1.
Cinnamomum tamala
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It can grow up to 20 m tall. It has aromatic leaves which are used for culinary and medicinal purposes and it is thought to have been one of the major sources of the medicinal plant leaves known in classic and medieval times as malabathrum. It is called biryani aaku or bagharakku in Telugu, true tejpat leaves impart a strong cassia- or cinnamon-like aroma to dishes, while the bay laurel leafs aroma is more reminiscent of pine and lemon. Beta-caryophyllene Linalool Caryophyllene oxide Eugenol The bark is sometimes used for cooking. Methanolic extract of C. C. tamala could be used as a therapy in diabetes. Malabar had been used to denote the west coast of Southern India that forms the covering the present-day state of Kerala. The word mala or malaya means mountain in the Tamil and Malayalam languages, the word malabathrum is also thought to have been derived from the Sanskrit tamālapattram, literally meaning dark-tree leaves. Cassia Cinnamon Saigon cinnamon Indian bay-leaf page from Gernot Katzers Spice Pages
2.
Laurus nobilis
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Laurus nobilis is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glabrous leaves, in the flowering plant family Lauraceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and is used as bay leaf for seasoning in cooking and its common names include bay laurel, sweet bay, bay, true laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel tree or simply laurel. Laurus nobilis figures prominently in classical Greek, Roman, and Biblical culture, the laurel is an evergreen shrub or small tree, variable in size and sometimes reaching 7–18 metres tall. The genus Laurus includes four accepted species, whose diagnostic key characters often overlap, the bay laurel is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Each flower is pale yellow-green, about 1 cm diameter, the leaves are glabrous, 6–12 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, with an entire margin. On some leaves the margin undulates, the fruit is a small, shiny black berry-like drupe about 1 cm long that contains one seed. A recent study found considerable genetic diversity within L. nobilis, Laurus nobilis is a widespread relic of the laurel forests that originally covered much of the Mediterranean Basin when the climate of the region was more humid. With the drying of the Mediterranean during the Pliocene era, the forests gradually retreated. The most abundant component found in essential oil is 1, 8-cineole. Both essential and fatty oils are present in the fruit, the fruit is pressed and water-extracted to obtain these products. The fruit contains up to 30% fatty oils and about 1% essential oils, the plant is the source of several popular herbs and one spice used in a wide variety of recipes, particularly among Mediterranean cuisines. Most commonly, the leaves are added whole to Italian pasta sauces. They are typically removed from dishes before serving, unless used as a simple garnish, whole bay leaves have a long shelf life of about one year, under normal temperature and humidity. Whole bay leaves are used almost exclusively as flavor agents during the preparation stage. Ground bay leaves, however, can be ingested safely and are used in soups and stocks. Dried laurel berries and pressed leaf oil can both be used as robust spices, and the wood can be burnt for strong smoke flavoring, aqueous extracts of bay laurel can also be used as astringents and even as a reasonable salve for open wounds. In massage therapy, the oil of bay laurel is reputed to alleviate arthritis and rheumatism, while in aromatherapy, it is used to treat earaches. A traditional folk remedy for rashes caused by poison ivy, poison oak, the chemical compound lauroside B isolated from Laurus nobilis is an inhibitor of human melanoma cell proliferation at high concentrations in-vitro
3.
