It occurred to me that when I gave my blend of spices for my ‘green’ seasoning, I did not give the ‘secret’ to my blend.
I blend bandanya, podeina, chives, onion, garlic, oregano, fresh coriander, pimento, spring onions…
The secret I’ve found, to having the seasoning remain fresh and tasty, is to use boiling water in the blend.
First I wash all my seasonings in cold water, and prepare to blend as soon as possible after purchase, while everything is still fresh.
Then I set up my kettle with about a cupful of water, brought to the boil. I chop all of my seasonings into 1 inch long pieces so it can pulverise easier. Lots of garlic and at least 2 onions…
Next, I begin to blend by filling my blender/food processor with the herbs, and adding boiling water till it shows at about just under a third of the blender.
Blend to a smooth paste, and keep adding herbs till it becomes thick. If too thick, add slight amounts of boiling water so it does not get too thin, or too thick. It should ‘creep’ out of the blender when it is time to pour it into the storage container.
I use a large plastic container with a cover for storage. Let cool fully, then store in fridge. Dip with a clean plastic spoon every time.
A full blender is about 2 litres and lasts me about 3 to 4 weeks without spoiling. Why? I figure the boiling water kills whatever bacteria may be in the fresh herbs, and preserves it that much longer. And it does not really lose the taste, even after 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge.
I use this for most dishes, including a dollop in baked beans, in rice (even plain boiled white rice), curries, stews, soups, etc. Quantity used varies according to my mood or the taste I want to achieve.
