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| Magic herb in a pot |
| Abhilasha Ojha / New Delhi Aug 08, 2009, 00:08 IST |
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Abhilasha Ojha goes shopping for herbs and finds a rich market of fresher and newer aromatic plants which are being increasingly sold in malls, nurseries and online too
W hen I was younger, I often saw my mother diligently consume tulsi (basil) leaves every morning. She always spoke of the goodness of the plant, a medicinal herb that not only had the potential to cure diseases but was also revered for religious reasons in most Hindu homes.
Having visited Select Citywalk in New Delhi recently, the thought of my mother waking up to chew those leaves came back to me when a gentleman at one of the kiosks offered me a tulsi leaf, straight from the pot, to taste. “Have it madam, it is alag (different),” he said. The instant I began chewing it, I felt a burst of fresh lime in my mouth. The lemony taste continued to linger but finally gave way to the unmistakable aftertaste of good ol’ basil. What I had consumed at that humble kiosk in Select Citywalk was no ordinary basil. The gentleman at the kiosk referred to the plant resting in a clean pot as “lemon tulsi”, a hybrid variety, snapped up by another customer for Rs 200.
“All our pots are priced at Rs 200, but trust me, it’s very difficult to convince people to purchase these. They’ll spend the same amount on cut flowers, or bottles of beer but when it comes to fresh plants, they’ll think so hard,” rues Anju Kumar, founder, Wingreen, an organisation that has been formed to empower farmers and one that is selling potted herbs and salad greens to consumers in Delhi since last year. Resting on Wingreen shelves (outlets at Select Citywalk and Ambience mall, Gurgaon) are fresh herbs: oregano, thyme, rosemary and others whose dried versions one has always been sprinkling on food preparations. Thankfully, individuals like Kumar are now promoting the use of fresh herbs for daily cooking. What’s more, there are enthusiasts who are making space in their balconies, on window sills and in their lawns to accommodate these pots of aromatic plants.
While Wingreen kiosks sell a wide variety of aromatic plants, what a majority of customers want, according to Kumar, are herbs which can be used for Italian and
European cooking. That’s why European basil, for instance, is a best-seller as are fresh herbs like oregano, thyme and rosemary. Interestingly, stores like Le Marche and Food Bazaar have bottles of dried herbs that come at an affordable Rs 125 and above. Le Marche, especially, stocks dried herbs from an Indian brand, Keya, the parent company of which is Amalgam Specialty Foods. The new, freeze-dried products include herbs like basil, oregano, chives, parsley, mint and rosemary.
In Mumbai, try the road to Kalina, a suburb where there is this hawking zone where a lot of potted herbs and ferns are sold. You could also opt for Gourmet City at Inorbit Mall, Malad, where kitchen plants and herbs are on sale.
But apart from the regular potted herbs, what are some of the newer trends? A visit to some local nurseries reveals that peppermint is a hot favourite. A small pot can cost around Rs 200 but a bigger one can cost anywhere between Rs 450-500. Then, there’s stevia, a sweet herb, which, Kumar adds, is also becoming popular. This supposedly aids in curing diabetes and despite tasting sweeter than regular white sugar, it is a zero calorie sweetener. Just bring home a pot, water it once a day (or twice, if it’s very hot) and have a leaf after each meal.
Pallavi Jain, founder, greensomethings.com, an online venture which started last year and is aimed at “green gifts”, says that a lot of people are opting to purchase potted herbs instead of cut flowers, soft toys and chocolates. On her website, potted herbs are available from Rs 125 onwards. She also agrees that medicinal herbs, instead of mere aromatic herbs, that can be used in food preparations are a rage. It’s a reason why herbs like basil, ashwagandha and brahmi, recommended by Ayurveda, are being picked up by a majority of consumers.
Interestingly, there are reports of many farmhouse owners in the NCR doling out fat wads of cash to create greenhouses, where they are planting — and selling — different varieties of plants and herbs. Each weed of giant cauliflower, red cucumber or cabbage, for that matter, can easily cost around Rs 35,000! These greenhouses aim at growing herbs like parsley, rosemary, stevia, marjoram, peppermint, lemon grass, cinnamon, black pepper and chillies. Many of these are supplied to hotels and restaurants.
Go on. Buy a potted herb. Pluck a fresh leaf and add it to your recipe.
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