Umbellularia
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Umbellularia californica is a large hardwood tree native to coastal forests of California and slightly extended into the state of Oregon. It is endemic to the California Floristic Province and it is the sole species in the genus Umbellularia. The tree was known as Oreodaphne californica. In Oregon, this tree is known as Oregon myrtle, while in California it is called California bay laurel and it has also been called pepperwood, spicebush, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree, headache tree, mountain laurel, and balm of heaven. The trees pungent leaves have a flavor to bay leaves, though stronger. The dry wood has a range from blonde to brown. It is considered a world-class tonewood and is sought after by luthiers and woodworkers, the tree is a host of the pathogen that causes sudden oak death. This tree mostly inhabits redwood forests, California mixed woods, yellow pine forest, bays occur in oak woodlands only close to the coast, or in extreme northern California where moisture is sufficient. During the Miocene, oak-laurel forests were found in Central and Southern California, typical tree species included oaks ancestral to present-day California oaks, and an assemblage of trees from the laurel family, including Nectandra, Ocotea, Persea, and Umbellularia. Only one native species from the family, Umbellularia californica. In the north, it reaches its distributional limit through southwest Oregon to Newport, Lincoln County, Oregon, on the coast and it is also found in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It occurs at altitudes from sea level up to 1600 m, an isolated, more northern occurrence of the species can be found in Tacoma, Washington, around Snake Lake near the Tacoma Nature Center. It is a tree growing to 30 m tall with a trunk up to 80 cm thick. The largest recorded tree is in Mendocino County, California, the fragrant leaves are smooth-edged and lance-shaped, 3–10 cm long and 1. 5–3 cm broad, similar to the related bay laurel, though usually narrower, and without the crinkled margin of that species. The flowers are small, yellow or yellowish-green, produced in small umbels, the fruit, also known as California bay nut, is a round and green berry 2–2.5 cm long and 2 cm broad, lightly spotted with yellow, maturing purple. Under the thin, leathery skin, it consists of an oily, fleshy covering over a hard, thin-shelled pit. Umbellularia is in fact related to the avocados genus Persea. The fruit ripens around October–November in the native range, Umbellularia has long been valued for its many uses by Native Americans throughout the trees range, including the Cahuilla, Chumash, Pomo, Miwok, Yuki, Coos, and Salinan people
4.
Thyme
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Thyme is an evergreen herb with culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. The most common variety is Thymus vulgaris, Thyme is of the genus Thymus of the mint family, and a relative of the oregano genus Origanum. Ancient Egyptians used thyme for embalming, the ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage. The spread of thyme throughout Europe was thought to be due to the Romans, as used it to purify their rooms and to give an aromatic flavour to cheese. In the European Middle Ages, the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep, in this period, women also often gave knights and warriors gifts that included thyme leaves, as it was believed to bring courage to the bearer. Thyme was also used as incense and placed on coffins during funerals, the name of the genus of fish Thymallus, first given to the grayling originates from the faint smell of the herb thyme, which emanates from the flesh. Thyme is best cultivated in a hot, sunny location with well-drained soil and it is generally planted in the spring, and thereafter grows as a perennial. It can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or dividing rooted sections of the plant, the plants can take deep freezes and are found growing wild on mountain highlands. In some Levantine countries, and Assyria, the condiment zaatar contains thyme as a vital ingredient and it is a common component of the bouquet garni, and of herbes de Provence. Thyme is sold fresh and dried. While summer-seasonal, fresh greenhouse thyme is often available year round, the fresh form is more flavourful, but also less convenient, storage life is rarely more than a week. Although the fresh form only lasts a week or two under refrigeration, it can last many months if carefully frozen, fresh thyme is commonly sold in bunches of sprigs. A sprig is a single stem snipped from the plant and it is composed of a woody stem with paired leaf or flower clusters spaced 1⁄2 to 1 inch apart. A recipe may measure thyme by the bunch, or by the sprig, dried thyme is widely used in Armenia in tisanes. Depending on how it is used in a dish, the whole sprig may be used, or the leaves removed, usually, when a recipe specifies bunch or sprig, it means the whole form, when it specifies spoons, it means the leaves. It is perfectly acceptable to substitute dried for whole thyme, leaves may be removed from stems either by scraping with the back of a knife, or by pulling through the fingers or tines of a fork. Thyme retains its flavour on drying better than other herbs. Oil of thyme, the oil of common thyme, contains 20–54% thymol
5.
