Mint

Mint is probably the fresh herb used most widely throughout the Middle East, as indispensable as parsley is in American kitchens for finishing cooked dishes and sparking up salads. Because it is considered a digestive aid, it is often served along with fatty foods—grilled meats in particular seem to call for the cool, vibrant flavor of fresh mint. You will see mint piled onto platters alongside skewers of grilled meat so that each diner can take a bit of the bracing herb along with the savory meat morsels. Its crinkled leaves also make a beautiful garnish, and at our house, everyone knows to strip off only the leaves at the bottom of the stem for cooking, as I save the perfect sprigs at the top to dress up fruit salads, cocktails, and more.