
If you are one of those who likes to have a green garden at home, you should grow basil among your plants because they have the triple quality of being beautiful, medicinal and useful in the kitchen. Basil can be grown in beds, wells and pots that decorate patios and terraces without excessive additional care. Basil, Ocimum basilicum, has two varieties, white and purple, easily distinguishable by the color of its small, spiky flowers. Its leaves are a deep green, mild flavor and unmistakable aroma.
The leaves are the edible part of this plant, and although it can be found dehydrated in markets or freshly cut in florists, the ideal is to consume it fresh.
Its cultivation is easy and fast, just place a few days in water some of the fresh little pieces, freshly cut better, to see them grow small white rootlets. When they seem strong enough to adapt to the soil, place them in a fertile and well-drained soil where it receives abundant sun. It is good to water it daily, cut and discard its flowers as soon as they appear so that the plant concentrates its vigor on its leaves and replant it every spring.
The benefits of basil
The cooking or infusion of basil fights depression, exhaustion, insomnia and migraine. It is diuretic, digestive, antispasmodic, opens the appetite, fights nervous dyspepsia and intestinal parasites, is carminative, can increase milk secretion in mothers.
Recipes with basil
Basil also reveals its secrets in the cuisine, especially in the typical dishes of Italian cuisine based on tomato, pizzas, soft cheeses, and light soups, always adding it at the end of cooking. Mixed with other aromatic plants, it can be added to tortillas, stir-fries, pestos, butters and cheeses to spread. It can also accompany a simple dessert made from a base of beaten yogurt to which chopped fruit and honey are added. Basil brings its aroma and greenery to this specialty.
Another use is in a sauce that serves as a dressing for fresh salads, whether lettuce, cabbage, watercress, or other vegetables. To prepare it you must beat 4 large basil leaves, a ripe tomato, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, half of sugar and salt to taste. Once the ingredients are mixed, pour the sauce over the vegetables and taste.