Beloved, fortunate, sweet, and royal; an herb with a long and storied history in Asia and across the world. Called by many names, basil has featured in previous Green Prophet articles, so enjoy another serving, a brief history of basil. Humble yet vigorous, after Greek basilikon phyton or in English “royal plant”. Or basilikon okimon, which is the root of the Latin scientific name Ocimum basilicum.

Tulsi: Revered in India, Embalmed in Egypt

Yet the historical origins of basil are literally “matchless” among plants, the Hindu goddess Tulasi’s name means just that. She’s the namesake for the plant tulsi or as many know her, “holy basil”. Ancient Indians cultivated the peerless plant intensely, seeing her as the goddess Tulasi. Then she spread her roots and legends in every direction out of India. Rooted in romance and royalty, Tulasi is the beloved of the deity Vishnu who Vaishnavites see as the Supreme Being. Just like humanity, basil herself has a deeper origin as plant medicine in the mother continent of Africa.

Various African cultures traditionally use basil for both magic and medicine by various cultures. Herodotus the Greek historian documented her as a component of the embalming process for Egyptian mummies. Despite the proximity to Northern Africa, Greeks basil isn’t from the Egyptians. Note that off the coast of Tanzania in Eastern Africa, basil is mrehani on the island of Zanzibar. Mrehani is a Swahili word, Swahili being an Arabic-flavored Bantu language.

Pho Cups in Vietnam

Instead basil traveled east from India to Southeast Asia. This includes the common use of tulsi in Thai cuisine where it’s called krapow. Thailand also lends its brand to the strongly anise-flavored “Thai basil” called horapha. Horapha and related cultivars are used in Vietnam as well in the popular soup called pho. While tulsi is locally known as selasih in Indonesian, there is a lemon-flavored variety called kemangi. Both kemangi and selasih are common in Malaysian and Laotian cuisines as well.

Tokhm-e sharbati, a Cool Summer Drink

Traveling west through what’s now Pakistan, where sweet basil is niazboo in Urdu. Basil seeds are tukhmalanga soaked in water, creating a widely regionally-popular “cooling” beverage. Basil seeds as a beverage in Iran is tokhm-e sharbati, tokhm-e means “seeds” in Persian much like tukhmalanga in Urdu. Sharbati means a sweet drink like juice or syrup; this is a traditional and popular summer drink. Persia brought basil to West Asia, including the Levant.

In the Levant tulsi took on a new name from the Aramaic word ריחא or richa, meaning “smell” as in a scent. This became the basis for calling her rayḥān (Arabic), rayhān (Persian), and many other variants in Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Hebrew, Tajik, Turkish, and mrehani in Swahili as mentioned above.

You should not confuse rayhan with “Arabic basil” or habak, which is a mint plant from the mint genus Mentha. Both mints and basils are a part of Lamiaceae, somewhat confusingly called the mint family. Yet basils are from the genus Basilicum, the Latin for basilikon. Most of what we think of as mints are part of the Mentha genus. The wider Lamiaceae family contains many well-known herbs including rosemary, sage, oregano, hyssop/zaatar, thyme, lavender, perilla/shiso, catnip, bee balm, and many more.

From Moorish Romances to Pesto

From the Levant, rihan came to the beautiful volcanic island of Sicily where it became part of local magic, legend, and decor. Basil became basil there through Greek occupation as a calque the Greeks directly translated the Persian name meaning “kingly herb”.

Later on the Sicily, a custom rooted in old legends arose from the later Moorish occupation. Though often gruesome, the Moor’s Head is retold in many forms with both tragic and noble romances. In one such story a local girl falls in love with an invading Moor who turns out to have a family back home. She jealously beheads him, places his head in a decorative planter, then basil grows from it. In another story he’s still an invader but converts to the local religion and settles down to live happily ever after. There are other stories, some more tragic and others less so. Regardless of the story this is why you will find these oddly charming ceramic planters of a North African man and an Italian woman all over sunny Sicily.

And Pistare to Pistou

Emanuele Rossi concocted  pesto alla Genovese in 1852 CE, just over 170 years ago, the first common pesto to use basil as an ingredient. In Italian pesto simply means “paste”, a sauce properly made with a mortar and pestle to bring out the full flavor, based on the ancient Roman herb and cheese spread known as moretum and a more recent Ligurian garlic and vinegar innovation called aggiada. Likewise this is where French pistou originates; whether in French, Italian, or Sicilian we can see the common Latin root pisto/pistare that means “I pound”/”to pound”.

