Basil

Vernacular name : Ocimum Basilicum
Botanic name : Hyptis Suaveolens (L.) Poiteau
Family name : Labiatae (Lamiaceae)

Basil in picture…

Basil flower... sweet...

Basil was believed originated in Tropical America, now is planted everywhere in the Tropical Zone, like my backyard. Basil was never found in Sahara desert or in Greenland, except may be in green house. Planting Basil is easy, you just simply buy basil’s seeds in seed’s shop near you and get ‘Peatmoss’ for sowing and once grow for about half feet you just simply transfer it to top soiled, it will be flowered after 5 to 6 month.

Through research Basil has element of anti-cancer, acid hydrocyanic that produced hydrogen cyanide, a potential poison that could cause death on living things. Its Eugenol has strong antiseptic that can cause dermatitis and become toxic for obsessive use. Its content of Kariofilen has element of anti-bacteria, anti-fungi, anti-inflames and anti- tumor.

Content: essence oil, cineol, eugenol, falandren, kariofilen, kopean, menthol.

Uses in food: Basil is essential in Italian cooking, it was said that Italian use basil as their pillow and it should be a shame for Italian who don’t eat Basil. It is used as herb in sauces and pasta cooking. Some people eat it as salad.

My style Basil:

Fresh: I usually use Basil (whole) as finishing in any of my cooking, putting it at the last minute of cooking could produce sweet scent on your food and the basil taste would give extra flavor in the dishes. Fresh basil is poached in few minutes and fined blend with olive oil to produced Basil oil, mainly I used as salad dressing. The fresh leaves also one of my favorite garnish in many of my dishes, while the flower I put in a sealed bottle together with extra virgin olive oil, the sweetness of the flower actually gives sweet smell in the oil.

Dried: I don’t usually use dried when I have fresh but will use them in stocking. Basil mixed with other herbs will give extra flavor and nutrition in long cooking method like braising, stewing and pot-roasting.

Medicinal use:

Roots are boiled and drink to reduced heat in our body, cured high fever, influenza, constipation, menstrual and flu.

Leaves as medicine for swollen, scratches, cut, skin disease, and tumor. Infusion as drink for anti-spasm, produced milk for women and producing sweat. The water also used as therapeutic for bathing.

Other uses: Some people said that it is used to avoid ‘moschino’ (antah lurus kah inda, antam tia)

I grew basil in my backyard, in some places basil just grew wildly... like in my country, I'll have to use 'peatmoss' for sowing then transfer it to mixed tops soiled...


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Oregano

"Oregano"

Nutrition Fact : Carbohydrate, Protein, Fibre, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Kalium, Natrium and Air.


My style :
One of my favorite herbs. In Brunei, its hard to find fresh leaf and most of this herbs imported from overseas and used in industries like hotels or restaurants. The easiest ways to get oregano is the dried one, you can find them sold in supermarket in bottle.
I usually use oregano in my noodles like, mee soup or laksa, just picked the leaf and put them in last minute before you serve the food. In a boiled laksa, the sweet oregano smell will brings your appetite, the taste not like a typical laksa... 'nyaman'.
I also used oregano in beef marination sometimes but I usually chop them and leave it in the fridge for at least 5 hours minimum, the combination of herbs with good quality oil will prove the marination, suggestion is corn oil or olive oil. Do not season your beef at this stage where it will hydrate the beef texture. Using dried Oregano as marination is the best method.

Chef Nash