Biryani
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Biryani, also known as biriyani or biriani, is a South Asian mixed rice dish with its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It is popular throughout the subcontinent and among the diaspora from the region and it is generally made with spices, rice, and meat. The word biryani is an Urdu word derived from the Persian language, one theory is that it originates from birinj, the Persian word for rice. Another theory is that it derives from biryan or beriyan, the exact origin of the dish is uncertain. In North India, different varieties of biryani developed in the Muslim centers of Delhi, Lucknow, andhra is the only region of South India that does not have many native varieties of biryani. The more well to do people used the meat of goat, as per author Lizzie Collingham, the modern biryani further developed in the Mughal royal kitchen, as a confluence of the native spicy rice dishes of India and the Persian pilaf. However, all the used in biryani were also grown in Persia and were also available to Arabs through trade. According to Kris Dhillon, the modern biryani originated in Persia, however, another theory claims that the dish was known in India before the first Mughal emperor Babur came to India. The 16th century Mughal text Ain-i-Akbari makes no distinction between biryanis and pilaf, it states that the word biryani is of older usage in India. A similar theory—that biryani came to India with Timurs invasion—also appears to be incorrect, according to Pratibha Karan, the biryani is of South Indian origin, derived from pilaf varieties brought to India by the Arab traders. She speculates that the pulao was a dish in medieval India. Over time, the dish became biryani due to different methods of cooking, according to Vishwanath Shenoy, the owner of a biryani restaurant chain in India, one branch of biryani comes from the Mughals, while another was brought by the Arab traders to ] in South India. While the Middle eastern and Middle Asian versions of biryani and pulao are made on the tandoor, pilaf or pulao, as it is known in the South Asia and the Indian Subcontinent, is another mixed rice dish popular in Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern cuisine. Opinions differ on the differences between pulao and biryani, and whether there is a difference between the two at all, according to Delhi-based historian Sohail Nakhvi, pulao tends to be plainer than the biryani and consists of either vegetables or meat cooked with rice. Biryani on the hand contains more gravy, is often cooked for longer. Pulao is a dish, meat and rice are simmered in a liquid until the liquid is absorbed. Biryanis have more complex and stronger spices, compared to pulao, the British-era author Abdul Halim Sharar mentions this as the primary difference between biryani and pulao, the biryani has a stronger taste of curried rice due to a greater amount of spices. Ingredients vary accord to type of meat used and the region the biryani is from, Gosht as the prime ingredient with rice
6.
Philippine adobo
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It has sometimes been considered as the unofficial national dish in the Philippines. Taken from the early Spanish, the method is indigenous to Spain. Early Spaniards cooked their food normally by roasting, steaming or boiling methods, to keep it fresh longer, food was often cooked by immersion in vinegar and salt. Thus, it is likely that Filipinos could have been cooking meat in vinegar as a means of preservation. This process dates back to the Pre-Hispanic Period and was used for pork, when the Spanish Empire colonized the Philippines in the late 16th century and early 17th century, they encountered this cooking process. It was first recorded in the dictionary Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala compiled by the Spanish Franciscan missionary Pedro de San Buenaventura and he referred to it as adobo de los naturales. Dishes prepared in this manner came to be known by this name. While the Philippine adobo can be considered adobo in the Spanish sense—a marinated dish—the Philippine usage is more specific to a cooking process and is not restricted to meat. Typically, pork or chicken, or a combination of both, is cooked in vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns. It is served with white rice and it was traditionally cooked in small clay pots, but in modern times, metal pots or woks are used instead. There are numerous variants of the recipe in the Philippines. The most basic ingredient of adobo is vinegar, which is usually vinegar, rice vinegar. Almost every ingredient can be changed according to personal preference, even people in the same household can cook adobo in significantly different ways. A rarer version without soy sauce is known as adobong puti, which uses salt instead, to contrast it with adobong itim, adobong puti is often regarded as the closest to the original version of the Pre-Hispanic adobo. It is similar to another known as pinatisan, where fish sauce is used instead of vinegar. The proportion of ingredients like soy sauce, bay leaves, garlic, other ingredients can sometimes be used, like siling labuyo, birds eye chili, jalapeño pepper, red bell pepper, olive oil, onions, brown sugar, potatoes, or pineapple. It may also be further browned in the oven, pan-fried, deep-fried, in southern Luzon and Muslim Zamboanga, for example, it is common to see adobo cooked with coconut milk. In Cavite, mashed pork liver is added, in Laguna, turmeric is added, giving the dish a distinct yellowish color
7.