Two More Servings to Come

Delightfully, basil keeps growing vigorously wherever we plant her seeds, even in our heads! In each land the way basil spices up recipes varies as much as basil cultivars themselves.

The post A Brief History of Basil From India to Italy appeared first on Green Prophet.

I live in the Middle East. Whenever my mom comes to visit she freaks out over the new flavors. Middle East cuisine has its own distinct curries and flavors for vegetables, fish and meat. There aren’t thousands of varieties, but like Indian cuisine the flavor of a good spice blend depends on its source, blend and freshness.

Baharat is a new spice trend in the western world but its an old Arabian favorite. It’s essential if you want to make makluba or mafroum. If you haven’t tasted either of these dishes you haven’t lived.

Bahārāt (Arabic: بهارات‎‎) is just an Arabic word for spices and it’s usually used to season lamb, fish, chicken, beef, and soups. It can also be used as a condiment. I’ve been taught by my Arab-Israeli friends how to use it on chicken (season it very, very lightly – sprinkled on top before the oven), and it’s also essential in the Palestinian favorite maklooba (see recipe here). But if you are vegan you can sprinkle it on tofu or seitan. Why not?

Since I live in Jaffa, close to amazing spice shops, I just buy my own baharat.

If you don’t live near an Arabian market that will blend its own fresh spices, make your own. Because old spice mixes don’t work well for any kind of food. When it comes to spices, fresh is best.

There is different baharat according to where you live. The Turkish baharat includes mint, while in Tunisia, baharat is a mixture of dried rosebuds, pepper and ground cinnamon. In the Arab Gulf, loomi (dried black lime) and saffron may also be used in kebsa, also called Gulf baharat.

Since I live in the Levante, I am going to give you the baharat I know, one used by Arabs in Israel. I’d be happy to know how it’s different in places near by.

Here’s how you make your own baharat:

Baharat Recipe

1 tbsp ground cardamom pods (the black seeds inside)
1 tbsp ground dry ginger
½ tbsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tbsp allspice*

*Like me, if you don’t have an allspice on hand, you can simply make your own by combining 2 parts cinnamon, one part ground nutmeg and one part ground cloves.

You can simply mix all together, and store in a dark airtight jar for use on all foods that need a little Middle Eastern kick. I prefer to buy some spices like nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom – the dried spices, and grind them whole in my Vitamix machine (which also makes a killer ice-cream).

You can also use a mortar and pestle as shown in the video below.

The dry container that you use for grinding flour is the one you use for making baharat. Enjoy!

The post Make magical baharat, the 7 spice blend of Middle East cuisine appeared first on Green Prophet.

I live in the Middle East. Whenever my mom comes to visit she freaks out over the new flavors. Middle East cuisine has its own distinct curries and flavors for vegetables, fish and meat. There aren’t thousands of varieties, but like Indian cuisine the flavor of a good spice blend depends on its source, blend and freshness.

Baharat is a new spice trend in the western world but its an old Arabian favorite. It’s essential if you want to make makluba or mafroum. If you haven’t tasted either of these dishes you haven’t lived.

Bahārāt (Arabic: بهارات‎‎) is just an Arabic word for spices and it’s usually used to season lamb, fish, chicken, beef, and soups. It can also be used as a condiment. I’ve been taught by my Arab-Israeli friends how to use it on chicken (season it very, very lightly – sprinkled on top before the oven), and it’s also essential in the Palestinian favorite maklooba (see recipe here). But if you are vegan you can sprinkle it on tofu or seitan. Why not?

Since I live in Jaffa, close to amazing spice shops, I just buy my own baharat.

If you don’t live near an Arabian market that will blend its own fresh spices, make your own. Because old spice mixes don’t work well for any kind of food. When it comes to spices, fresh is best.

There is different baharat according to where you live. The Turkish baharat includes mint, while in Tunisia, baharat is a mixture of dried rosebuds, pepper and ground cinnamon. In the Arab Gulf, loomi (dried black lime) and saffron may also be used in kebsa, also called Gulf baharat.

Since I live in the Levante, I am going to give you the baharat I know, one used by Arabs in Israel. I’d be happy to know how it’s different in places near by.

Here’s how you make your own baharat:

Baharat Recipe

1 tbsp ground cardamom pods (the black seeds inside)
1 tbsp ground dry ginger
½ tbsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tbsp allspice*

*Like me, if you don’t have an allspice on hand, you can simply make your own by combining 2 parts cinnamon, one part ground nutmeg and one part ground cloves.

