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Curry Herb is easily grown in your own cooking. But what can you use the Mediterranean herb for anyway?
Curry herb in the kitchen
Curry herb (Helichrysum italicum) got its name for a reason. The smell and taste of the herb, which is also known as Italian helichrysum, are reminiscent of curry powder. However, the curry herb of the same name is not part of the spice mixture of turmeric, coriander, cumin and pepper. In the kitchen, however, it is used for very similar dishes. It is particularly suitable for seasoning Asian rice and noodle dishes. Curry herb could also replace curry powder in the traditional Spanish dish paella. When preparing poultry or lamb, the spicy leaves of the Italian helichrysum provide a pleasant and suitable aroma. If you want to use the curry herb for seasoning in the kitchen, you should always cook whole sprouts with it. If the aromatic leaves of the herb are chopped up, an undesirable bitter taste quickly develops. That's why the whole shoots are frozen (see: "Harvesting and storing curry herb correctly"). However, the shoots must not be eaten, as this can lead to stomach problems.
Curry herb as a remedy
The healing powers of the curry herb were also known to the Romans and in ancient Athens. Thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, it is helpful as a tea for colds. For this purpose, the flowers of the herb are infused with hot water. An ointment based on the essential oils of Italian helichrysum can help with various skin problems. Curry herb oil can be obtained in its pure form by distillation and is known in naturopathy as immortelle oil. This can be applied to bruises and sprains and thus accelerate the recovery process. However, the consumption of pure immortelle oil can lead to symptoms of poisoning. However, curry herb itself is harmless - also for four-legged friends such as dogs, cats and guinea pigs. In general, of course, the possible beneficial effects of curry herb that have been mentioned here do notreplace medical advice.
In our overview article on curry herb you will find a lot more interesting information - from cultivation to harvest.