Pantry
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A pantry is a room where beverages, food, and sometimes dishes, household cleaning chemicals, linens, or provisions are stored. Food and beverage pantries serve in a capacity to the kitchen. The word pantry derive from the source as the Old French term paneterie, that is from pain. In a late medieval hall, there were rooms for the various service functions. A pantry was where bread was kept and food associated with it was done. The head of the responsible for this room was referred to as a pantler. There were similar rooms for storage of bacon and other meats, alcoholic beverages known for the butts of barrels stored there), and cooking. In the United States, pantries evolved from early Colonial American butteries, built in a cold north corner of a Colonial home, into a variety of pantries in self-sufficient farmsteads. By the Victorian era, large houses and estates in Britain maintained the use of rooms, each one dedicated to a distinct stage of food preparation. The kitchen was for cooking, while food storage was done in a storeroom, food preparation before cooking was done in a larder, and dishwashing was done in a scullery or pantry, depending on the type of dish and level of dirt. Since the scullery was the room with running water, it had a sink, the pantry was where tableware was stored, such as china, glassware, and silverware. If the pantry had a sink for washing tableware, it was a wooden sink lined with lead, to prevent chipping the china, in some middle-class houses, the larder, pantry, and storeroom might simply be large wooden cupboards, each with its exclusive purpose. The pantry is making a comeback in American and English homes and it is one of the most requested features in American homes today, despite modern homes having larger kitchen sizes than ever before. The demand is due both to the charm and nostalgia associated with the pantry, as well as to the pantrys practical, utilitarian purpose. Today, the term may also be used for any small storeroom used for foods such as canned goods, it need not be located near the kitchen. Traditionally, kitchens in Asia have been more open format than those of the West, the function of the pantry was generally served by wooden cabinetry. For example, in Japan, a cabinet is called a Mizuya Tansu. A substantial tradition around woodworking and cabinetry in general developed in Japan, a huge number of designs for Tansu were made, each tailored towards one specific purpose or another
8.
Silverfish
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A silverfish is a small, wingless insect in the order Thysanura. Silverfish are nocturnal insects typically 13–25 mm long and their abdomens taper at the end, giving them a fish-like appearance. The newly hatched are whitish, but develop a greyish hue and they have two long cerci and one terminal filament at the tips of their abdomens, the filament projects directly off of the end of their body, between the left and right cerci. They also have two compound eyes, despite other members of Thysanura being completely eyeless, such as the family Nicoletiidae. Like other species in Apterygota, silverfish are completely wingless and they have long antennae, and move in a wiggling motion that resembles the movement of a fish. This, coupled with their appearance and silvery scales, influences their common name, silverfish typically live for two to eight years. Silverfish are agile runners and can outrun most of their predators, however such running is only possible on horizontal surfaces, as they lack any additional appendages and, therefore, are not fast enough to climb walls at the same speed. Silverfish are a species, found in Africa, the Americas, Australia, Eurasia. They inhabit moist areas, requiring a relative humidity between 75% and 95%, in urban areas, they can be found in attics, basements, bathtubs, sinks, kitchens, and showers. Before silverfish reproduce they carry out a ritual involving three phases, which may last over half an hour, in the first phase, the male and female stand face to face, their quivering antennae touching, then repeatedly back off and return to this position. In the second phase the male runs away and the female chases him, in the third phase the male and female stand side by side and head-to-tail, with the male vibrating his tail against the female. Finally the male lays a spermatophore, a capsule covered in gossamer. The female lays groups of fewer than 60 eggs at once, the eggs are oval-shaped, whitish, about 0.8 millimetres long, and take between two weeks and two months to hatch. A silverfish usually lays fewer than 100 eggs in her lifetime, when the nymphs hatch, they are whitish in colour, and look like smaller adults. As they moult, young silverfish develop a greyish appearance and a metallic shine and they may go through 17 to 66 moults in their lifetime, sometimes 30 in a single year - much more than most insects. Silverfish are among the few types of insect that continue to moult after reaching adulthood, silverfish consume matter that contains polysaccharides, such as starches and dextrin in adhesives. These include book bindings, carpet, clothing, coffee, dandruff, glue, hair, some paints, paper, photos, plaster and they will damage wallpaper in order to consume the paste. Silverfish can also damage to tapestries
9.
