The sight of mint leaves often brings a refreshing feeling to the heart, a unique allure of the medicinal plant. The aroma of mint leaves can be incorporated into cooking, and they can also be used medicinally to help calm the mind and relieve stress. What culinary combinations can mint be combined with?

Mint Dishes: More Flavor

Removing the Fishy Odor from Meat

Those who rarely use mint in their cooking may find it a bit tricky to figure out how to use it. Consider using mint in Western dishes. For example, for lamb chops, chicken, or pork, which can easily have a fishy smell, add chopped mint leaves to the marinade. Alternatively, make a mint sauce for dipping to remove the fishy smell and reduce greasiness.

For grilled or steamed fish, or seafood using a tart flavor like lemon, adding mint leaves can enhance the flavor.

Mint Drink

Adding a moderate amount of mint to juices, teas, and flavored wines can enhance the flavor, creating a refreshing and non-cloying aroma.

Mint tea, in particular, is particularly beneficial because the temperature of the hot water can enhance the minty aroma. Although mint isn’t used in large quantities in cooking, it’s rich in a variety of nutrients, including vitamins A, C, potassium, and calcium. Its content even exceeds that of many common fruits and vegetables, so a moderate intake is beneficial and has health benefits.

Mint desserts: Refreshing

Many sweets and desserts are often minty, such as mint ice cream cake and mint chocolate. The rich flavor is often derived from directly extracted edible mint flavoring. Green pigment is then added to enhance the visual appeal and maintain the minty flavor.

For homemade desserts, such as fruit tarts or lemon frosting cakes, consider using fresh mint leaves for a natural, uncompromising flavor.

Best way to preserve fresh mint

Mint leaves are notoriously difficult to preserve. Freshly picked leaves are certainly the freshest, but unused leaves are recommended for refrigeration or freezing in sealed plastic bags to preserve freshness. Chopped mint leaves can be placed in an ice cube tray and sealed with oil or frozen with water to make ice cubes. The aroma will be absorbed into the oil and water, making it easier to take out and cook later.