Mint stalks

[Amber]

I’ve made this tonight, not for the first time, but as I was carefully stripping mint leaves from the stalks, ready to be blended with yoghurt and lemon juice, I wondered about the (green) stalks. Could I have blended them too? What about the flavour? Would I notice any difference? If I added the stalks, could I use less mint leaves?

(I routinely use other non-woody stalks, but have just realised I’ve never used mint stalks)

https://www.womanandhome.com/recipes/ja ... li-recipe/

BTW a simple, prepare ahead recipe,and we add the spinach to the cooked rice. Very tasty.

[Suffs]

As long as they’re not woody/stringy I chop them in with the leaves … but mint stalks can turn tough quite quickly so check them first.

[Stokey Sue]

Agree with Suffs. Bite one. If it’s tough don’t use them?
But I find I get mint from the garden using scissors because the stems don’t break easily as they are fibrous.

[Uschi]

You can dry them and use them (chopped) for mint tea.

[Seatallan]

They're nice used as stirrers in a fruit cup or similar too.

[Amber]

Interesting, thank you. I had similar thoughts tonight with fresh green thyme stalks (chopped, not blended).
(And I’m that person who uses the whole cardamom pod, not just the seeds…..value for money…..I don’t live in Yorkshire for nothing ).
All very fascinating.

[Stokey Sue]

Isn’t the husk of a cardamom pod tasteless? I’ve always thought of it as bland fibre ( I buy the seeds, and grind as needed, buying ground cardamom does seem a waste as it doesn’t really keep well)

[Amber]

Isn’t the husk of a cardamom pod tasteless?

I’m not sure, but it’s easier than separating the seeds out .

More roughage maybe ?

[Earthmaiden]

This is all a revelation. I have only ever used mint leaves (usually picked off the growing stalks in the garden) and have removed crushed cardamom pods before serving.I must start experimenting more again .

[Stokey Sue]

I use cardamom in two ways - pods put into the dish whole and fished out intact like bay leaves, or ground seeds.

I buy the seeds with the pods removed, because when I was grinding them in a mortar I found the husks got in the way if I tried to grind them whole. Probably not necessary now I have an efficient spice grinder.

Incidentally, Mamta’s occasional instruction to use “large cardamom” puzzled me until she explained it’s a synonym for black cardamom - they are bigger than the ordinary ones and taste rather different.

If I had a conservatory I might try growing a cardamom plant,
https://www.amazon.in/Cardamom-Plant-Im ... B0CTWXX49X

[miss mouse]

( I buy the seeds, and grind as needed, buying ground cardamom does seem a waste as it doesn’t really keep well)

I have never noticed seeds sold on their own, I'll have to look again, and usually fish the pod out at the end if it can be spotted.

This is all a revelation. I have only ever used mint leaves (usually picked off the growing stalks in the garden)

I never thought of just removing the leaves, does the empty stalk grow them back again?