2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
China is something of a global laboratory for plant species. There they are in innumerable variety. In order for a plant to deserve the epithet Emperor of Vegetables, it must be truly unusual. And the plant that was so named is called basel.
It has been known for centuries and is a main ingredient in many dishes of the national cuisines of South Asian countries. They also call it Malabar spinach, vine spinach, Ceylon spinach and many more. What is this remarkable vegetable and since when is it a guest at the European table? What others applications have hanged except for food?
Classification of the basil plant
Basel is an interesting plant. The genus to which it belongs is small. Only 5 species of such plants are known. In Madagascar there are 3 species of this creeping plant, in East Africa and Southeast Asia it can also be found. This is a long vine, the stem of which grows up to 10 meters.
In Europe, this creeping plant was brought during the Great Geographical Discoveries from the island of Malabar, whence one of its names. The first samples were brought to England and its taste was immediately appreciated. Wherever it grows in nature, it is used mainly for food.
The scientific name is Basella alba and is a perennial vine of the family Basellaceae. The plant is found in tropical Asia and Africa, where it is used as a leafy vegetable. It is naturalized in China, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, West Indies, Fiji and Polynesia.
Description of the pool
Basel is a fast-growing soft stem vine. It is characterized by thick, semi-succulent heart-shaped leaves. They have a mild taste and mucous structure.
Their plant two varieties - green and red. The stem of Basella alba is bare, green, with green leaves, and the stem of the variety Basella alba Rubra is bare, blackish-purple. The leaves are green when formed, but when the plant reaches its maturity, the older leaves develop a purple pigment. It starts at the base of the leaf and creeps to the edges.
When crushed, the stem emits a strong aroma.
The flowers of the basil are gathered in spike-shaped inflorescences up to 15 cm long. The flowers are small, tubular and change from pale pink to red and sometimes purple during flowering.
The fruits of Basel are small, up to 0.6 cm, shiny, dark red, but there are also purple to almost black. They have round black seeds.
Propagated by seeds and cuttings. It grows very well at high temperatures. The main enemy of the plant is dry air. It needs moisture for normal development.
Distribution and preferred conditions of the basin
Basella alba prefers hot, humid and sunny climates. It comes from the tropical Asian regions, but has also found ground in India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is an invasive species in South China, Central America, Africa and some tropical regions. The plant grows best on sandy loam soils rich in organic matter with a pH in the range of 5, 5 to 8.
Chemical composition and pharmacological properties of basel
The chemical composition of basel is not fully clarified. However, it is clear that it contains beta-cyanide pigments in the leaves and fruit. These are betandine hexoses and betandine dihexoses. We must also add to the useful substances folate, manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium, calcium, zinc, as well as vitamins A and C. Homfenin I is found in the fruit.
The rich chemical composition is due to the pharmacological properties of Basella alba. Dietary fiber in the composition of Malabar spinach normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract. It has a weak laxative effect.
The high content of vitamin C is the reason for the rapid healing of wounds, as well as explains the antiviral properties of the plant.
The very high content of vitamin A supports the mucous membranes and reduces the risk of cancer of the oral cavity and lungs. It also improves fertility, according to some studies.
Healing properties of basil
The healing properties of Basella alba have found application in traditional medicine. Due to the richness of fiber, the leaves are used as a laxative, which is safe to use even in conditions such as pregnancy.
Low-calorie Malabar spinach is a good way to lose weight.
The juice of the leaves is used as a diuretic. It is drunk for fever due to its antipyretic effect.
Basella alba is included as a good prophylactic and therapeutic agent for viral infections.
For external use, a paste is used, which is made from the leaves of the plant and has boiling properties. The irritating effect it has locally is used in the treatment of abscesses, ulcers and boils.
Use of the pool
Basella alba finds a number of applications in various fields. Here are the most common.
Basel in cooking
The Basel plant is not accidentally called spinach. Its taste is very similar to that of leafy vegetables. The taste is vegetable, slightly reminiscent of beets, cheese, spinach and young corn. It tastes good both fresh and processed. It is used for soups, various salads, stews, as well as for making curry for roasted meat.
It can be cooked fried, stewed, baked. In Western cuisines it is valued more than ordinary spinach.
Malabar spinach, however, does not tolerate prolonged heat treatment, so it is added to hot dishes, similar to spinach - just before they reach full readiness. When added to hot foods, the basel gradually becomes more sticky in texture. It should be noted that it has the ability to color other products in bright green. This ability is used in the preparation of jellies and marmalades.
Malabar spinach is a very popular product in Asian cuisine. In Vietnam, it is cooked with shrimp, crab meat, put in seafood soups. In the Philippines, Malabar spinach leaves are a staple of all vegetable dishes called utan. Serve them on rice. It is usually cooked with sardines, onions, garlic and parsley.
This spinach has only 19 calories in a serving of 100 grams, so a good figure is guaranteed for vegetable lovers. In addition, it has a very good nutritional value and excellent taste.
Basel in gardening
The bright green leaves covering the flexible and thin stem, the tiny flowers gathered in interesting inflorescences, and the shiny fruits make Basella alba a desirable ornamental plant. It is grown not only as a vegetable but also as a garden plant.
The vines of Malabar spinach can decorate the hedge of the house, gazebos or walls of the house. Gardeners prefer a variety that is called Red Basella. It has a decorative stem with a reddish color and its leaves have beautiful purple stripes.
In gardening they like this vine because it is unpretentious and does not require care. It should be in the sun and watered regularly. Pests and diseases on it are almost not observed. The only inconvenience are the young fragile shoots. This creates a problem when transplanting. They may be injured or dry out.
Other areas of application of Basel
From the fruit juice of the plant, learned from the fruits, a red dye is obtained. They put it in cosmetic products for coloring, for example in lipsticks and blush. It is also used to color food products - candies, jelly products, as well as fabrics. It is also used in the production of ecological inks.
See which spring vegetables should be on our table. If you can't find basel on the market, take a spinach link and prepare one of these appetizing recipes with spinach.
