- Good day, I'm Mark
from Self Sufficient Me. And in this video, I'm gonna give you 21 herbs and spices that you
should always grow and why. Let's get into it. (gentle instrumental music) Number one is basil,
who doesn't like pesto? The Italian word for pound or crush it, like what this video is gonna
do to the YouTube algorithm. But of course, we mean pound
or crush the aromatic herb, basil, to make a condiment
that only adds another classic to the greatness that is Italian cuisine. Traditional basil is an annual that pairs wonderfully with tomatoes,
both as a companion plant to reduce pests in the garden and to eat. This famous herb is easy
to grow in the garden, or in containers, so there's no excuse. There are several different
varieties of basil, including perennial types,
like this Thai basil here, that can grow for years and get huge. However, the taste isn't the
same as the sweet annual types, often being stronger and
going better with Asian food, such as curries and stir fries. Number two, coriander. It's not in season here at the moment, but I do have some plants
that have gone to seed that I'll resow soon. Coriander is a herb and spice,
depending on how you use it, whether it's the leaves or the seeds. It's also called cilantro
in the USA and Mexico because it's Spanish for coriander. Although coriander is often
associated with Mexican food, it really is a world herb that is native to Southern Europe, North Africa and Asia, and has been used for thousands of years. Archeologists even found some in Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt. Apparently, his mummy
used to cook with it. The ground seeds are one
of my favorite spices for preserving and flavoring
meats, like biltong. Number three is kaffir lime. Speaking of coriander, if you've ever had a Thai green curry, you've probably also
experienced kaffir lime leaves finely chopped or young,
tender leaves added whole to give the dish a super citrus fresh hit right up the nostrils when
you have a good slurp. You can use the rind of the
fruit as well to flavor foods, but typically, it's the hourglass-shaped, green leaves that are used in cooking. The tree is usually compact, but they can get five or
more meters high and wide. However, if you prune it back regularly, they respond well and shape nicely, so it can be kept to a
manageable size if required. Number four is lemon grass. Speaking of kaffir lime, if you've ever had a Thai
green curry, deja vu anyone? Or if you're into refreshing
herbal teas and Asian food, then lemon grass is for you. Lemon grass is a grass. It likes a good warm spot to grow, and is easy to divide and
multiply if you wanna hedge it, or grow a ton of this lemon-scented herb. And since it has citronella qualities, it might even help to
keep the mozzies away. Number five is turmeric. I always get in trouble
on how to pronounce this. Turmeric, turmeric, whatever. If you think it's trendy to sprinkle turmeric over your latte, then imagine how cool you'd be if you grew it and made
your own turmeric powder. I practically turned one
plant, about 10 years ago, into a never-ending supply. And recently, I found you don't even have to bury the rhizomes
for the plants to grow. Here is a bunch of turmeric
that I had harvested, and then threw in a pile near these trees, then I simply forgot about
it and look at it now, growing like a champion. As you can see, it thrives on neglect, and grows well in containers too. Number six is ginger. Hey, why did the spice get bullied? Because he's ginger. Whenever someone mentions ginger, I can't help but think about one of the first Grow a Ton videos I made, which was on ginger. I look like such a hobo in that thumbnail. That's what happens when
you eat too much of it. Anyway, growing ginger is
as easy to grow as turmeric if you live in a warm climate. And if you live in a cooler climate, growing it in containers or a
hot house could be an option, and harvest it early for young ginger, which is not as strong as mature ginger, but is still really great
to use, especially raw. Number seven is galangal. Three rootal rhizome crops in a row. How about that? If you have never heard of
galangal but like Asian food, or drink Polish vodka, you've had it. Galangal is a similar crop to turmeric. And it's part of the
ginger family of plants, except it can grow much bigger. And I found that out the hard way when I grew it in our veggie garden. It's tall stalks shaded
everything out around it. Galangal has a distinct
medicinal smell and taste. And it's not something you
wanna chew on directly. But strategically used as an ingredient in dishes like luxes,
soup, sates and noodles, it's unique quality is fundamental to lifting the overall flavor. I now grow it in various
locations around our property, usually in the orchard, so it
won't out shade other plants. Number eight is oregano. Native to the Mediterranean, where it grows wild on rocky slopes, oregano is a herb that is often used dried for its more intense flavor
and keeping qualities. A member of the mint family
of plants, oregano, like mint, tends to die back and regrow
here in the subtropics. It will often die back in winter, and then burst into life in spring again. It grows really well in containers. But as you can see, I've
decided to move mine into a garden bed, which I'm yet to do. So I can't wait to start
growing some more soon because you just can't beat it sprinkled over some European-style cuisine to give it that authentic taste. Number nine is thyme and
this is another plant that I've gotta regrow but
who doesn't need more thyme? And that rhymed. I wish I had a ton of it. This tiny-leafed, sprawling
plant is a relative of oregano, and also native to the Mediterranean. Did you know that in the Middle Ages, thyme was placed under pillows to help people stop getting nightmares? It's true. And also, that's where the
term nighttime came from. That part isn't true. Seriously, I'm not sure
if it cures nightmares, but if you haven't tried growing it, I think it's high time you
gave thyme a go in your garden. Number 10, lemon verbena. Sounds like a South American
girlfriend I had in my 20s. Ah, verbena. I've only been growing
verbena for lemon verbena 'cause there are many different varieties, for a few years now, and it's already one of
my favorite herbs to grow. And lemon verbena happens
to be from South America. And it does have a strong
lemony smell and citrusy taste. It's really pleasant, and it goes well with fish,
poultry, roasted veggies. It's not the most
attractive plant to grow, but you can improve it
by pruning the bush back before it's main flush in
spring to help it bush out more. You can also get slight
variations, like lime verbena. Number 11 is dill. I grew dill in here last season before this dreaded pumpkin
