Dill

Dill - scientific name Anethum graveolenss. It grows 40 to 120 cm high. It blooms in large, yellow buds. The leaves are bluish green. The seeds are small elliptical and flat.

Dill leaves are known as the dill weed herb and used for potato soup, light sauces, cucumber and tomato flavorings, mayonnaise and salad dressings, potato and bean dishes. Whole twigs with flowers are used for pickling pickles, peppers, tomatoes. Fresh leaves taste reminiscent of parsley and anise, so they go well with soft cheeses, white sauces, egg dishes, seafood and poultry, salads, soups and vegetable dishes, especially potatoes.

Dill seed is used as a spice. Dill seeds develop more aroma and flavor when they are toasted in a hot frying pan before being added, while dill weed will lose flavor the longer it is cooked, so it should be added at the last minute only.

Dill as a herbal medicine - useful parts are dried ripe fruits (seeds). The essential oil, which contains dill, is the most important ingredient in the preparation of dill water, a popular remedy for wind and intestinal cramps in infants and children. Dill seeds have also been widely used to promote milk secretion in breastfeeding mothers. With such use, the culinary quantities of dill seeds are enough to pass on the healing properties of the herb to the child.

Fresh dill sprigs are naturally full of nutrients such as Vitamin A, C, D, riboflavin, iron, manganese, potassium, folate, copper, magnesium, zinc and dietary fibres. It is rich in antioxidants and ​may have several benefits for health, including protection against heart disease and cancer.