Dill

Dill
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Anethum
L.
Species: A. graveolens
Binomial name
Anethum graveolens
L.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a short-lived perennial herb. It is the sole species of the genus Anethum, though classified by some botanists in a related genus as Peucedanum graveolens (L.) C.B.Clarke.

Contents

Growth

40–60 cm (16–24 in), with slender stems and alternate, finely divided, softly delicate leaves 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) long. The ultimate leaf divisions are 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) broad, slightly broader than the similar leaves of fennel, which are threadlike, less than 1 mm (0.039 in) broad, but harder in texture. The flowers are white to yellow, in small umbels 2–9 cm (0.79–3.5 in) diameter. The seeds are 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) thick, and straight to slightly curved with a longitudinally ridged surface.

Origins and history

Dried dill umbel

Dill originated in Eastern Europe . Zohary and Hopf remark that "wild and weedy types of dill are widespread in the Mediterranean basin and in West Asia."[1]

Although several twigs of dill were found in the tomb of Amenhotep II, they report that the earliest archeological evidence for its cultivation comes from late Neolithic lake shore settlements in Switzerland.[2] Traces have been found in Roman ruins in Great Britain.

In Semitic languages it is known by the name of Shubit. The Talmud requires that tithes shall be paid on the seeds, leaves, and stem of dill. The Bible states that the Pharisees were in the habit of paying dill as tithe.[3] Jesus rebuked them for tithing dill but omitting justice, mercy and faithfulness.[4]

Nomenclature and taxonomy

The name dill comes from Old English dile, thought to have originated from a Norse or Anglo-Saxon word dylle meaning to soothe or lull , the plant having the carminative property of relieving gas. In Sanskrit, this herb is called Shatapushpa.

Uses

Fresh and dried dill leaves (sometimes called "dill weed" to distinguish it from dill seed) are used as herbs, mainly in the Baltic, in Russia, and in central Asia.

Like caraway, its fernlike leaves are aromatic, and are used to flavor many foods, such as gravlax (cured salmon), borscht and other soups, and pickles (where the dill flower is sometimes used). Dill is best when used fresh, as it loses its flavor rapidly if dried; however, freeze-dried dill leaves preserve their flavor relatively well for a few months.

Dill seed is used as a spice, with a flavor somewhat similar to caraway, but also resembling that of fresh or dried dill weed. Dill seeds were traditionally used to soothe the stomach after meals.[5] And, dill oil can be extracted from the leaves, stems and seeds of the plant.

In arabic dill seed is called ain jaradeh (means cricket eye) used as a spice in cold dishes like fattosh and pickles. In Lao cuisine and parts of northern Thailand and Vietnam dill is known in English as Laotian coriander[6] and Lao cilantro (Lao: ຜັກຊີ, Thai: ผักชีลาว, Vietnamese: Thì là). In the Lao language it is called Phak See and in Thai it is known as Phak Chee Lao.[7] In Lao cuisine, the herb is typically used in mok pa (steamed fish in banana leaf) and several coconut milk-based curries that contain fish or prawns. Lao coriander is also an essential ingredient in Vietnamese dishes like chả cá and canh cá thì là.

In Iran, dill is known as "Shevid" and is sometimes used with rice and called "Shevid-Polo". In India, dill is known as 'Savaa' in Hindi.

In Gujarat, India, dill is prepared in the manner of yellow Moong dal as a main-course dish. It is considered to have very good anti-gas properties and hence it is used as mukhwas, or an after-meal digestive. It is also traditionally given to mothers immediately after childbirth.

Cultivation

Successful cultivation requires warm to hot summers with high sunshine levels; even partial shade will reduce the yield substantially. It also prefers rich, well drained soil. The seeds are viable for 3–10 years.

The seed is harvested by cutting the flower heads off the stalks when the seed is beginning to ripen. The seed heads are placed upside down in a paper bag and left in a warm dry place for a week. The seeds then separate from the stems easily for storage in an airtight container.

