September 1, 2018
"Write about flavors and tastes or a favorite spice of yours."
_______________________________________________
Asafoetida, commonly known as Hing, ,
A pinch in hot oil, adds quite a zing.
Bay leaves, brittle brown when dried,
An intense aroma it releases when fried
Caraway seeds, tiny and black,
Must find a place in your rack.
Cardamom, brown or green, large or small,
Its deep fragrance does one enthrall.
Cinnamon stick, woodsy and dark,
Who knew the flavours hidden in this bark?
Clove is a tiny black dried flower bud,
For its versatility you must applaud.
Coriander whether dried seed or fresh leaf,
flavours everything, from veggies to beef.
Cumin, whole or roasted or ground,
With its robust tang it does surround.
Curry leaves, glossy, in oil does sizzle,
pour in water, and it creates a mizzle.
Fennel, crunchy and slightly sweet,
Cooked or raw, anyway you can eat.
Fenugreek, though slightly bitter seed,
dry and fresh leaves are also useful indeed.
Garlic, pungent aromatic bulbous root,
like or dislike, its benefits not to moot.
Ginger another root, both spice and medicine,
used in curries, cookies, and many a cuisine.
Lemongrass another grass, used in soups and teas,
a subtle lemony smell, can also lure ants and bees.
Mace reminds you of defensive pepper spray,
it is actually the dried aril of nutmeg peeled away.
Mint, how can we forget this aromatic perennial herb,
apple, spear, bergamot, pennyroyal, cousins of this shrub.
Mustard seeds, whole ground cracked or bruised,
the oil is rich, leaves too are widely used.
Nigella, what it lacks in aroma, makes up in taste,
tiny black seeds, better whole than made into paste.
Nutmeg, a soft nut, ground or grated,
sweets or savoury dishes can be created.
Onion, garlic's cousin, humble and common,
Unimaginable, any dish, it is an icon.
Pepper and peppercorns, white, black or green,
Careful how much you use, it can be quite mean.
Poppy, seeds or paste, used across the world,
Remembers poppy field of Wizard of Oz?
Saffron, the emperor of them all, with grassy notes,
used in dishes, medicine, dye, perfumes and as antidote.
Salt, from sea or rock, is essential for life,
seasoning and preservative, its use is rife.
Sesame, one of the oldest oilseed known,
roasted seeds do pop, be they white or brown.
Star anise, flavours biryani, liquor and tea,
steeped for long, enhances the flavour of coffee.
Turmeric, colour, spice and beauty aid,
Nothing more needed, enough said
Vanilla, derived from an orchid fruit pod,
And its aroma is fit to be offered to God.
There could be spice that I have missed,
Do add them to make your own list.
________________________
Word count - 403.
I am not sure if the poem, or what ever you call it, is nice; but I had great fun writing it out.
YOU ARE READING
365 Days- Book I
RandomThis is my collection of writings for the three hundred and sixty five day writing challenge - where one has to write something daily, every day, for one whole year, based on the prompts provided - as part of an exercise to improve creative writing...
