Ideally, you use your herbs fresh, because then the aroma is usually most intense and the content of valuable ingredients is highest. This is no different with curry herb. Nevertheless, dry or freezing can be useful.
When drying, some of the aroma is lost
Dry curry herb
Cut your curry herb to dry just before flowering, then the aroma is nice and intense. However, be aware that some of the aroma will be lost during drying. Nevertheless, it is a suitable method of preserving the curry herb, for example for the later preparation of tea or tea blends.
While curry herb is not poisonous, it can cause digestive problems if consumed directly. Therefore, only chop the herb before drying if you want to use it with a tea or spice bag, for example. Otherwise, it is better to dry whole shoots, which you can also tie together into bouquets.
How long does dried curry herb last?
Carefully dried and properly stored, the curry herb will keep for a few months, i.e. until the next harvest. Make sure that the herb is well dried and stored absolutely dry. Moisture quickly leads to the formation of mold. Ideally, you should store your dried curry herb in a cool, dark place in an airtight container (screw-top jar or tight-fitting can).
Freeze curry cabbage
For freezing, clean the curry herb as little or as briefly as possible so that the aroma is not diluted. Again, chopping is not recommended. Significantly less aroma is lost when freezing than when drying, the shelf life and use are comparable.
The essentials in brief:
- Harvest just before flowering
- high loss of aroma during drying
- Extensive aroma retention when freezing
- Shelf life of several months (until the next harvest)
- Use of dried herb: tea, condiment
- Use of frozen cabbage: condiment for meat and stew dishes
- Not eating cabbage can cause indigestion
tips
Even if the curry herb is dried or frozen, it should not remain in the dish prepared with it, as it can cause digestive problems.
The garden journal freshness ABC
How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?
The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:
- as a free PDF file to print out yourself