Want plants that don’t just look good, but are useful too? Growing edible plants is a fantastic way to make the plants you grow even more productive. From herbs to salad leaves, there are edible plants that can suit your needs, even if you don’t cook at home. Most of these plants are also low maintenance, making it a great choice for busy folks!
Plant Care Tips For A Kitchen Garden
You can water your plants with the water you use to wash your rice or boil vegetables—just make sure it has come down to room temperature before you do so. These contain mild nutrients that are good for plants, allowing you to give that extra boost for flourishing greenery!
If you need to keep pests at bay, use natural repellents or pest treatments like citronella oil or neem oil. Don’t use harmful or toxic pesticides on plants you plan on consuming to keep yourself safe!
What Plants Should I Choose For My Kitchen?
Depending on your cooking habits and preferred cuisine, some plants are definitely more suitable for you than others. If you cook regularly, plants that fare well with regular picking like herbs are probably best.
However, if you only use your kitchen every now and then, produce which are only harvested once in a while like microgreens are probably more suitable for you.
Different plants are also used more frequently in different cuisines and would most suit a kitchen that makes those dishes. Here are some plants that suit the common cuisines in Singapore!
Chinese Cuisine
Cilantro
Also known as Chinese parsley, this is the same plant that gives you coriander seeds! Cilantro has a pungent, bright flavour and is a common garnish for many Chinese dishes. It’s even used as a main flavour in some dishes like stir fried cilantro chicken or beef. However, some people hate the flavour of cilantro, so this herb may not be for everyone!
Scallions
Also known as spring onions, this is a foundation block of Chinese cooking. It’s used as an aromatic, main ingredient or garnish and can be found in one way or another in almost every Chinese dish.
Bird’s Eye Chilli
More commonly known in Singapore as chilli padi, this is often made into a dipping sauce to be served alongside dishes. It can also be cooked together in a dish to give the food a spicy punch!
Malay Cuisine
Calamansi Lime
This lime is fruity and only slightly sour. The fruit can be squeezed over Malay dishes such as grilled chicken or fish, and the leaves can be used as an aromatic while cooking!
The fruit is also often made into a lime juice drink, and the fresh version is much better than the ones made from concentrate. This plant has limitless possibilities and would be a great addition to any edible garden!
Pandan
This is an aromatic leaf with a distinctive fragrance. It’s used in both main dishes and desserts, and there are many iconic Malay foods that make use of its flavour! You can even use pandan to wrap meats before grilling them for a toasty perfumed flavour.
Lemongrass
Flavourful and fragrant, common uses for lemongrass include steamed fish, meat marinades and soups. This is also a pretty hardy plant, making it easy to grow even for newbie plant parents!
Indian Cuisine
Curry Leaves
Used as a basic spice in many Indian dishes, the curry leaf’s most popular and obvious usage is for cooking curry. However, it is also often fried in oil alongside other spices to create a fragrant base for many dishes!
Jwala Green Chilli
Don’t let the green colour fool you—these chillies are spicy. It has a very pungent and strong flavour and is often used to make curries, pastes and chutneys! The chillies turn red once ripe, and these mature chillies are often made into powders.
Indian Bay Leaves
These leaves are one of the most commonly used spices in North Indian cuisine—it’s often added to spice mixes from which curries are made. To get the most out of these leaves, they should be dried and crushed before being added to your cooking!
Western Cuisine
Basil
This is a very versatile and common herb, and like most other herbs in Western cooking, they are best used fresh! Basil plants are hardy and don’t mind being plucked often, which is perfect since they can be used in many sauces, stews and soups.
Microgreens
Microgreens are a fast-growing vegetable which are popular and trendy additions to salads or on top of dishes like avocado toast. It’s also very nutritious as compared to other salad leaves, so get a growing cycle up and make this a regular addition to your meals!
Parsley
This is one of the most well-known herbs in Western cooking. Its dried form doesn’t add much flavour to a dish, but when fresh it adds a herbaceous brightness that can elevate any meal! It’s used in many dishes as a garnish or basic flavouring, and in meals like aglio olio, it’s an integral flavour to have.
Now that you know a variety of common herbs, you can start your very own edible garden! Add different herbs as you go and before long, you’ll have a whole array of flavours at your fingertips to elevate your kitchen game.
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