Herbs
From time-to-time recipes call for fresh herbs. We like to make a lot of guacamole in our household.
One of the important ingredients in guacamole is coriander.
Coriander, in our local supermaket, is £0.70 for a small bag, or £1.25 for a plant.
The bag of coriander could easily make 3 batches of guacamole. However, by the time we get round to making our second or third batch, the coriander will have gone off.
You have several choices, freeze the unused coriander, or buy the coriander plant.
I prefer the plant as the herb will be as fresh as can be, and the plant will regrow.
If the plant grows too quickly, then cut it down, dry the pieces and then blend them.
For extra savings, check the reduced items section, especially around 3:30pm on a Sunday. I’ve seen plants being sold for less than the packets.
Spices
Ginger
Ginger is a lovely spice and easy to grow if you have a warm environment; a windowsill will do.
Buy a piece of loose ginger from the supermarket, making sure it has a couple of buds.
Soak the ginger overnight to remove some of the growth inhibitor and plant in some compost.
Keep the soil warm and moist, and after a few months you should have a much bigger piece of ginger.