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Basil

The herb known as Ocimum basilicum and more commonly known as basil originates in India. While the herb was also used and known to exist in Egypt, Greece, and Rome, it had sacred significance in India. The Hindu culture associated the herb with natural elements, celestial bodies, gender, cultural gods, and magical uses. The following magical uses and properties were attributed to basil by the Hindu culture:

Magical Uses: protection, wealth, love, repel negativity

The name basil allegedly came from the mythical serpent basilisk who could kill with one stare. Despite this ancient association of basil with magical properties and mythical figures, today the herb is mostly associated with culinary arts. Basil is a leafy, annual herb whose leaves have a fragrant odor and are yellowish-green to dark green in color. There are numerous types of basil plants, from sweet to bushy. There are so many culinary uses for basil that they cannot all be listed in the space allotted here, but the following represent the primary culinary uses for basil: “Tomato dishes cooked or fresh, salad dressings, marinades and dips, hot or cold, pasta, bland vegetables, meat or poultry, baked or poached fish, shellfish, soups, cheeses, pesto, tea, jelly, honey, liquor, and others” (Rindels 1-2).

Basil must be properly prepared depending on the type of use. For example, it can be added as a delicious compliment to soups, but it should not be added until the last half hour of cooking. Further, the flowers of the basil plant are also edible and may make a nice accompaniment to salads or other dishes like risotto. Since basil has an aromatic quality, it is quite often one of the components of potpourri and sachets. The cosmetic industry also incorporates basil into a variety of products including “basil oil in lotion, shampoo, perfum

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Basil. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 10:04, March 19, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1685067.html