Basil is still probably the most universal of home grown herbs used today and commonly used amongst culinary cooks and in restaurant kitchens. When preparing basil for cooking, the leaves should be detached from their central stalks, as the stems are at times rather coarse. If you tear the leaves by hand you'll usually produce a finer flavor than if cutting the basil with a sharp knife. Nevertheless here is a superb hint for you, you can release a flavorsome basil aroma by crushing the basil leaves with a mortar and pestle. What this does is open the cells that comprise the all important basil essential oils, to launch its amazing fragrance in abundance.
Basil can be consumed fresh or it can be dried-up, equivalent to several other planted herbs. However basil is at its best when freshly picked and used, drying basil on the other hand will lose its perfume and quite a bit of flavor in the process. Basil should be added to a meal just before it is served in order to preserve its amazing fragrance and flavour. If cooked for too long the basil's aroma will be weakened and will lose its flavor and impact.
Basil perfectly combines with a a small number of other fresh herbs like rosemary, parsley and thyme, as its challenging to blend amid other herbs that might give rise to a distasteful collision of a multitude of acute aromas. The fresh variety of basil will maintain for two days inside your refrigerator if enveloped tightly in a cloth or fabric. Garden fresh basil can be kept in a plastic bag in your fridge for a few days at a time. However if needing to store basil for longer periods of time, it can be kept in your freezer soon after being briefly dipped in boiling hot water. Freshly picked basil can be conserved in a jar or container simply by adding some virgin olive oil together with a few pinches of rock salt.
Basil can be used for medicinal and herbal purposes as it is related to the Mint family, and renowned for its healing properties. A good number of people associate everything mint with supporting the digestive system and furthermore for its anti-gas properties. Herbalists use basil quite commonly for health ailments such as belly cramps, stress, severe headaches, nausea and bowel problems. If you want a good night's sleep, it has been said that you should make yourself a cup of hot herbal tea. If you don't enjoy the taste of basil tea, you can always buy basil tablets from your local health shop.
Basil is a great insect deterrent, so if you choose to grow your own herb garden you can thank the basil plant for keeping flies and other irritating insects away in summer.
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