Amazing food in Ho Chi Minh City with Vietnam Basil

Medicinal Properties

According to Oriental medicine, spicy, aroma, the warmth of basil can stimulate absorption, sweating, diuretic, blood loss and pain relief. According to book Dictionary of medicinal plants in Vietnam, Dr. Vo Van Chi said: The whole plant contains essential oil (0.02 to 0.08%), at the highest levels of flowering plants. Basil essential oils contain strong anti-chemical oxygen can slow the aging process. They also help prevent certain cancers, prevent the growth of some bacteria and fight inflammation. In addition, this oil has the ability to protect the body before the onset of toxic elements from the environment, mental relaxation, stress, depression and a therapeutic skin care, hair moisturizer. Basil leaves used to treat runny nose, headache, stomach pain, bloating, poor digestion, enteritis, diarrhoea. It is also used to treat irregular menstruation, reduce bruising injuries, arthritis, organ matching. Everyday, you only need 10g -15g dry tree, excellent for drinking water. Pounding out fresh leaves, wash up or cook out, treat snake bites, insect stings, eczema, dermatitis. After birth, the mother is not enough milk for breastfeeding, basil leaves can get excellent drinking water, use 2 cups/day. Basil leaves work very well stimulate milk. It can also help in reducing feelings of fatigue, anorexia after strenuous work, you get soaked basil leaves in boiling water for about 10 minutes to drink. If it’s hard to drink, you can add a little honey.   Your breath smells better if you chew hard living basil leaves. With basil flowers, you should be harvested, dried for use as needed. Flowers are good for people with neurological diseases, children less sleep, adults with headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain, sore throat and cough, pertussis children. Break a little dried leaves and flowers to get water, drink 3 cups a day. Eating basil fruit to treat pink eye, corneal opacity. Leaves, flowers, fruits, nuts basil mixing together is the best way to treat rashes, allergies. You just crushed drinking water and rubbing the residue taken up sore. In addition, basil is also cooked and mouth mouthwash to treat toothache, tooth decay. On using 10g - 25g fresh or dried leaves Not only are spices, medicinal plants close to life, basil is also an "enemy" of the insect. For mosquitoes, you can grow basil around the house. If many mosquitoes in the house, you get some basil leaves burning on fire. This scent will make mosquitoes quickly withdrew. A bunch of basil hung over the kitchen window or a pot of basil in the windowsill will deter flies. Dried basil is used for its fragrance in potpourris and sachets. It is also used in herbal bath mixtures and add luster to the hair. Basil seeds: When soaked in water, the seeds of several basil varieties become gelatinous and are used in Asian drinks and desserts.

2. Use in food

Vietnamese basil is one of the ingredients for many kinds of cooking such as spring roll, salad, Vietnamese traditional beef noodles soup and so on. It is best used fresh and added only during the last few minutes of cooking.

›› Recipe    HCM Cooking class will be your life option   HCM Fried Spring Rolls (30rolls)   I. Ingredients • 500g lean minced pork • 20g fresh shrimp minced • 30 rice paper sheets(or a bit more in case you break a few) • 4 tbsp minced shallots (about 6 shallots) • 4 dried wood ear fungus soaked in water until soft and sliced (50g) • 50g dried glass noodles soaked in water until soft, drained, then cut into 5cm lengths • 1 carrot cut in julienne • 1/2 tsp pepper • 3 tbsp of fish sauce • Vegetable oil for the deep-frying • 1 bunch of several leaves: Vietnamese basil, Shiso leaves (purple mint), mint leaves (lemon mint) & green lettuce leaves • Fish sauce for dipping   II. Direction • Make the filling first by combining all ingredients in a large bowl and mixing until well blended, set aside. • To make the fried rolls wet a little bit the rice paper and smooth it with your fingers. • Place 2½ heaping tbsp of the filling onto the rice paper. Fold one end of the wrapper over the filling, then fold the 2 sides parallel and roll up tightly, pressing to seal. Repeat until all ingredients are used up. • Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat until hot. Deep- fry the rolls a few at a time for about 5 minutes each until golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. • Place the fried rolls on a serving platter and serve with the lettuce, leaves and fish sauce on the side.