At Nelda, we love finding new ways to live greener – and growing your own produce is a great way to do that! Growing edible produce at home ensures that it is completely organic, meaning it doesn’t contribute to the use of pesticides and chemicals that could harm the environment. It also requires no transportation, which helps to cut down on pollution.
In addition to growing your own fruits and vegetables, growing your own herbs is also a good idea. These will enhance your home cooking with fresh and zesty flavours that your family are sure to enjoy – especially knowing you’ve grown it yourself.
Asafetida
Asafetida is essentially a larger fennel and is found in India and Afghanistan. Although it is known for its not so appetising smell, asafetida is commonly used as a condiment to enhance dal or vegetables. It has also been used in India for medicinal purposes, such as helping with digestive problems.
Cardamom
Cardamom is a spice that’s native to India and is used in sweet and savoury foods, including breads, fruit dishes and even coffee. Cardamom coffee is a popular drink across India, North Africa and the Middle East, so try making it yourself with your very own cardamom.
Curry Leaf
The Curry Leaf plant is commonly found in India and Sri Lanka and grows all year round. In fact, you may even have some growing in your garden right now! The leaves of the plant are fried or toasted and are then used to enhance masala dishes.
Fenugreek
Although not native to India specifically, fenugreek is found across many Asian and Southern European countries. It is a legume – similar in look to alfalfa – and is commonly used in India for its small ochre seeds, used in spice blends such as curry powder. This can then be used to create meat or potato dishes.
Nigella
The seeds of the nigella plant are used in a variety of dishes in India. They are used in spice blends, as an addition to vegetables or fish, and also in naan bread. Toast them before adding them to your recipe to get the most from their flavour. Additionally, these seeds are also used to repel insects in the home.
Growing any of these would be a great choice, so give it a try! Growing herbs can be done even if you don’t have a garden or allotment, as they only need small tubs or pots to grow in. If you live in an apartment, you could even grow them on your window ledge, making them an accessible (and edible) plant for everyone.
Do you grow any produce at home, such as herbs? Which ones? Will you be growing some in the future? Share your plans and experiences below!
