Homegrown Herbs for the Kitchen

I started growing my own produce on a small scale as a way to relax at the weekends.  Initially, it was more about having some time to myself but then developed into a way of making sure I had certain ingredients to hand when I needed them.  Living where we do on the North Shore in Sydney,  finding that specific ingredient often meant a trip to the local mall and more often than not, that special ingredient was out of stock on that particular day.  Not great for the sort of spontaneous cooking that I prefer.

Over time, I realised that outside of staples and proteins like fish and meat, I could grow pretty much all of what I needed and at that point, a plan seemed to emerge.  If I could have to hand the essential ingredients for the food I often cooked, I could be as spontaneous as I liked without having to rush to the shops.  I also started saving money and that is never a bad thing.

My main focus is on herbs and a few spices, any vegetables I grow are a bonus.  There are some things that just don't make sense to grow for various reasons.  I'd love to grow vanilla but it takes several years for the vine to develop and then nine months for the vanilla pods to ripen.  Too hard, I'll just have to buy vanilla like everyone else!  Other things, like many spices are cheap, easily available and keep for a reasonably long time if stored correctly.  Again, it just doesn't make sense to grow these even if I could.  Other things you can buy but they are a poor imitation of the fresh version.  Curry Leaves are a great example of this, you can buy them dried but they have none of the pungent flavour that is so critical to many Indian and Malaysian dishes.

So, what do I grow, and what styles of cooking do I grow them for?  Here is a summary…

French

• Parsley (flat and curly leaf)
• Thyme (normal and lemon)
• Rosemary
• Marjoram
• Sorrel (work in progress at the moment)
• Mint, various varieties
• Dill
• Bay Leaves
• Fennel (seeds as a spice and leaves as a flavouring)

I'd also like to grow French Tarragon but it is hard to find good quality plants here in Sydney.  Russian Tarragon is easy to find but doesn't have the same quality of flavour that French Tarragon has.

Italian

• Oregano
• Basil (various varieties)
• As well as most of the French herbs above

Indian

• Coriander (traditional as well as Mexican Sawtooth that grows better in hot climates)
• Curry Leaf (you can buy these dried but they loose their flavour)
• Chillies (many different varieties)
• Turmeric
• Ginger
•  Fenugreek

Thai

• Coriander (traditional as well as Mexican Sawtooth that grows better in hot climates)
• Thai Basil
• Ginger
• Galangal
• Lemongrass
• Thai Chilli
• Mint

Vietnamese

• Vietnamese Mint
• Lemongrass
• Coriander (traditional as well as Mexican Sawtooth that grows better in hot climates)
• Mint
• Chillies (various varieties)

Malaysian/Indonesian

• Coriander (traditional as well as Mexican Sawtooth that grows better in hot climates)
• Curry Leaves
• Chillies (many different varieties)

So, do I save money by growing my own herbs? Yes, that that is not the point.  It is about going to into the garden and picking what I need to cook what I want whenever I want.