A step-by-step recipe with a photo of making dried basil at home. Universal preparation for the winter for future use. Video recipe.
Spicy herbs like dill, parsley or basil are best harvested for the winter on your own. Greens for future use can be frozen or dried. In this article, we will tell you how to properly dry basil. This is a truly unique herb in terms of composition and aroma. But in order to dry it, preserving all the aromas and taste properties, you need to know the intricacies of the process.
Read about the benefits of dried basil
Basil is suitable for drying of any type and color. But most often purple is harvested, because it will retain its flavor better. Basil is harvested in different ways for drying. Some use greens in whole branches, while others use only individual leaves. If you cut off the whole branch, then the remaining stump after a while begins to overgrow with fresh foliage. Therefore, the greens can be cut several times per season.
In cooking, the use of dried herbs is as widespread as the use of fresh basil. The dried plant is used for the preparation of many dishes: soups, meat, pizza, cottage cheese casserole, omelets, stewed vegetables, lasagna, risotto. This spice will add amazing aroma and pleasant taste to dishes. A quarter teaspoon for 3 kg of finished product will completely transform the taste of the dish. Since during the drying process the spice does not lose its original qualities, but on the contrary becomes more aromatic and has a strong smell.
Read about basil seeds, their benefits and harms
- Caloric content per 100 g - 233 kcal.
- Servings - Any Amount
- Cooking time - 3 hours in the oven
Ingredients:
Basil - any amount
Step by step preparation of dried basil, recipe with photo:
1. Sort out the basil, removing the flabby and spoiled leaves. Then wash and dry them with a cotton towel. Chop the herbs and place on a baking sheet. The parts of the plant collected during the beginning of flowering are suitable for drying. Leaves with and without stems and basil flowers are used. The latter are even more fragrant than the shoots.
2. Send the baking sheet to a preheated oven to 45-50 ° C and dry the greens by turning occasionally for about 2 hours. When the leaves are rubbed with your hands, and they will crumble, it is believed that the greens are completely dry. Place it in a paper bag or clean glass container with an airtight lid and store in a dry, well-ventilated place, away from bright light. Also, dried herbs can be crushed using a coffee grinder or grinder, ground into powder.
Other ways to dry basil at home
- On air … Place the plant at room temperature on the top shelf of the mezzanine. Stir and stir during drying. This process will take about 3-5 days. You can also hang small bunches of the plant with the leaves down. The room should be shaded, with a high air temperature and good ventilation. Shake the bouquets periodically to ensure even drying.
- In an electric dryer Spread the chopped grass on the wire racks. To dry, turn on the "Herbs" mode. If this function is not available, dry the greens at a temperature of 40-45 ° C. If the heating temperature is higher, the aromatic essential oils will break down.
- In the microwave spread the leaves on flat plates covered with a paper napkin and place in the unit for 2-3 minutes at a power of 700-800 kW. If the grass is not dry, prolong the procedure by 2 minutes.
- Basil leaves are dried in fridge … To do this, put it on parchment and send it to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The cold will draw moisture out of the product in 2-3 weeks. This method will preserve the flavor of the product as much as possible.