You can simply mix all together, and store in a dark airtight jar for use on all foods that need a little Middle Eastern kick. I prefer to buy some spices like nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom – the dried spices, and grind them whole in my Vitamix machine (which also makes a killer ice-cream).

You can also use a mortar and pestle as shown in the video below.

The dry container that you use for grinding flour is the one you use for making baharat. Enjoy!

The post Baharat blend – flavor your life with this classic Arabian curry appeared first on Green Prophet.

There are two good reasons for cooking with turmeric. The first one is that the spice’s attractive yellow color and pungent flavor satisfy the sense of having eaten real food. The second, as folk wisdom has always known, is that it’s good for you. Our previous post on turmeric vs. arthritis offers a wide view of the root’s healing properties.

Now science comes to back up folk wisdom, with studies proving that turmeric’s natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant  properties compare favorably to the effects of conventional drugs, without their side effects. It’s curcumin, the constituent of turmeric that makes the spice yellow, that contains these properties.

With the ability to lessen or eliminate inflammation, turmeric can treat a huge number of human ailments, like cancer. And arthritis, infections, chronic degenerative diseases, even depression. Over 590 abstracts, available through PubMed, attest to the near-miraculous healing qualities of the humble yellow root.

Rather than wait until life catches up with you and needing to start huge turmeric consumption, it’s better to simply eat a little every day.  I suggest that you learn to flavor rice, quinoa, and potatoes with it. Stir some into the next sauce you create. Look up some home-made curry recipes.

Or get a good dose of turmeric every morning by blending half a teaspoon into your favorite smoothie. And if you can find the fresh root, get your hands on as much as you can and freeze it. Grated into curries or sliced thinly into a smoothie, it’s the best way to get curcumin into your body..

It need not be said that turmeric won’t protect a person’s health if they also consume processed foods regularly, or smoke. And if serious illness is already present, very big doses of the root must be consumed.

In the meantime, here’s a turmeric smoothie recipe that packs a power of health and energy into your morning.  To your health!

Turmeric-Enhanced Morning Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup natural yogurt, kefir, or nut-based milk

1/2 cup frozen or fresh seasonal fruit chunks

1 banana or 1/2 avocado

1 teaspoon ground turmeric or a 1/4″ slice of turmeric root

1/2 teaspoon dried, ground or freshly-grated ginger root

A pinch of sea salt

Honey or natural date syrup or maple syrup to taste

More delicious ways to get turmeric into your life:

• Majadra Lentils and Rice
• Jordanian Mansaf Recipe
• Saudia Arabian Bukhari Rice
• Sweet and Tangy Cucumber Chips

:: Pubmed

:: GreenMedInfo

Image of ground turmeric and fresh turmeric root courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Turmeric Heals The Way Drugs Do, Only Better appeared first on Green Prophet.

Spices are so versatile, if you have a look around your kitchen, you will find many spices have more than a simple culinary use. One of these amazing spices is cloves, and while you might be aware of its versatility in the kitchen, there are some other medical factors, which you might not know about.

Cloves originally came from Asia and it wasn’t until the Middle Ages that they became more widely used in Europe. In Asia, for over two thousand years, they have been used, in fact it is said that in the Chinese court, nobles had to chew cloves to sweeten their breath before approaching the emperor.

There are several other uses for cloves as a result of it having several medical properties including being antiviral, antibacterial, antiseptic as well as being a natural anesthetic. This means that there are many ways for you to take advantage of the natural healing capabilities of cloves.

1. To begin with, cloves are an amazing solution to toothache. Instead of swallowing handfuls of painkillers, you can try putting a whole clove directly onto the gum around the affected area. You will find that this will numb the area giving you relief within a few short minutes.

2. Beyond a simple toothache, if you have a teething toddler, cloves can be safely used to relieve their pain as well as yours. All you need to do is crush up a clove or two and using your finger, gently rub their gums on both sides. This is a remedy that you don’t have to be afraid of overusing.

3. As an antibacterial, cloves have other uses. They have a high level of a compound called eugenol, which numbs and kills bacteria, making cloves an excellent way to get rid of a cold. Just heat up (without boiling) some red wine with cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and honey, you will have what is known as mulled wine. This was often used in medieval times to repel the common cold, and lets face it, it is much tastier than the flu medicines we have today.

Even though it is summer here in the Middle East, with air conditioning turned up high indoors and the heat and humidity rising outside, getting a cold becomes more than just a winter annoyance. So keep your cloves handy and next time you get a cold, see what it can do for you.

