Easy-to-grow ulam herbs
If you enjoy the Malay salad or ulam, why not consider growing some yourself ? It’s actually pretty easy to do, writes Stephanie Choo
LEAFY herbs such as the pegaga and holy basil, which are essential for a nutrient-packed ulam, are easy growers and good options for even first-time gardeners. Once in place, these perennials will give you a constant supply of fragrant leaves aside from the pleasure of plucking them fresh, as and when you need them. comes in two basic varieties. The purple variety (called kemangi hitam in Malay) has purplish green leaves cum purple stems and flowers. The white (kemangi hijau) one is all green with white flowers. Their aromatic leaves are ovate in shape and serrated.
This member of the mint plant family, Lamiaceae, is botanically called Ocimum tenuiflorum (synonym: Ocimum sanctum). The herb’s other common names include sacred basil, tulasi or tulsi. A sacred plant Pruning and deadheading keeps your holy basil lush and healthy.
in Hindu belief, it’s found widely throughout the Southeast Asian tropics.
Holy basil grows upright to about 100cm high. To make new plants of it, you need to either sow its seeds or use stem cuttings.
Keep the soil fertile by applying about 5cm layer of compost onto the soil surface periodically, and then water deeply.
It’s best to keep them well watered at all times although both herbs are capable of bouncing back well after a dry out. Harvest the leaves of pegaga and young shoots of the holy basil just before eating or cooking them.