5 herbs you can grow in your kitchen balcony

Herbs are an indispensable ingredient in every kitchen and their significance in Indian cuisine is second to none. In addition to extending earthiness to stews, broths and an array of other recipes, their medicinal properties have come to human rescue since the stone age.

Although most herbs can be used in a dried form, the benefits of freshly plucked culinary herbs are unrivaled. Unlike other plants, herbs require lesser space and maintenance. They can be neatly organized in your kitchen outdoors to come handy swiftly. And if that wasn’t convincing enough, studies have found that gardening is one of the best ways of managing stress and encompass a feeling of well being.

Let’s look at five herbs that are easy to grow and can be used in your cooking as well as health remedies.

1. Tulsi/Holy Basil

Known as the ‘Queen of Herbs’ in Ayurveda, Tulsi has abundant applications. It has long been considered sacred offering spirituality and divinity. Highly aromatic, Tulsi repels mosquitoes and packs a plethora of medicinal properties such as boosting immunity and protecting against bacterial infection.

In culinary use, Tulsi is commonly used in Indian Tea (Chai) for its therapeutic effects and aromatic flavor. This plant loves the warmth and needs at least six hours of sunlight every day.
To maintain its health, the soil must be kept moist with regular watering.

2. Coriander

Coriander, also known as cilantro is widely used as a garnishing agent and is a key ingredient for the insanely popular Indian Green Chutney. It contributes both to the visual appeal and the flavor of the dish. Known to help with indigestion and lowering blood glucose levels, it is low maintenance plant that just thrives on rich soil. It takes about a month for the leaves to grow after the seed has sprouted. Lover of the light, this plant will bloom in your kitchen balcony.

3. Mint

Mint is another herb that can be used in a plethora of courses. From garnishing your appetizers and main course to concocting alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, it adds a punch of freshness to your savories. Much like coriander, it also makes for an excellent ingredient for peppery and flavorsome dips to accompany your starters. Additionally, it serves as a home remedy to counter digestive disorders.

It grows in peace in partially shaded areas but need a bit of sunlight for its natural oils to remain intact. Watering on a regular basis will keep the leaves fresh for any time use.

4. Curry Leaves

Recognized with their distinctive aroma, Curry leaves belong to the citrus fruit family. They impart a strong nutty and spicy dash of flavor to most lentil recipes. Unlike other herbs, they require constant care and natural fertilisers to grow. In order to keep the plant healthy for a long time, trimming the dry leaves between weeks is advisable. Since dry curry leaves don’t retain the flavor for too long, growing them in your kitchen patio is the ideal to ensure a constant fresh supply of this flavorsome herb.

5. Fenugreek

Fenugreek or Methi as we call it is known to add a distinctive earthy, grassy and slightly sweet aroma to your recipes. It is also used widely used to make crispy fried Indian bread known as pooris and provides for a delectable base for numerous curries. Considering its need for a larger space to thrive, using a wide pot is recommended. With regular watering and about half a day of sunlight, you can harvest fenugreek in three to four weeks.

Kitchen gardening not only gives you access to nature’s bountiful supply of herbal medicines and flavouring agents, but it is also an indisputable way to get the farm to table food in a matter of minutes!

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