dry ginger

ay leaf (Laurus nobilis) medicinal herb refers to the aromatic leaf of the Bay Laurel tree and it is native to Asia Minor, Egypt. It is also found in parts of India. It is from the Lauraceae family and it is also called Sweet bay. This medicinal plant has been used since ancient Greece as herbal remedy and it is primarily used for its distinctive flavor and fragrance as a culinary herb.

The common names are Indian Bay, Bay Laurel, Sweet bay, Laurus nobilis, Laurel tree, True laurel, Laurel, Grecian laurel and Nobel Laurel.

It is often used to flavour soups, stews, Moroccan-style dishes, and in Mediterranean cuisine. The leaves do not develop their full flavour until several weeks after picking and drying and it is highly favoured by many chefs. It can be found as an ingredient in numerous recipes inclusive of French recipes.

The scenario looks bleak for Mani, a small farmer cultivating cardamom in five acres of land in Kumily village at Idukki in Kerala. “We were cheated by Edavapathy (South West monsoon). If the same is repeated in Tulavarsham (North East monsoon), there will distress in these hills,” he said.

The wait for North East monsoon showers may remain futile in the picturesque cardamom hills across the Western Ghats, according to predictions by the India Meteorological Centre at Thiruvanathapuram. On October 31, in an urgently called meeting by Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, the state was declared as draught-hit.