Regrowing Sweet Basil

I bought some basil seeds from NTUC (one of the supermarkets you see in Singapore). And tried to grow them. Many of the plants did not survive beyond 2 leaves. You see, where I plant them (the corridor) has limited sun light. After much tries, and effort (by ensuring that they have enough sun), I managed to get my basil plants to grow to a significant height.

Growing from seed is slow. Though this is often rewarding, as once you have a relatively matured plant, things start to go easier. Basil can grow readily from a stem cutting. Simply just cut a branch off, let it root, and it will grow. Much easier, and higher success rate as compared to growing them from seeds.

In this video, I share the regrowing process for the first 3 weeks:

What is this ubiquitous plant called?

This is one of the most ubiquitous plant in Singapore household and also in some offices. I see so many people plant this almost everywhere in Singapore. Almost every HDB corridor has it somewhere, and I see them in offices too. 

Everyone calls this a mint plant. But exactly what mint is it?

The most common mint plant in Singapore

Leaves of the extremely common mint plant

Ask those who plant this, and some will call it African mint, some call it spear mint, some call it apple mint. One thing for sure, we know it's a mint. But exactly what mint is it? This plant is so ubiquitous in Singapore, how can we be so divided in our opinion of what mint it is?

What Mint is this?

The Most Common Domestic Plant here --- Cuban Oregano.

Yes its name is cuban oregano.It's not an oregano, but belongs to the mint family. We are all correct on this --- it's a mint plant.

It has other names such as Spanish thyme, Indian borage, Mexican mint, and Coleus amboinicus.

According to the Encyclopedia of Herbs: A Comprehensive Reference to Herbs of Flavor and Fragrance 2nd ed. by Thomas DeBaggio and Arthur O. Tucker, , (page 403), the Cuban Oregano orignates from India and possibly African (perhaps that's why some call it African mint).

So the mystery is solved. This ubiquitous plant is a mint like what we always know, and it's the Cuban Oregano.

Uses of Cuban Oregano

According to the book Florida's Best Herbs and Spices by Charles R Boning, (see pages 74- 75),  it has been used to substitute oregano in pizzas, flavorings for beans, and as tea (cool this means I am using it for the right purpose).

Some sites also describes them as having medicinal values in treating coughs and so on, such as here and here.

So, next time when you see this common plant, remember it's an Cuban Oregano (or Spanish thyme, Indian borage, mexican mint, Coleus amboinicus). Need some tea, pluck its leave, clean them and immerse in water.

Enjoy!

How to make mint tea leaves like those in the tea bags

Love the mint tea that you brew from the teabags you bought from supermarket? I have some here:

And guess what, I made them!

I have quite a lot of mint tea leaves, and wasn't intending to consume all the leaves that day,

With all these leaves that I have, why not dry them, and make them like those we see in tea bags?

The procedure to make dried tea leaves from these is very easy. First wash those leaves, tear them into small pieces and place them on a baking tray.

Next, bake the leaves in the oven at about 180 degree celcius for 25 minutes. Out come the dried tea leaves. Notice how much they shrink after they are dried. I tasted one piece of the tea leaves. Really crunchy, like that of the Korean seasoned seeweeds. And the minty fragrance of the leaves makes it quite a delicious snack. But no, for this time round, it's meant to be tea for future use.