Read more on versatile plants:
RECIPE: Soothing, Sensual Rosewater
Aloe Vera – A Prickly Plant with Pizazz

The post Cloves In and Out of the Kitchen appeared first on Green Prophet.

R is for…Rose Buds. The Tunisian version of Baharat spice blend has crushed, dried roses in it. The  complex Iranian Advieh spice mixture also contains rose buds.

You find dried rose buds and rose water in open-air markets and Middle Eastern stores.

Rose Water. Roses are eaten, all over the Middle East, as rosewater. Either distilled or made into a syrup, rosewater is the aromatic flavoring for sweets like ma’amoul (links to recipe) and baklava. It comes in tiny glass bottles, very concentrated and to be measured out in drops, or in bottles more or less the size of ketchup bottles. That’s a weaker liquid which is used by tablespoons. We have read that Arab chefs sometimes use rose water as a substitute for red wine.

In the past, medicinal preparations based on roses were used to bring down fever and relieve headaches and pain in the joints. Today, herbalists use roses mostly for two other purposes: to calm the heart and spirit, and to stimulate sexual desire. The very costly essential oil is the most effective for these uses. Two drops of it in 2 tablespoons of almond oil make a divine massage oil.

You can make rose petal sandwiches to surprise and delight guests. Use only fresh, organic, unsprayed roses, of course.

Rose Sandwiches

Recipe from A Modern Herbal, by Mrs. M. Grieve

1. Place a layer of fresh red rose petals in the bottom of a jar or covered dish.
2. Put in 4 oz. of fresh butter wrapped in waxed paper.
3. 3. Cover with a thick layer of rose-petals. Cover closely and leave in a cool place overnight. The more fragrant the roses, the finer the flavour imparted.
4. Cut bread in thin strips or circles, spread each with the perfumed butter and place several petals from fresh red roses between the slices, allowing edges to show.
5. Serve, with tea.

Saffron

Another expensive spice well loved in the Middle East. The pungent flavor and bright yellow stain of these dried crocus stamens appear in all kinds of traditional stews, and sometimes in desserts as well.

This about saffron from Wikipedia:

Medicinally, saffron has a long history as part of traditional healing; modern medicine has also discovered saffron as having anticarcinogenic (cancer-suppressing), anti-mutagenic (mutation-preventing), immunomodulating, and antioxidant-like properties. Early studies show that saffron may protect the eyes from the direct effects of bright light and retinal stress apart from slowing down macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

If you need to justify the expense of the little box you just bought, think of that…but people who buy saffron simply love its taste and want it in their food sometimes.

Stretch your saffron by this simple, old method:

Have 1 cup of boiling water or stock at hand. Take 1/8 teaspoon (a small pinch) of saffron and mix it into the hot liquid. Cover it and allow it to steep for 15 minutes. The longer it steeps, the deeper yellow the liquid will become, and the more the flavor will infuse. Use this cup of saffron infusion to color and flavor your food, as part of the liquid required by the recipe.

Sage

More often considered a Mediterranean spice, sage sometimes flavors Middle Eastern food too. Sage is strongly antiseptic and healing to all tissues.  Next time you feel a sore throat coming on, try this sage gargle:

Simmer 2 tablespoons of fresh or dried sage leaves in 1 cup of water. Some white scum will appear; ignore it. Cover the tea and let it sit for another 20 minutes. Strain and gargle with it 3 times a day.

Often it only takes one day for redness and pain in the throat to disappear – if you catch the ailment early. If discomfort persists, see your doctor.

This tea is also effective to heal chafed, irritated skin anywhere on the body. Pat it on with cotton and allow it to air-dry.

Finally, sage deodorizes. Bathe hot, tired feet in a basin of sage tea. Pat dry. Your feet will be sweeter for it.

Sumac

Rhus coriaria

, edible sumac, is a favorite Middle Eastern spice. With its sour flavor and dark red color, it adds piquancy to grilled foods, thinly sliced onions eaten as a relish, chicken, and fish dishes. Sumac has a high proportion of tannins, which help control diarrhea. We have read of a folk medicine for upset stomach based on sumac, but have not tried making it ourselves.  Studies find sumac has anti-microbial and antioxidant properties.

More recipes and food tips you might like:

• How Green is Your Garlic?
• Persian New Year
• Recipe: Majadra, Middle Eastern Rice and Lentils

The post Middle-Eastern Spice Remedies: Roses to Sumak appeared first on Green Prophet.