Easy Oriental Spices

OK, simply, I'm bored. Seems I've been cooking the same dishes since Hector was a wee pup. I would like to add some herbs to the garden that will be used in Oriental style cooking. Your suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!
Misty

Misty, you probably won't get much here, but you could try the Cooking or Recipe forums. Good luck, I know it's sometimes tough to break out of a rut with cooking...:)

Great, I'll take a peek over there, thanks catmad.

lemon grass, Thai basil, cilantro(cool weather), allot of mustards and mizuna. I tried to post link to evergreen seeds as they have good descriptions but their site is closed till the 1st of June. I think that Cooking is an open forum.

Oh, and you could always try your hand at growing Ginger and Garlic. You can never have too much ginger and garlic for Asian style cooking.

I will take a peek at the evergreen web site in about a week or so when they're up and runnin'. Lemon grass will be new to me.
Ginger and garlic are always good. I have garlic chives at the moment.
Thanks for the responses.

Watch out for the cilantro- we tried that last year and if you let it go to seed it gets terribly bitter. Apparently it needs to be harvested extremely young. So.... if you decide to do it, then you'll probably need to swap out the whole plants halfway through the season.

Consider trying fennel- it mimics star anise, a popular seasoning in Chinese cuisine. You can get international types of basil- Thai Basil is supposed to be just as easy to grow as Sweet Basil. It tastes different though. :)

wishfulgarden, you might find that true of just about any edible plant that flowers (of course, I might totally be blowing smoke here, since I certainly haven't tried them all!) but generally speaking, just about anything that "bolts" such as lettuces, parsley, etc., looses it's flavor and becomes bitter once it flowers. Even further, many plants seem to be at their best when the leaves aren't even mature; the 'baby' lettuce, 'immature' okra, squash is best when young ...

If the cilantro bolts save the seeds...they are coriander!

What I'm taking from this discussion is I have a variety of herbs to choose from and that I best darn sure make sure they don't go to seed. Currently, there are 6 basil plants in the garden. Wow! They grew up fast!
Yes, I did pinch them and also gave some to a chef friend. Now to make a grocery list of seeds to try. Oh, and I have find some recipes that are e-z.

Misty

In summer you just about need to use the hedge trimmer on basil to keep it going! And it tastes so good!

If you have problems with cilantro, try an herb called culatro. It is native to CostaRica, looks nothing like cilantro but tastes identical to cilantro, is hardier, and won't bolt like cilantro. It is perenial in CostaRica but will be an annual in cooler regions (MN). The leaves are not as tender but if you chop them up they are just fine. Very tasty if you like cilantro.

Grammy in AZ, I simply cannot believe the size of the basil leaves. And they're not only tasty, they are also ornamental as well. I went for the cultivar showing a purple/red stem.
I forget the name...probably something simple like purple leaved basil.
This is my first season trying herbs, last year's discovery was mint and of course this year it is taking over its little corner.
Another new veggie I tried this year is squash. I will not tell you all that I called my former neighbor when I saw the first babies on the squash. That led to a delightful conversation about her gardens from years past, she's 83. And I certainly will not tell you all that I became...

Misty
(OMG.They're vegetables fer cryin' out loud)

LMBO!

I'll laugh in a couple weeks when I am checking the price of squash in the store and then come home to pick mine. Money still in pocket.Ya-Hoo!!

Misty

Food prices are disgusting. I don't know if I come out ahead with the garden by the time I'm done putting it together every year, but I like to at least think I'm coming out ahead. I know for sure I am coming out ahead on taste and freshness and knowing where my food comes from. Has anyone read a book called the $64 Tomato?

No, I haven't read it but it sounds interesting, think I'll find it, though. Could you tell us a little about the book? Is it on the book listing here on DG?
Yes, by the time you grow some veggies, especially as a beginner you're wondering Am I saving any money here? But to me, it's worth every cent as I am enjoying the experience. I purchased a rabbit today, there that should help with the costs a little. It's a little grey rabbit which I named Storm D' Nitro.
Get it?
(LOL)

Not 100% sure, but I believe the book is about a guy and his quest to grow tomatoes, organically I think. It is a humorous book about his trials and tribulations. He calculated, by the time he was done, that his tomatoes cost him $64 each, hence the name of the book. I don't know if its on the book listing here on DG or not. I've picked it up and looked at it before but I usually spend my money on serious how-to books.

Either I'm not very smart or I'm missing something. I don't get Storm D'Nitro. Clue me in, please:)