Prunus laurocerasus
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It is not to be confused with its American relative Prunus caroliniana, which is also called cherry laurel. Prunus laurocerasus is a shrub or small to medium-sized tree, growing to 5 to 15 metres tall, rarely to 18 metres. The leaves are green, leathery, shiny, 10–25 cm long and 4–10 cm broad. The leaves can have the scent of almonds when crushed, the fruit is a small cherry 1–2 cm broad, turning black when ripe in early autumn. Prunus laurocerasus is a cultivated ornamental plant, used for planting in gardens. It is often used for hedges, as a screening plant, most cultivars are tough shrubs that can cope with difficult growing conditions, including shaded and dry conditions, and which respond well to pruning. In some regions, this species can be an invasive plant and its rapid growth, coupled with its evergreen habit and its tolerance of drought and shade, often allow it to out-compete and kill off native plant species. It is spread by birds, through the seeds in their droppings, the foliage is also used for cut greenery in floristry. According to Dr. Chiranjit Parmar on fruitpedia. com, who has a Ph. D. in horticulture from University of Udaipur, India, the fruit contain small amounts of hydrogen cyanide, any fruit tasting bitter should not be eaten. The seed inside the fruit contain larger concentrations of hydrogen cyanide, the toxicity of the seed inside the fruit is similar to the cyanide toxicity of the seeds inside the common fruits apricot and peach. Leaves, fruit and seed may cause discomfort to humans if ingested. The seeds contained within the cherries are poisonous like the rest of the plant, containing cyanogenic glycosides and this chemical composition is what gives the smell of almonds when the leaves are crushed. Laurel water, a made from the plant, contains prussic acid. Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia, Prunus laurocerasus Cherry Laurel
10.
Kalmia latifolia
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Kalmia latifolia, commonly called mountain laurel, calico-bush, or spoonwood, is a broadleaved evergreen shrub in the heather family, Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, mountain laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It is the namesake of Laurel County in Kentucky and the city of Laurel and it is an evergreen shrub growing to 3–9 m tall. The leaves are 3–12 cm long and 1–4 cm wide and its flowers are round, ranging from light pink to white, and occur in clusters. There are several named cultivars today that have darker shades of pink, near red and it blooms in May and June. All parts of the plant are poisonous, the plant is naturally found on rocky slopes and mountainous forest areas. It thrives in soil, preferring a soil pH in the 4.5 to 5.5 range. The plant often grows in thickets, covering great areas of forest floor. In the Appalachians, it can become tree-sized but is a shrub farther north, the species is a frequent component of oak-heath forests. In low, wet areas, it grows densely, but in dry uplands has a more sparse form, Kalmia latifolia is notable for its unusual method of dispensing its pollen. As the flower grows, the filaments of its stamens are bent, when an insect lands on the flower, the tension is released, catapulting the pollen forcefully onto the insect. Experiments have shown the flower capable of flinging its pollen up to 15 cm, physicist Lyman J. Briggs became fascinated with this phenomenon in the 1950s after his retirement from the National Bureau of Standards and conducted a series of experiments in order to explain it. It is also known as Ivybush or spoonwood, the plant was first recorded in America in 1624, but it was named after Pehr Kalm, who sent samples to Linnaeus in the 18th century. The plant was brought to Europe as an ornamental plant during the 18th century. It is still grown for its attractive flowers and year round evergreen leaves. Elliptic, alternate, leathery, glossy leaves are dark green above and yellow green beneath. All parts of plant are toxic if ingested. Numerous cultivars have been selected with varying flower color, many of the cultivars have originated from the Connecticut Experiment Station in Hamden and from the plant breeding of Dr. Richard Jaynes
11.
