The Alphabet Game: Dishes using Za'atar

Here is my 'U' - I guess either mine and/or @CraigC's count:

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I'm guessing that "vanilla" is a herb?
 
morning glory said:
I'd never heard of it but it seems to be a lichen. I don't know if that counts as a culinary herb... :unsure:
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It certainly counts as a medicinal herb and given that you make a tincture or tea out of it ,I think it does count even though it's a lichen. It just lacks flavour which is usually what defines a herb !
CraigC said:
Usnea
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Thank you. That was an interesting read looking it up. I know that lichen by another name and for another use unrelated to cooking (or more accurately used for lighting fires from a spark generally for the purpose of cooking food).
 
Herbie said:
Xylopia aethiopica?
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Technically a spice I think as its the seeds?

SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
There are plenty of Chinese herbs starting with x but none are culinary herbs.
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Xin yi hua (magnolia flower)

Magnolias are, of course, related to tea plants (or are a type of tea plant?). Anyway, they fresh flowers can be eaten (there are recipes for pickled magnolia petals) and dried petals/leaves made into tea.

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Herbie said:
Xylopia aethiopica?
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Technically a spice. Herbs are leafy greens (and sometimes flowers ) but the rest of the plant, e.g. bark, roots, seeds, are spices.

morning glory said:
Technically a spice I think as its the seeds?
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Yes.
To clarify (source wiki), my highlighting

Xylopia aethiopica is an evergreen, aromatic tree, of the Annonaceae family that can grow up to 20m high. It is a native to the lowland rainforest and moist fringe forests in the savanna zones of Africa. The dried fruits of X. aethiopica are used as a spice and an herbal medicine
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