresh parsley
- 250 ml of homemade kefir
Boil water and olive oil.
Add the polenta and salt and stir until the mixture thickens.
Add fresh herbs and mix until desired density.
Serve with homemade kefir and enjoy the flavors!
