This post is inspired by the book “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen” by Sean Sherman
Keep these herbs and seasonings in your pantry to add flavor and depth to your indigenous recipes.Some of these grow in the wild and can be foraged. For those that aren’t available, visit your local organic market or health food store.
Bergamot
Bergamot can be maroon, magenta or lilac in color and resembles a chrysanthemum atop a two-foot-high erect stalk. It is a member of the mint family and attracts hummingbirds while repelling mosquitoes and gnats. It is a great addition to apple jelly and wine.
Sage
The dusty green leaves in sage can help infuse meats and soups with an earthy, piney flavor. Chopped sage leaves can add flavor to salads or homemade pickles.
Cedar
Cedar is perfect for braising meats and simmering into grain dishes and stews. Cedar adds a woodsy, smokey flavor to dishes.
Mint
After it becomes warm, it tends to lose its punch, so it’s best used when fresh. Mint is a good addition to savory sauces and teas.
Juniper
Juniper berries add a peppery kick to dishes. They are tart and sharp, with hints of citrus flavor. Rub crushed juniper berries onto meat before cooking to add flavor.
Staghorn Sumac
This northern sumac grows in ditches and along the borders of forests. Its deep red berries have a citrusy, tangy flavor. Ground, dried sumac makes a great rub for meats. The berries can also be used as a salad topping or in sauces.
Mustard
Mustard adds a peppery taste to salads and is also a great garnish. Collect mustard seeds to create a wonderful homemade spice to add to sauces, salads, meat rubs and stews.
Rose Hips
Rose hips add a light citrus-y note to stocks and soups and can be used dried or fresh.
FAQs
Native herbs and seasonings to keep on hand
- Bergamot. Bergamot can be maroon, magenta or lilac in color and resembles a chrysanthemum atop a two-foot-high erect stalk. ...
- Sage. The dusty green leaves in sage can help infuse meats and soups with an earthy, piney flavor. ...
- Cedar. ...
- Mint. ...
- Juniper. ...
- Staghorn Sumac. ...
- Mustard. ...
- Rose Hips.
List Of Spices And Their Botanical Names
| Spice | Botanical name |
|---|
| Bay leaf | Laurus nobilis |
| Lemon verbena | Aloysia citrodora |
| Peppermint | Mentha ×piperita |
| Dill | Anethum graveolens |
61 more rowsDried herbs are wonderful when mixed with a fat (either oil or butter) and left to infuse. Crushing dried herbs with a mortar and pestle before adding to a dish can help release some of the flavors. Many people prefer to add herbs to a dish towards the end of cooking.
What did Native Americans use to smell good? ›
Tobacco and cedar
The Creator gave Native Americans the Four Sacred Medicines to be used in everyday life and ceremonies; they are tobacco, sage, cedar and sweetgrass. All of them can be used to smudge (burning herbs and plants to release an aromatic smoke), though sage, cedar and sweetgrass also have many other uses.
What Native American tribes used medicinal herbs? ›
Indians, such as the Shoshone, Chumash, Paiute, and Wasco, and others, applied a poultice of boiled or chewed leaves as a treatment for sores, burns, bruises, sprains, swellings, and even broken bones.
Are there any herbs native to North America? ›
Many of them are well established and are very at home in parts of the US. Coastal California is fortunate to have a rather Mediterranean-like climate where herbs such as thyme, oregano, rosemary, marjoram and lavender thrive and can even become part of the landscape.
What herbs can you find in the woods? ›
Gain confidence with our Online Foraging Course!
You'll befriend THE most common edible and medicinal wayside plants, including dandelion, stinging nettles, violet, yarrow, burdock, rose, goldenrod, and many others.
Which spices don't go together? ›
Spices that don't go well together: The most unpopular...
- Cinnamon and Cumin. Cinnamon is sweet and warm, often used in sweet dishes or desserts, while cumin has an earthy and slightly bitter flavor commonly found in savory dishes. ...
- Mint and Oregano. ...
- Cloves and Fennel. ...
- Nutmeg and Paprika.
Top 20 spices you need in your kitchen.
- Bay leaves. Perfect for soups, stews, and sauces.
- Cardamom. A warming spice that's super versatile.
- Cayenne pepper. To add a bit of heat and smokiness to your meals.
- Chili powder. Another way to add a bit of a kick.
- Cinnamon. ...
- Cumin. ...
- Crushed red pepper. ...
- Curry Powder.
list of herbs and spices
- allspice (Pimenta dioica)
- angelica (Angelica archangelica)
- anise (Pimpinella anisum)
- asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida)
- bay leaf (Laurus nobilis)
- basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- bergamot (Monarda species)
- black cumin (Nigella sativa)
While they can be enjoyed fresh, hard herbs taste best when cooked into the meal they're flavoring. Soft herbs like basil and parsley often have a lighter flavor and are best enjoyed raw when added to salads or when stirred into cooked dishes. Though many grocery stores carry fresh herbs, they're also easy to grow!
Can you sprinkle dried herbs on food? ›
I use a mortar and pestle.) Generally speaking, DON'T sprinkle dried herbs over a finished dish right as you serve. The heat and moisture of cooking is what rehydrates and lets the flavors bloom. Speaking of blooming — DO try a quick saute of the dried herbs in oil, as this will really release more flavor.
What do Indians use for seasoning? ›
India's most famous seasoning is Garam masala. It's actually a combination of dried spices including pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cumin, coriander, tej patta, pepper, and some others. It is the used in many dishes, including Chana Masala.
What spices did they use in ancient Indian food? ›
Indian Origins
Spices and herbs such as black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom have been used by Indians for thousands of years for both culinary and health purposes. Spices indigenous to India (such as cardamom and turmeric) were cultivated as early as the 8th century BC in the gardens of Babylon (2).
What spices did the Indians trade? ›
Seasonings such as cinnamon, cassia, cardamom, ginger, and turmeric were important items of commerce in the earliest evolution of trade.
What did Native Americans use for salt? ›
Native Americans of the Miwok tribe in the northern Sierra Nevada, California carved these basins into the granite bedrock to produce salt for trade. They filled the basins with water from a salt spring and let the water evaporate, leaving a salt residue in the basin.
