Monday, December 15, 2008

What You Can Do With Celery Seed

By KC Kudra

Celery seed has been around for many years and different cultures use this delicious seasoning in a variety of ways. If you want to know how to use celery seed or you have bought some on a whim, you will be pleased to know that there are many uses for celery seed, such as homemade chicken noodle soup or even crockpot chicken noodle soup which will slowly cook while you are at work and be ready the minute you get home.

What is celery seed?

Celery seed comes from a plant called apium graveolons, not the celery vegetable. There are a lot of other small, brown seeds, which are similar in appearance, but the unique smell of celery seed gives it away. They smell just like celery. When you use celery seeds in your recipe, whether you are making crockpot chicken noodle soup, a salad dressing, or a vegetarian casserole, you will find these seeds impart the flavor of celery without having to add stalks of celery to the recipe.

What is celery seed good for?

Besides the fact that celery seed is used to flavor salad dressings, soups, and in pickling, you will find that celery seed has a long medicinal history as well. It has been used as a homeopathic remedy for gout, bronchitis, arthritis, and other inflammations.

There is a high concentration of phtalides in celery seeds, which means they have scientifically proven qualities as a muscle relaxant and sedative. Celery seeds also have an antioxidant effect, which helps the body to fight dangerous free radicals.

How can I make a good celery seed salad dressing?

It is not for nothing that you will find celery seeds in so many salad dressings! To make your own, by mixing a teaspoon of dry mustard, a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of celery seed. Then add a teaspoon of onion juice. Slowly trickle in 1/3 a cup of vinegar and a cup of salad oil. This will make a wonderfully tangy yet fairly mild dressing that can be used on fruit or vegetable salads. You can also add pepper and sugar to taste.

What foods go well with celery seeds?

This is really a matter of personal choice; like any other good seasoning, celery seed should be added in when you think the recipe calls for it. Of course, to do this, you will need a little bit of experience with the herb itself. Try adding it to dishes that you would normally add celery to. Chicken potpie or chicken noodle soup do quite well when you add celery seed to them, as does coleslaw.

There are many reasons, as you can see, for using celery seed frequently. A bottle of celery seed keeps for up to 3 years so there is no reason not to get some and experiment. Try making some chicken noodle soup and adding celery seed to taste. You definitely won't be disappointed with the results! - 16492

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