2 teaspoons fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried In other words, if the original recipe calls for two teaspoons of finely chopped fresh basil, you can simply substitute the amount with one teaspoon of dried basil leaves. There are 5 drying methods that work with basil leaves. When the amount of fresh basil your recipe calls for is less than the big bunch you bought, it's always a race against the clock to use up every leaf before it starts to go south — not to mention a heart-breaker when it does. The first method is time intensive but it produces a good harvest. Now with the surface of the leaves dry and only healthy leaves remain in your collection, you can spread the leaves on a wire mesh and keep them in the sun. Similarly, two tablespoons of fresh basil would correspond to 1 tablespoon of dried basil. Never let fresh basil go to waste again! After about 12 hours in the dry, warm oven you should wake up to find easy-to-crumble bits of basil … After they’ve dried up, pull them out one by one and set them aside to cool off. Remove any dead leaves and cut off the flowers. It’s also a staple in Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, and South Asian cuisines. Onion: Substitute 1 teaspoon onion powder for every medium fresh onion. The result? 2 teaspoons fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried In other words, if the original recipe calls for two teaspoons of finely chopped fresh basil, you can simply substitute the amount with one teaspoon of dried basil leaves. Just swirl them in the water to clean them then scoop them out. Keep an eye on your basil to avoid burning it. After the timer has gone off, turn off your oven and leave basil to continue drying overnight. Similarly, two tablespoons of fresh basil would correspond to 1 tablespoon of dried basil. It’s easy to find the growing node on the stalk. The roots establish well in plenty of soil. What makes basil even more appealing as a plant from a gardener’s point of view is how easy it is to grow, harvest, and store it. You won’t have to worry about setting the food dehydrator too high or too low. Your email address will not be published. Store them in a labeled jar or container for future use. You only want the leaves of the herb. Use a well-balanced soil with pH levels between 6.5 and 7. Collect the dry leaves and keep them in jars. So making pesto with dried basil leaves, for instance, is not something you want to try out! They’re designed to dry food items, it’s right there in the name. Unlike conventional cookbooks which focus on providing recipes, this award-winning, bestselling reference guide with thousands of ingredient entries teaches the reader how to use each of the ingredients based on its flavor profile. As the temperature rises, the plant needs more water. When converting fresh basil to dried basil, make sure you use the correct conversion ratio. Remove the rubber band or twist tie, separate the dried basil bundle and crumble the dried leaves with your fingers. Ginger: Substitute 1/4 teaspoon dry ground ginger for every 1 teaspoon of freshly grated gingerroot. DIYs.com is an up-and-coming community of people specialized in high-quality and on-trend DIY projects and tutorials in home design, fashion, and crafts. So avoid soaking the pot or leaving it to dry out. You don’t have to do anything, just be patient enough to … Basil is rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron as well as vitamins A and C. In traditional medicine it has been used to cure many health conditions including indigestion. Basil: Substitute 1 teaspoon of dried basil for every 2 teaspoons of fresh basil. If the soil is heavy, add some sand to balance it out and improve aeration. Make sure you don’t get strong wind that would blow the leaves away. Keep the soil wet but not waterlogged during the dog days of summer. Don’t overestimate the harvested leaves. Basil thrives at high temperatures. Keep in mind that you cannot dry your whole harvest in one go using a microwave. The fresh leaves of common Genovese basil can be used to flavor a wide variety of dishes from pasta sauces to salads and fish. Bake at the low heat for approximately 20 minutes. Which one you choose depends on your resources, the time and patience you have, and how good you want your dried basil leaves to be for the rest of the year. The answer is in drying and storing the leaves so that they maintain their aroma no matter how long you keep them. Because everyone’s style is individual, customized pieces with a high-end look are what we’re always after. Wash the basil gently in cool water and spread on a kitchen towel to dry. One of the easiest methods to get the basil leaves dry is to simply leave them out in the open air to dry on their own. In other words, if the original recipe calls for two teaspoons of finely chopped fresh basil, you can simply substitute the amount with one teaspoon of dried basil leaves. To pluck the leaves, use either a pair of sharp scissors or garden clippers. There are two ways to harvest basil leaves. How much is a cup of basil leaves? Required fields are marked *, Check out these beautiful projects and get a lot more ideas for your DIY project. If you don't have fresh basil at hand, dried basil can sometimes be substituted for fresh basil leaves. They include oregano, tarragon, thyme, savory and cilantro. You can use your oven to dry basil leaves if you don’t have a food dehydrator and think the microwave is too much of a hassle. Your email address will not be published. Don’t handle the leaves roughly since they break easily. But what if you want to make your favorite Italian-style pasta sauce but just realized you have neither fresh nor dried basil at home? Dill 3 teaspoons fresh 1 teaspoon dried In such a situation, you may be happy to learn that there are many herbs that can be substituted for basil in recipes. So anything between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit is acceptable. For this reason, it’s often grown in the warm Southern regions of the country. For the end of the season harvesting, you can pluck all the leaves without worrying about the nodes or stems. One of the easiest methods to get the basil leaves dry is to simply leave them out in the open air to dry on their own. It’s right next to where two leaves grow in opposite directions. To prepare the leaves for air drying, make sure the stems are equal size and wash them in a deep bowl. Spread the leaves on parchment paper and set the oven to a medium to medium-high temperature. Thousands of spectacular flavor combinations – and a more empowered home cook! Finally, when seasoning a dish with dried basil, you should of course also your taste buds and adjust the amount of basil as needed. This article covers the basics of growing basil and the different methods of drying it. The thing about basil is that it’s easy to grow once you provide the basic requirements of soil, warm temperature, and dry weather. Haworthia Succulent Care: Nurturing Your Haworthia Pearl Plant, Bunny Ear Cactus: Growing & Care For the Bunny Ears Succulent (Opuntia Microdasys). This is thanks to flavonoids and anthocyanins. Your daily dose of crafts, recipes, beauty, fashion, living tips and home guides. A well-drained soil helps the plant grow healthier. It is sensitive to cold temperatures so the best way to grow it is inside a greenhouse where you have control over the temperature and humidity levels. Most experts recommend using twice as much fresh as you would dried basil. Your basil will be dried and ready to use in about two weeks or when the leaves are dark green, dry and brittle to the touch. The only drawback here is that it would take longer than with the microwave. Sage: Substitute 1 teaspoon dried sage for every 7 fresh leaves or 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage. If the scent is strong, your basil still has strong flavor and the 2:1 conversion ratio is likely to be quite accurate. This will encourage the basil plant to grow more leaves. This method is only suitable for hot regions that get plenty of sunlight all day. To dry your basil leaves in the sun, you follow the same steps of parsing, washing, and drying the leaves we mentioned above. Lay them on a towel to dry. These polyphenolic compounds give it its therapeutic values. Remember, this only applies to harvesting in patches. Once the plant establishes roots, you can add liquid fertilizer in moderate doses once a week. If air drying and the sun methods are too time-consuming for you and you’re in a hurry, then a microwave can come to your rescue.