Mirođija

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is the sole species of the genus Anethum, though some botanists classify it in the related genus Peucedanum as Peucedanum graveolens. It grows from a taproot up to 0.5-1.5 metres tall, with slender, hollow stems and finely divided leaves. The seeds are not true seeds but the halves of very small, dry fruits called schizocarps. Dill is grown widely in Eurasia, where its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavouring food.

In North America two forms of dill oil are encountered: dill weed oil, from Anethum graveolens, and dill seed oil, which is usually of Indian origin and comes from A. sowa. Carvone and limonene are the main constituents of the oil from the fruits. The S-(+) enantiomer of carvone occurs to the extent of about 40-60% in dill seed oil. In one analysis of dill seed oil, carvone made up 46.1% and limonene 43.8% in oil from non-shaded plants, against 49.8% and 37.8% in oil from shaded plants. The carvone content of dill seed oil differs by origin, with the highest values reported for Romania (75.2%), Uzbekistan (73.61%) and Egypt (62.48%) and the lowest for Algeria (34.3%).

Dill weed oil is the most important of the two oils. In a reported composition of dill weed oil, the major constituents are carvone (35%), limonene (25%) and α-phellandrene (29%). The (+)-dill ether of dill weed oil, present at up to 10%, is responsible for the typical organoleptic properties of the dill plant and of dill weed oil. Dill ether is 3,9-epoxy-1-p-menthene. Carvone is the predominant odorant of dill seed, while α-phellandrene, limonene, dill ether and myristicin are the most important odorants of dill herb. As the plant progresses from flowering to fruit ripeness, the carvone content of the oil increases and α-phellandrene decreases. Carvone is higher in oil from widely spaced plants, while phellandrene, α-pinene and dill ether are lower.

Successful cultivation of dill requires warm to hot summers with high sunshine levels, and even partial shade reduces the yield substantially. The seed is harvested by cutting the flower heads off the stalks when the seed is beginning to ripen. Dill is best when used fresh, as it loses its flavor rapidly if dried.

The fern-like leaves of dill are aromatic and flavour foods such as gravlax (cured salmon) and other fish dishes. Dill seeds are used whole or ground in the food industry to flavour meats, stews, pastries, bakery products and vinegars. Carvone, the compound most responsible for the flavour of caraway, dill and spearmint, has been used in food for millennia.

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