sweet basil (ocimum basilcum)


my neighbour, who grows his basil in the 'public private garden', has been advising my wife to get the basil leaves from the garden to fry with eggs. according to him, eating basil is good for health. it seems to me a lot of things that we eat are good for our health and yet a lot of us are still afflicted by hypertension and high cholesterol.

sweet basil, with its wonderful aroma and flavour, is one of the most popular and widely grown herbs in the world. we tend to associate basil with italian cooking, so it may surprise you to learn that basil originated in the far east, in countries like india, pakistan and thailand.

basil has been cultivated for over 2000 years and it symbolizes love. at one time young girls would place some on their windowsill to indicate they were looking for a suitor. small pots of this were given by farmers' wives to visitors as parting gifts. it is also reputed that any man will fall in love with a woman from whom he accepts some basil from as a gift.

fresh basil is the perfect candidate for freezing, either whole or chopped. blanch whole leaves for two seconds, plunge into ice water, pat dry and place in airtight bags in the freezer. flavour will be stronger if you don't thaw before using.

another option is to put whole or chopped fresh leaves in an ice cube tray and cover with water or broth before freezing. once frozen, pop the cubes out into an airtight bag. use the cubes in soups, stews or sauces. frozen basil should be used within four months.

basil is readily available in dried form ( i use a lot of this when i cook my pizza paste), but it cannot compare in flavour to fresh basil. dried basil should be stored in a cool, dark place away from heat and light. dried herbs lose their potency within six months, even under the best conditions. it's best to buy small amounts so you can use it up faster. when dried, basil loses much of its intensity.

the basil plant needs continuous pruning to stimulate growth. recommended interval is about once every four weeks. it is important to keep basil cut back so you have a continual harvest of fresh leaves. it is also important not to let the plants slated for culinary use flower, or the leaves will begin to taste bitter.