I decided to start a new series of posts dedicated to herbs and spices. I am not a botanist, I am not an herbalist, but I am learning in the process of looking for new recipes and remedies for common conditions. The first post below is dedicated to dill.
Dill [Anethum graveolens]
Dill contains monoterpenes, some of which have the
fantastic names of carvone, limonene, and anethofuran, and flavonoids named kaempferol and
vicenin. Dill has also fiber, vitamins A and C, some calcium and iron (click here for full nutrition information).
Dill is an annual
plant in my corner of the world (zone 5, the U.S.). I use only the leaves
during the summer, but at the end of the plant’s life, I am sure to collect the
seeds for the next growing season. The plant and its floating yellow flowers are so dainty and beautiful that I seed dill everywhere in the garden. Dill,
however, thrives only with lots of sunshine and in rich, well-drained
soil. During the harvesting period, one can pinch
off the flowers to increase the leaf production. However, be sure to leave some
flowers for seeds.
Fresh or dried leaves are
called dill weed, and used for cooking and medicinal purposes. The dill seeds are also collected for the
same applications. I store dill leaves by freezing them: after harvesting the
leaves, I wash, drain, air dry for a few hours, and press tight in sandwich
bags by expelling as much air as possible. These frozen at -20ºC batches last
through the winter. When I cook with dill, I take a bag from the freezer and
until the herb is frozen, I crush it in the bag with my hands to skip the
chopping.
Medicinal
uses for dill
Dill activates the
secretion of bile and digestive juices and stimulates the motion of the
intestines, easing the passage of bowel movements and relieving constipation.
Dill may sooth and calm
down; therefore, it may help in case of insomnia.
Dill contains calcium, therefore,
it could strengthen bone development.
Dill may reduce the
fluctuations in insulin levels.
Dill prevents excessive
gas accumulation.
Dill is antibacterial: this
is why Hippocrates used dill in a recipe for cleaning the mouth, and ancient
soldiers applied dill seeds to their wounds.
Dill may prevents
oxidative damage, and thus protect the genes from damage.
For medicinal
applications use a teaspoon of crushed seeds. Cover the seeds with a cup of
boiling water, leave for 10 minutes and strain. This is the dose for one day.
Cosmetics
with dill
Dill oil is used for soap making.
Here is a recipe for your own dill soap.
Dill extract may increase
expression of an enzyme in skin that generates elastin and counteracts skin aging.
I have not been able to find a recipe for a homemade facial cream with dill,
but I may try to adapt this recipe with some dill extract.
Cooking
with dill
I included a few of my recipes here,
but if you desire more variety, I recommend a Pinterest search under “DILL”.
Cold cucumber soup: chop
cucumbers and dill, add ground walnuts, salt, oil. Mix well with yogurt and
water to the desired thickness. Refrigerate and serve cold. Alternatively, mix
the dry ingredients with strained yogurt and serve as a “salad” or dip.
Zucchini soup: chop equal
amount of zucchini and potatoes. Cook both in oil and very little water until
soft. Press (mesh or blend) the vegetables into a puree, and add more water to
the final soup volume and the desired thickness. Once the soup starts boiling
again, add a cup or less of rice and boil for another 10 minutes. Before
turning off the heat, add two big bunches of cut parley and dill. Salt to
taste. Serve with a bit of yogurt stirred in, lemon, and crumbled feta cheese.
Spinach soup: chop a large
onion, cut in half 10 -12 baby carrots, and soften these in 2-3 spoons of cooking
oil in a deep soup pot. After 5 minutes, add a bit of water to prevent burning
the vegetables. After the onion and carrots a softer (another 5-7 minutes), add
6-7 cups of water, and bring to boil. Meanwhile, defrost the frozen chopped
spinach (two boxes) in the microwave. When the soup water starts boiling, add
the defrosted spinach and ½ cup of rice. If the soup seems too thick, add more
water. Bring to slow boil and cook for 10-12 minutes (or until the rice is
cooked). Meanwhile, wash and cut one bunch of each parsley and dill. If these
were frozen, then just crush them in their bags (no need of chopping). Before
turning off the heat, add the parsley, dill and salt to taste. Serve with some
yogurt, crumbled feta cheese, black pepper and lemon. If accompanied by a tasty
toast, it is a complete dinner meal!
Dill could be used to add
flavor to:
- egg salad, tuna salad, potato salad (boiled potatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh dill and salt),
- fried potatoes (sprinkled with chopped fresh dill and crumbled feta cheese),
- cucumber salad (cucumbers with garlic, salt, lemon juice, olive oil and fresh dill)
- fried zucchini and eggplant (with yogurt sauce with salt, olive oil, crushed garlic and fresh dill)
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