Fascinating Plants – #1

One of the things about plants that fascinates me is how some plants smell or taste like something else or are aromatic in general. How standing by a plant or tree and taking a long breathe fills you with spicy aroma. How crushing a leaf or flower between your fingers gives whiff of sweet scents. There are other parts of plants such as bark or seed that are aromatic and are used in cooking. And, there are some plants whose whiff reminds us of something else, of some other plants.

There are aromatic plants like basil which smell like lemon or just sweet, or sage which smells of pineapple or tangerine, or a jasmine species whose flower smell of oranges, or edible garlic vines whose leaves smell of garlic when crushed and can be used as a substitute in cooking, or a plant that looks and smell like ajwain. There are flowers like rose, jasmine or chamomile that are used to make tea or scented candles. And, plants whose oil or extracts are used in essential oils for aromatherapy or in cooking. The list of aromatic plants is endless and is definitely worth exploring.

I particularly love aromatic herbs that have unique aroma, particularly sweet. Some of my favourites are mint, coriander, fennel, kasuri methi, krishna tulsi and many more. I love using generous amount of such herbs in cooking or to make tea because they add a natural and fresh dimension to otherwise plain food or drink.

And, then of course, there is a complete collection of “spices” that have been used in cooking for centuries. Such “spices” are dried bark, seed, flower, fruit, root or leaves of a plant and then there is also a lichen – black stone flower! The smell or flavour of these range from sweet, hot, bitter or sour. Indian cooking is full of such spices which we use in a almost all the dishes, whether it be vegetables, sweet dishes or non-vegetarian – cardamom, clove, cinnamon, fennel, mustard, cumin, red chillies, star anise, bay leaf, pepper and the list goes on and on.

What are some of your favourite aromatic plants or spices that you love in your food or for aroma therapy?