Basil
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Basil UK /ˈbæzəl/, US /ˈbeɪzəl/, also called great basil or Saint-Josephs-wort, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae. It is also called the king of herbs and the royal herb, the name basil comes from Greek βασιλικόν φυτόν, royal/kingly plant. Basil is possibly native to India, and has been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years and it was thoroughly familiar to the Greek authors Theophrastus and Dioscorides. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, there are many varieties of Ocimum basilicum, as well as several related species or species hybrids also called basil. The type used in Italian food is called sweet basil, as opposed to Thai basil, lemon basil, and holy basil. While most common varieties of basil are treated as annuals, some are perennial in warm, tropical climates, including holy basil, the Oxford English Dictionary quotes speculations that basil may have been used in some royal unguent, bath, or medicine. Basil is still considered the king of herbs by many cookery authors, most commercially available basils are cultivars of sweet basil. There are over 160 named cultivars available, with new ones appearing every year, there are also a number of species sold. Here are some basils commonly sold in the US, in general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavor. The fresh herb can be kept for a time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. The dried herb also loses most of its flavor, and what little flavor remains tastes very different, with a weak coumarin flavor, Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto—a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce. The most commonly used Mediterranean basil cultivars are Genovese, Purple Ruffles, Mammoth, Cinnamon, Lemon, Globe, the Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh basil leaves to thick soups and they also eat fried chicken with deep-fried basil leaves. Basil is commonly steeped in cream or milk to create a flavor in ice cream or chocolates. The leaves are not the part of basil used in culinary applications. Thai basil is also a condiment in the Vietnamese noodle soup, when soaked in water, the seeds of several basil varieties become gelatinous, and are used in Asian drinks and desserts such as faluda, sharbat-e-rihan, or hột é. Several other basils, including some other Ocimum species, are grown in regions of Asia. Most of the Asian basils have a flavor that is, in general
12.
Ocimum tenuiflorum
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Tulasi is cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes, and for its essential oil. This plant is revered as an elixir of life, the variety of Ocimum tenuiflorum used in Thai cuisine is referred to as Thai holy basil, it is not to be confused with Thai basil, which is a variety of Ocimum basilicum. Holy basil is an erect, many-branched subshrub, 30–60 cm tall with hairy stems. Leaves are green or purple, they are simple, petioled, with an ovate, up to 5 cm -long blade which usually has a toothed margin. The purplish flowers are placed in close whorls on elongate racemes, the two main morphotypes cultivated in India and Nepal are green-leaved and purple-leaved. DNA barcodes of various biogeographical isolates of tulsi from the Indian subcontinent are now available, the discovery might suggest the evolution of tulsi is related with the cultural migratory patterns in the Indian subcontinent. Tulsi leaves are a part in the worship of Vishnu and his avatars, including Krishna and Ram. Tulsi is a plant for Hindus and is worshipped as the avatar of Lakshmi. It is believed that water mixed with the given to the dying raises their departing souls to heaven. Tulsi, which is Sanskrit for the one, is most often regarded as a consort of Krishna in the form of Lakshmi. According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, tulsi is an expression of Sita, there are two types of tulsi worshipped in Hinduism, Rama tulsi has light green leaves and is larger in size, Shyama tulsi has dark green leaves and is important for the worship of Hanuman. Many Hindus have tulasi plants growing in front of or near their home, traditionally, tulsi is planted in the centre of the central courtyard of Hindu houses. It is also frequently grown next to Hanuman temples, especially in Varanasi, dhanvantari, the divine healer, sheds happy tears, and when the first drop falls in the Amrit, it forms tulasi. In the ceremony of Tulsi Vivaha, tulsi is ceremonially married to Krishna annually on the day of the waxing moon or twelfth of the month of Kartik in the lunar calendar. This day also marks the end of the four-month Chaturmas, which is considered inauspicious for weddings and other rituals, the ritual lighting of lamps each evening during Kartik includes the worship of the tulsi plant, which is held to be auspicious for the home. Vaishnavas especially follow the daily worship of tulsi during Kartik, in another legend, Tulsi was a pious woman who sought a boon to marry Vishnu. Lakshmi, Vishnus consort, cursed her to become a plant in earth, however, Vishnu appeased her by giving her a boon that she would grace him when he appears in the form of Shaligrama in temples. Vaishnavas traditionally use Hindu prayer beads made from tulsi stems or roots, Tulsi rosaries are considered to be auspicious for the wearer, and believed to put them under the protection of Hanuman
