Life hack: Dry herbs in the microwave

Herbs have been used for thousands of years in cooking, as disinfectants, in medicines and even in perfumes. Using herbs is still very much a part of our everyday life today – what would a delicious pasta dish be without a some herby goodness!

Using a microwave there is a simple way to turn fresh herbs into dry herbs, say for example if the recipe calls for dry herbs or you want to preserve your fresh herbs for longer. This method of drying herbs will help the herbs retain their colour better and provide a more are more potent flavour for your dish!

Materials: 

• Microwave
• Paper towel
• Various herbs of your choice

Method:

• Pick off any rotten or discoloured leaves.
• Depending on the herb you have selected, separate the herbs as much as you can (eg basil, rosemary etc).
• Rinse the herbs in cold water.
• Dry the herbs by pressing them between 2 paper towels, gently remove as much water as possible.
• Place the dry herbs on a paper towel and place it in the microwave (you can also use a tea towel), try not to crowd the paper towel too much, otherwise the herbs will not dry properly.
• Cook herbs in the microwave on high for 1 minute. If the herbs need more time to cook, repeat cooking process in 20 second intervals. Be careful to not let the herbs burn!
• Crumble the herbs by pinching the herbs together gently with your fingers.
• Store in a cool, dry place, in an airtight container.

Note: cooking time will vary depending on the herb you are drying and the microwave you are using.

What do you think of this life hack? Would you give this  method for drying herbs a try?