Companion Planting

When used as a companion plant, dill draws in many beneficial insects as the umbrella flower heads go to seed. Ironically it also makes a good companion plant for cucumbers. It is a poor companion for carrots and tomatoes. [8]

Aroma profile

Toxicology

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Zohary and Hopf, page 206.
  2. ↑ Zohary, Daniel; Hopf, Maria (2000). Domestication of plants in the Old World (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 206. ISBN 0198503571. 
  3. ↑ Matthew 23:23
  4. ↑ Matthew 23:23
  5. ↑ Whole Foods Profile
  6. ↑ Davidson, A. (2003). Seafood of South-East Asia, 2nd edition. Ten Speed Press.
  7. ↑ Ling, K. F. (2002). The Food of Asia. Periplus Editions.
  8. ↑ "The Self-Sufficient Gardener Podcast Episode 17 My Favorite Herbs - Dill". http://theselfsufficientgardener.com/2010/08/14/episode-17-my-favorite-herbs-dill/. 
  9. ↑ Bailer, Josef et al. (2001). "Essential oil content and composition in commercially available dill cultivars in comparison to caraway". Industrial Crops and Products (Elsevier) 14 (3): 229–239. doi:10.1016/S0926-6690(01)00088-7. 
  10. ↑ Santos, Pedro A.G. et al.; Figueiredo, A. Cristina; Lourenço, Pedro M.L.; Barroso, José G.; Pedro, Luis G.; Oliveira, M. Margarida; Schripsema, Jan; Deans, Stanley G. et al. (2002). "Hairy root cultures of Anethum graveolens (dill): establishment, growth, time-course study of their essential oil and its comparison with parent plant oils". Biotechnology Letters (Springer) 24 (12): 1031–1036. doi:10.1023/A:1015653701265. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Singh, Gurdip et al. (2005). "Chemical Constituents, Antimicrobial Investigations, and Antioxidative Potentials of Anethum graveolens L. Essential Oil and Acetone Extract: Part 52". Journal of Food Science (John Wiley & Sons) 70 (4): M208–M215. http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2005.tb07190.x. Retrieved 28 July 2009. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Dhalwal, Kamlesh et al.; Shinde, Vaibhav M.; Mahadik, Kakasaheb R. (2008). "Efficient and Sensitive Method for Quantitative Determination and Validation of Umbelliferone, Carvone and Myristicin in Anethum graveolens and Carum carvi Seed". Chromatographia (Springer) 67 (1 - 2): 163–167. doi:10.1365/s10337-007-0473-6. 
  13. ↑ Blank, I.; W. Grosch (1991). "Evaluation of Potent Odorants in Dill Seed and Dill Herb (Anethum graveolens L.) by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis". Journal of Food Science (John Wiley & Sons) 56 (1): 63–67. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1991.tb07976.x. 
  14. ↑ Delaquis, Pascal J. et al. (2002). "Antimicrobial activity of individual and mixed fractions of dill, cilantro, coriander and eucalyptus essential oils". International Journal of Food Microbiology (Elsevier) 74 (1 - 2): 101–109. doi:10.1016/S0168-1605(01)00734-6. 
  15. ↑ Jirovetz, Leopold et al.; Buchbauer, G; Stoyanova, AS; Georgiev, EV; Damianova, ST (2003). "Composition, Quality Control, and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil of Long-Time Stored Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) Seeds from Bulgaria". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (American Chemical Society) 51 (13): 3854 – 3857. doi:10.1021/jf030004y. PMID 12797755. 

External links

Edible Apiaceae

Ajwain • Alepidea peduncularis • Alexanders • Anise • Anthriscus sylvestris • Apium prostratum • Arracacha • Asafoetida • Bunium persicum • Caraway • Carrot • Celeriac • Celery • Centella asiatica • Chaerophyllum bulbosum • Chervil • Cicely • Coriander • Crithmum • Cryptotaenia • Cumin • Daucus pusillus • Dill • Echinophora sibthorpiana • Erigenia bulbosa • Eryngium foetidum • Fennel • Garden Angelica • Ground-elder • Heracleum persicum • Lomatium • Lomatium parryi • Lovage • Masterwort • Oenanthe javanica • Osmorhiza • Parsley • Parsnip • Perideridia • Radhuni • Ridolfia segetum • Sium sisarum