How Do You Use Bay Leaf Water?
I've been looking into how we can use bay leaves in a watery context, and based on what I've found, there are several interesting applications. We can think of "bay leaf water" as either the resulting liquid when cooking with bay leaves or a brew made from them.
Bay Leaf Tea
One direct use is making bay leaf tea. Reference 2 mentions this, and it's a traditional remedy to settle the stomach.
Flavoring Dishes
We can also incorporate bay leaves into water-based dishes. Reference 1 tells us to add bay leaves to soups and stews. This will flavor the resulting cooking liquid (the "bay leaf water" in this sense) as the bay leaves infuse the broth. Marinating meat (Reference 4) is another common use, and marinades often have a watery base.
Beyond the Water Focus: Garam Masala
While not directly about "bay leaf water," Reference 3 provides a recipe that often uses bay leaves. Garam masala is a spice blend used in Indian cooking, and it's frequently used in dishes that involve cooking with water or other liquids, further highlighting the flavor-giving potential of bay leaves in a cooking context.
Essentially, bay leaf water can be used in the making of tea or it can be a part of a broth/watery base of another dish.
Category: Cooking & Beverages
