Sow what you eat and eat what you sow. We often have discussions and debates about how good the vegetables bought in the supermarkets or online stores look and have the tendency to think that these are often sprayed with chemicals and pesticides, to make them look appealing to us. However many a times this is not true.
One such way to skip this dilemma in your mind is to get started with your own little kitchen garden patch , where you can grow simple plants of fruits , vegetables and herbs that can be consumed by you on a day to day basis.There, really is no joy, in sowing your own seeds, watching your plants grow, and see the plants that you have nurtured bear those beautiful fruits.
So get ahead and get started with these simple plants that won't disappoint you.
1.Coriander Leaves
Refreshing ingredient, these coriander leaves are super simple to grow. Soak coriander seeds in water overnight, next day drain the water and spread these soaked seeds in a pot with fertile soil. Ensure the pot is placed in good sunlight. Water it every alternate day until you see the shoot grow and you will gradually see the plant grow beautifully.
Coriander leaves add great freshness to any dish that you add. Usually added over dals and subzis, raitas and Indian salads. Also used in chutneys and garnishes. The coriander leaves have a earthy lush flavour of their own that is widely used in India.
Try some of our recipes which use Coriander leaves :
2. Mint Leaves
Yet another refreshing herb used in our Indian kitchen are mint leaves. Sharp, strong flavour is what it lends to the dishes it is added to. It is as widely used as coriander leaves.
These mint plants usually grow from tender cuttings of stems that are planted in the soil, and once they begin to grow, they rapidly spread to the surface of the soil it has to access to.
Mint leaves are used in parathas, pulaos, raitas and used in marinades.
Try our Mint leaf based recipes:
3. Curry Leaves
A herb used mostly in South India, curry leaves have a rustic peppery flavour. Curry leaves grows both out of cuttings and seeds. It is believed that pouring unsalted thin buttermilk in the pot in which the curry leaf plant is planted helps the plant grow really well.
Curry leaves have loads of health benefits, that help aid in healthy growth of hair, and has great antiseptic properties.
Curry leaves are used in making chutneys, tadkas, ground in freshly ground masala pastes for gravies and pulaos.
Try our Curry Leaf based Recipes:
4. Ginger
Ginger is a versatile ingredient, that can be used both in sweet and savoury cooking, and in drinks as well. Ginger grows out of the small cuttings of the ginger roots. this plant requires no sunlight as such, it grows in shade and requires day light alone.
The roots as well as the leaves are packed with flavours.
The ginger leaves are often, used while making teas , the leaves impart great flavour when boiled along with the tea. The ginger root is the one that is widely used.
Used across all cuisines in India, ginger-garlic is one term you will find in all most all recipes.
Ginger too, has great health benefits. It has great medicinal properties. It has anti inflammatory properties, aids in digestion, helps curb nausea, are a few to mention.
Try our Ginger based Recipes:
5. Garlic
Garlic has been used in various cuisines, since times immemorial. Garlic, grows two ways, one as a bulb as are all familiar with and the other like that of spring onions. Where the garlic grows in pods and has fresh peppery garlic leaves growing from it. It is exactly the same as spring onions.
Garlic too, is used in almost all Indian recipes and various other International cuisines as well.
Garlic has great health benefits. It helps with a common cold and flu like sickness. Garlic helps in controlling blood pressure, lowers risk of heart diseases, and brings down cholesterol levels.
Above all, garlic tastes great in all
Try our Garlic based Recipes:
6. Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a herb used mostly in Thai and continental cuisines. Lemon grass grows from seeds. The entire plant can be put to good use. Apart from the fact that it imparts great flavour to the dish its added to, it is also believed to ward off insects and mosquitoes. The plant does not require too much of water, and grows in daylight.
Lemongrass has a refreshing flavours of lush lemon like aroma, that when added to the dish it gives it a complete different taste altogether. the leaves can be boiled in water to make lemongrass tea and the stalk is used inasian dishes from the Thai, Malaysian and Indonesiancuisines.
They are an integral part of Thai curry pastes.
Try our Lemongrass based recipes:
7. Lemons
Lemon need absolutely no introduction. Citrusy inside out, both the flesh, juice and the skin are used in cooking.
The plant grows in shade, in daylight, but does not require too much sunlight or water. The flower buds of the lemon plant bloom, and the petals wither away leaving behind the lemons. A healthy lemon plant will give you lemons in absolute abundance.
Lemons are used in cuisines across the world, from the zest to the juice, it is widely used both in savoury and sweet dishes.
Lemon is a great source of Vitamin C that helps boost immunity and aids in digestion. It is also considered to have detoxifying properties as it is had with warm water first thing in the morning, acting as a cleanser for the body.
Try our Lemon based recipes:
8. Basil
Basil has an earthy sweet fragrance of its own. Basil used in cooking are of two varieties. One is the Italian basil used in pasta and bruschettas while the other is the lemon basil, that is used in Thai cooking. Both of which have unique characteristics and are rarely used interchangeably.
Basil literally grows in the shade and its fragrance will linger in your garden, something you just cannot miss.
Basil can be used literally in anything, from teas, to pastas, not to miss that the classic pesto sauce is made using pesto as the main ingredient.
Italian basil pairs really well with tomatoes and you will often find restaurant menus and recipes that read, tomato basil pasta, soup or even as a sauce over your steak.
Try our Basil based recipes:
9. Chillies
Bringing out the heat in your dish, chillies are of various colours and variants. From red, green, yellow and black to varieties like fresno, tabasco, jalapeno all of these can be grown at home.
Chillies need good amount of water and sunlight and are grown from the seeds directly.
different cuisines use different variants, our Indian Cuisines uses fresh green chillies and red chilli powder, Asian cuisine mostly uses fresh red chillies, while continental cooking uses pickled jalapenos and tabasco sauce.
Chillies they say, keep your immunity strong and keep you away from any stomach related infections.
Do share with us, what you grow in your kitchen garden.
