Common name
Tej petta/ Tezapatta/ Malabar leaf/ Daphne/ Bay Laurel/ Laurel Común/ Noble Laurel/ Mediterranean Bay
Scientific name
Laura nobilis
Kingdom
Plantae
Family
Lauraceae
Background and native countries
The bay tree seems to be native to Asia Minor, from where it advanced towards the Mediterranean region and other countries compromising of similar hot & warm climate. It became a symbol of glory and honor in ancient Greece & Rome, where royal kings & queens, poets, heroes from art and sport used to wear the wreath made of bay leaves.
Cropping and harvesting
The bay tree is a shrub that is grown wild. The modest and discreet white flowers grow in bunches in the hot month of May. Leaves can be cropped at any time of the year once developed to a particular shape and length. After cropping, leaves are kept in the shade to get dried up.
Taste and aroma
The taste of bay leaves is less dominant, intense, sharp, and robust than their scent and fragrance. The aroma of desiccated bay leaves is ethereal, elegant, & hot_somewhat similar to oregano & thyme. The dried form is a lot less bitter and stinging in flavor than the fresh bay leaves.
Culinary uses
Bay leaves have been the must-added key ingredient of a range of Mediterranean, Indian, Mexican, Indonesian, American, & French cuisine. From pasta sauce & broth to soups & stews, bay leaves can never get shipped from the simmering process of slow-cooked-recipes become of their exotic fragrance & one-of-its-kind flavor. Bay leaves tenderize whole kinds of meat, including fish, crab, beef, lamb, and more, during the marination process. French bouquet garni can never isolate inculcation of bay leaves in a bundle of spice which is needed to add arousing aroma and elegant flavor to soups and broth. The bay leaves balance and counterbalance different flavors within a dish.
Benefits and medical uses
Organic bay leaves contain an amulet amount of vitamins (A, B, & C) and minerals such as calcium, folic acid, manganese, iron, sodium, zinc, copper, selenium, potassium, and more that have medical, herbal, & therapeutical properties. Bay leaves carry more or less 2 percent of essential oil, the integral component of 1,8 cineole used in aromatic therapy. The burning of bay leaves reduces stress and anxiety. Anti-inflammatory & antioxidant property of bay leaves fights back to prevent cancer & joints issues. This glorious herb controls diabetes, weight, blood sugar levels, blood cholesterol levels & protects heart health. Bay leaves improve digestion, sleep, & alleviate pain concerned with menstrual pain. Eating bay leaves provide a plethora of folic acid, making a woman ready to conceive a healthy baby.
Storage
Fresh bay leaves can be lodged in a clean zip-top plastic bag & stationed in the refrigerator for one week or two. Dried or powdered bay leaves are stored in a tightly-fitted jaw or container where they can last up to 2 years without losing their flavor & aroma.