Everything about Oregano totally explained
Oregano or
pot marjoram (
Origanum vulgare) is a species of
Origanum, native to
Europe, the
Mediterranean region and southern and central
Asia. It is a
perennial herb, growing to 20-80 cm tall, with opposite
leaves 1-4 cm long. The
flowers are purple, 3-4 mm long, produced in erect spikes. Its name derives from the Greek
origanon ὀρίγανον oros ὄρος "mountain" + the verb
ganousthai γανοῦσθαι "delight in". Oregano (seed) is also known as Ajwain (اجوائن) in Urdu.
Cultivation and uses
The subspecies of oregano
Origanum vulgare hirtum is an important culinary herb. It is particularly widely used in
Greek and
Italian cuisines. It is the
leaves that are used in cooking, and the dried herb is often more flavourful than the fresh..
Oregano is often used in
tomato sauces, fried vegetables and grilled meat. Together with
basil, it contributes much to the distinctive character of many Italian dishes.
Oregano combines nicely with pickled
olives,
capers, and
lovage leaves. Unlike most Italian herbs, oregano works with hot and spicy food, which is popular in southern Italy.
Oregano is an indispensable ingredient for
Greek cuisine. Oregano adds flavour to
Greek salad and is usually used separately or added to the lemon-olive oil sauce that accompanies many fish or meat barbecues and some casseroles.
It has an
aromatic, warm and slightly
bitter taste. It varies in intensity; good quality is so strong that it almost numbs the tongue, but the cultivars adapted to colder climates have often unsatisfactory flavour. The influence of climate, season and soil on the composition of the essential oil is greater than the difference between the various species.
The related species
Origanum onites (
Greece,
Asia Minor) and
O. heracleoticum (
Italy,
Balkan peninsula,
West Asia) have similar flavours. A closely related plant is
marjoram from Asia Minor, which, however, differs significantly in taste, because
phenolic compounds are missing in its essential oil. Some breeds show a flavour intermediate between oregano and marjoram.
Pizza
The dish most commonly associated with oregano is pizza. Its variations have probably been eaten in Southern Italy for centuries.
Health benefits
Oregano is high in
antioxidant activity, due to a high content of
phenolic acids and
flavonoids (PMID 16218659, PMID 12730411). Additionally, oregano has demonstrated
antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens such as
Listeria monocytogenes (PMID 16218659). Both of these characteristics may be useful in both
health and
food preservation. In the
Philippines, oregano (coleus aromaticus) isn't commonly used for cooking but is rather considered as a primarily medicinal plant, useful for relieving children's coughs.
Other plants called oregano
Mexican oregano,
Lippia graveolens (
Verbenaceae) is closely related to
lemon verbena. It is a highly studied herb that's said to be of some medical use and is common in
curandera female
shamanic practices in Mexico and the
Southwestern United States. Mexican oregano has a very similar flavour to oregano, but is usually stronger. It is becoming more commonly sold outside of Mexico, especially in the United States. It is
sometimes used as a substitute for
epazote leaves ; this substitution wouldn't work the other way round.
Several other plants are also known as oregano in various parts of Mexico, including
Poliomintha longiflora,
Lippia berlandieri, and
Plectranthus amboinicus (syn.
Coleus aromaticus), also called Cuban oregano.
In popular culture
Oregano is often used as a comic substitute for
marijuana. For example, in The Venture Brothers, Mike Sorayama is given Oregano by his friends, thinking it's marijuana, but turns out to be allergic to oregano.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Oregano'.
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