Mint
Types
There are between 13-18 varieties of mint. This aromatic perrenial herb is easy to grow and used in the cooking of many different cultures. The leaves can be differing shades of green with a serrated edge and are arranged in opposite pairs. The mint that is commonly found in Australian gardens is coarser with a rounder leaf than commercially available mint. The most common types of mint sold for eating in Australia are regular mint and Vietnamese mint. Though the latter is not true mint and has a hot, pungeant flavour.
Selection and Storage
Choose fresh looking bunches, with green, pert leaves. Avoid blackened or marked bunches with wilted leaves. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Availability
All year round.
Using
Commercially available mint is preferable to common garden mint because of its less coarse texture. Mint is widely used in African, Greek, English, American and Middle Eastern cooking. Mint is good with lamb, peas, yoghurt, lemons, noodles, pork, tomatoes, cucumber prawns and pork.
