In this the 15th instalment of the continuing series, Food for Thought/Grow & Eat Local, we focus on chive and basil, two popular food seasonings used in T&T and which are easy to grow at home.
This series seeks to inform about the 149 crops that are grown in T&T (not counting the varieties within many of them). These 149 crops are depicted on two charts with a photo of each crop in alpha order giving the local and scientific names and were sponsored by First Citizens. The model has been duplicated in Barbados, St Lucia and St Vincent, and efforts are underway to do so in Jamaica and Guyana. Copies have been distributed to all schools and libraries.
Chives are grown throughout T&T, but those which are grown in the Paramin Valley, Maraval, are highly prized for their flavour. However, the bundle of chive that we usually buy is really not the true chive but a closely related plant called scallion. It is interesting to note that what we call chive is really the scallion that are very popular in the Jamaican cuisine and is an ingredient in the preparation of jerk seasoning.
Chives are used in the making of the all-purpose green seasoning which is used to season meats. Both the green and white parts are used in stir fry and as a garnish to dishes.
Chive and scallions belong to the onion family of plants and provide a mild onion flavour to cooked and raw foods. The true chive is known as Allium schoenoprasum, while our local chive is Allium chinensis. Chives and scallions, like their relative, the onion, possess a reduced or shrunken stem from which leaves emerge. The roots emerge just below the compressed stem region and sit on the soil rather than being submerged in the soil.
The true chive have very slim (small in diameter) green leaves that are hollow and tubular, up to 50 cm (20 in) long and two–three mm (1⁄16 – 1⁄8 in) across, while that of the scallion are blue-green in colour and thicker and broader. At the base of these leaves is the stem which is white in colour. Of interest is the garlic chive which can be easily distinguished from the ordinary chive by its flat, thin, green leaves which has a distinct garlic flavour/smell. Garlic chive plants produce a very small white bulb that can be cooked like an onion.
For the purpose of easy reading, the scallions that are grown locally will be referred to as chives. Chives are easy-to-grow plants and lend themselves to growing in containers. Due to its growing habit, a small container can hold at least a dozen plants. Plants do best in full sunshine but if this is not possible, indirect light will suffice. Readily available from garden shops, chives begin as seed and sold as seedlings.
Melting of young seedlings can occur with too much water (rain), so it is recommended to hold the chive seedlings until they have reached a thin pencil thickness before planting into containers. Plant in well-drained soil and water as required. As the plants grow, the base of the white stem swells and the leaves elongate. Outer leaves can be cut to use in the kitchen, but the flavour of the chive is realised by using the entire plant including the stems.
Basil—the king of herbs
Basil—Ocimum basilicum, also called great basil or Saint Joseph's Wort, a half-hardy annual plant, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is also called the "king of herbs" and the "royal herb." Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell.
There are many varieties of Ocimum basilicum, as well as several related species or species hybrids also called basil. While most common varieties of basil are treated as annuals, some are perennial in warm, tropical climates, including holy basil/tulsi and a cultivar known as "African blue."
Most commercially available basils are cultivars of sweet basil. There are over 160 named cultivars available, with new ones appearing every year. Basil is most commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. In general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavour.
Basil is very sensitive to cold, with best growth in hot, dry conditions. It fares best in a well-drained sunny spot. Although basil grows best outdoors in strong sunlight, it can be grown indoors in a pot and like most herbs, will do best on a sun-facing windowsill. If its leaves have wilted from lack of water, it will recover if watered thoroughly and placed in a sunny location. Yellow leaves towards the bottom of the plant are an indication that the plant has been stressed; usually this means that it needs less water, or less or more fertiliser.
Basil can be propagated via its seed and seedlings are readily available from garden shops. Once a stem produces flowers, foliage production stops on that stem, the stem becomes woody, and essential oil production declines. To prevent this, a basil grower may pinch off any flower stems before they are fully mature. Because only the blooming stem is so affected, some stems can be pinched for leaf production, while others are left to bloom for decoration or seeds.
Once the plant is allowed to flower, it may produce seed pods containing small black seeds, which can be saved and planted the following year. Picking the leaves off the plant helps promote growth, largely because the plant responds by converting pairs of leaflets next to the topmost leaves into new stems.
Here in T&T, we tend to gravitate towards fruits and foods that are not local. Estimates are that our food import bill is near TT$5 billion annually and growing. A committee has been appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries to monitor the foods being imported in T&T with the aim to reduce the high food import bill and encourage local farmers to produce more.
Did you know that in the 1960s the Macqueripe/Tucker Valley was lush with citrus and banana fields producing more than enough to supply the nation? In other fertile areas other crops were prolific. Oil centricity, industrialisation and non-agricultural business have essentially put paid significantly to the agricultural sector.
Today, there must be innovation in agricultural production to assist local farmers if we are to reduce our huge food import bill. Government has announced its intention to establish a 130-acre agro park in Wallerfield, and UWI is challenging its agriscience students to design prototypes for growing food while agricultural economist Omardath Maharaj is calling on citizens to engage and support the resurrection and revival of local food production, processing and consumption.
According to him “we must, as a country, begin to focus on food sovereignty as a critical and sustainable step on the path ahead. We must return to this old time religion.”
Visit the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries’ website at
http://www.agriculture.gov.tt/
This series is written in collaboration with Cynthra Persad, retired director of Research, Ministry of Agriculture. For information on acquiring copies of the two Crops of T&T charts, email fruitstt@live.com