Anethum graveolens

An annual plant native to southern Russia, western Asia, and the eastern Mediterranean, dill is widely cultivated for its feathery leaves (often called dill weed) and seeds.

Indian dill (A.g. sowa) is primarily cultivated for its seeds, which are lighter in color, longer and narrower than European dill seeds and have a stronger taste.

It is most often used in curry mixes.

FLAVOR

Dill leaves have a clean, fragrant aroma of anise and lemon. The taste is of anise and parsley, mild but persistent.

The seeds smell like caraway because of the carvone in the essential oil; they taste like anise with the addition of sharpness and long-lasting warmth.

USED ARE fresh and dried leaves and seeds.

PURCHASE AND STORAGE

Choose a bundle that looks crisp and fresh. If you have a large amount of dill, use it as soon as possible. If you keep it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, it will last 2-3 days, after which it will wilt.

Dried dill stored in a plastic, well-closed container will preserve its flavor for up to 1 year. Similarly stored seeds on the shelf will last up to 2 years.

Ground dill seeds lose their properties much faster.

USE IN COOKING

Fresh dill is an excellent partner for fish and seafood.

Scandinavian dishes that contain dill are herring marinated in dill, gravad lax (salmon cured with salt and dill and served with mustard and dill sauce), crabs, scallops, or prawns with a creamy dill sauce.

In Northern and Central Europe, dill is used with root vegetables, cabbage, cauliflower and cucumber.

Some Russian chefs put it in borscht, their classic beetroot soup; dill combined with sour cream or yogurt and a little mustard makes a great sauce for beets.

German chefs make a similar sauce, but use horseradish instead of mustard and serve it with boiled beef. In Greece, dill is added to stuffed grape leaves. In Turkey and Iran, dill gives flavor to rice, beans, zucchini and celery root. Spinach with dill and shallots is a standard Iranian dish, similar to the North Iranian lentil and spinach dish, which also uses dill leaves and seeds.

Don't forget to add dill to salads and salad dressings, especially potato salad.

Both leaves and seeds are used for pickling, such as in crispy pickles with dill and variations with garlic popular in Poland, Russia and Iran.

The seeds are added to bread and cakes in Scandinavia, where they are also used to add flavor to vinegar. In India, the seeds are used in curries and masalas.

LEAVES ARE GOOD WITH turnips, carrots, celery root, cucumbers, eggs, broad beans, fish and seafood, potatoes, rice, spinach, zucchini.

LEAVES COMBINE WELL WITH basil, capers, garlic, horseradish, mustard, paprika, parsley.

THE SEEDS ARE GOOD WITH cauliflower, onions, potatoes, pumpkin, vinegar.

THE SEEDS COMBINE WELL WITH chili, coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, turmeric.