vine took over the place. From famous dill pickles to dill-buttered roasted or boiled potatoes,
dill would have to be one of the world's and
my most favorite herbs. Known as dill weed, I certainly
wouldn't call it a weed, dill is easy to grow like a
weed, but it's not invasive, and it actually looks
really nice in the garden. Dill is best used fresh, as it loses its flavor when
dried in the traditional way. However, I recently discovered
that when freeze dried, it retains its flavor, so
I made it into a powder, mixed it with some mayo, and it makes a delicious
sauce for a burger. If you don't wanna be a
dill, make sure you grow it. Number 12 is parsley. Flat or curly leaf
parsley would have to be one of the world's most well-known herbs. And probably one of the
most thrown away garnishes left on the side of a plate
in restaurant history. Parsley seems to be seasonal
here in our climate as well, not liking the really hot, humid weather, so it grows best through our winters. And it doesn't germinate
very easily from seed either. Although, the flat leaf or Italian parsley tends to germinate much easier
than the curly leaf ones. And that often comes up
by itself in our garden if the previous crop is
left to flower and seed. A distinct taste with a wide
climate range for growing, it's a must to have in your home garden. Number 13 is bay leaf. Leaves from this slow-growing,
aromatic, beautiful tree are used to flavor stews,
curries, casseroles, lamb shanks and sauces. Some say the dry leaves are more fragrant and less bitter than
the freshly-picked ones. But I don't notice a big difference, and I often use them conveniently plucked straight off the
tree from my own rear deck. This plant is our oldest herb, traveling with us in a trailer, getting wind burned all
the way from Victoria, about an 18-hour trip, planted 16 years ago
here in our back yard. Number 14 is mint. I sure could go a nice,
refreshing mojito right now. But mint is more than just muddled into the bottom of a
cocktail glass with ice. As we all probably know,
mint is a strong base flavor for so many other things,
particularly confectionary. I just can't wait for after
dinner mints to make a comeback. I've covered mint a lot on my channel, so you've probably heard my biggest tip, which is to plant it
where it can be contained, like in this raised, round garden bed here because if you don't, what can happen is it'll get out into your garden. Those roots will secretly go underground, and then it'll start
popping up everywhere, and you'll never get rid of it, no matter how many mojitos you drink. Number 15 is chives. Chives may not save lives, but it sure will save your dinner party when you realize you've forgotten
the onions and the garlic. Because the aptly-named
garlic and onion chives are a great substitute. Surprisingly hardy, chives
grow in a number of places, containers or out into the garden, in full sun or even in the shade under other plants or structures. It really is a fantastic,
versatile herb to grow. Number 16 is the curry tree. And it's native to, you guessed it, India. This plant or the leaves of it, is the base for so many curry
dishes and other recipes. The leaves can be used fresh, or ground down into powders and pastes. It grows easily from seed, so easily that it's classed here in
Australia as a weed risk. So what we need to do, I think,
is to eat more of this plant so that we keep the numbers down. Number 17 is rosemary. Someone who knew nothing about flowers asked Mary if this was a rose. Is this a rose, Mary? And the name stuck. Now, I can't verify if this story is true but if it is, it's a cracker. The short, pine-needle-leaf-like herb is a great match for lamb. And we Australians like
to wear a sprig of it on commemorative days, such as Anzac Day, to remember the fallen. It's a top herb and I
grew it next to the path to smell the wonderful aroma
every time you walked past. Number 18, chili. I'd be silly not to mention the chili as a spice to enhance all types of food, and really bring out that flavor. Yes, chili peppers are indeed a fruit, but it's also considered a
spice, so let's not split hairs. I love chilies, unless
they get in my eyes, then I have several other names for it that I can't repeat here on camera. But honestly, our garden and our diet wouldn't be complete
without growing chilies. Number 19 is mustard. Like chilies, mustard can be classed other than a herb or a spice
because it's also a salad crop. I've made our own mustard paste before from our own harvested mustard seed. And although it's a bit of a
process, it sure was worth it. The seeds can be used
in cooking and pickling, or the young leaves tossed
in salads or stir fries as a herbal pickup to
lift that overall flavor. Number 20 is fennel, and the last place I
grew it was right here. Fennel is part of the carrot family, and can be grown for its bulbous root, shaven into salads or
cooked in stews and roasted. As a herb and spice, the anise
seed flavor of the leaves and seeds go excellent with fish, eggs and in soups or stews. Fennel is easy to grow from seed, and being a vegetable, herb and spice, should make it reason enough
to sow some in the patch. And finally, number 21 is garlic. This one here is a little
bit smaller than usual from our organic supplier
that grows inland from here, where it gets a bit colder but
even he had a tough season, and they came out quite small than usual. Garlic is my old sparring partner. It's both one of my favorite
spices to eat or use in cooking and one of the hardest plants to grow here in our subtropical climate. But that doesn't stop me from trying. Garlic is from the Allium family, similar to onions, chives, leeks. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you what an amazing food flavor
and enhancer garlic is. Just think of garlic bread, say no more. Now, there are plenty of other herbs and spices that are available
and some that I also grow that are quite well-known and popular. But they didn't make my top
21 for whatever reasons, either personal preference, or perhaps I'm still working them out. And who knows, they might
make the list in the future over something else. Do you have a favorite herb
or spice that wasn't included in my top 21 that you
think should be in there? If you do, whack it down in
the common section below. But when you do, tell me which one of mine you would remove or replace. Well, I hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, make sure you
give it a big, spicy thumbs up and share the video around. Subscribe if you haven't already because that helps my channel out heaps, the sharing and the subscribing. Thanks a lot for watching. Bye for now, cheers.
