Spicy herbs are good both in fresh and in dried form: they are equally used in the preparation of various dishes and medicinal purposes.

Many people in the summer wonder “How to dry basil?”, Because you want to enjoy its unusual taste and smell and get vitamins even in winter. We will find out how useful this spice in dried form is, and how to dry it in different ways: in the oven, in an electric dryer, and in a natural way.

Dried Basil: Beneficial Features

Dried basil, if dried in compliance with all the rules, is as healthy as fresh. Dried purple or green basil retains the same vitamin and mineral composition.

Composition of Dried Basil

• Many vitamins - K, A, C, E, etc.
• A variety of minerals - manganese, iron, zinc, phosphorus, copper, selenium.
• Tannins.
• Saponins and glycosides.
• Sugar and volatile and sugar.
• Essential oils.

Interestingly, such a rich composition as dried green basil has, not all herbs are spices.

What is the use of dried basil

Drying the basil does not detract from the merits of this plant - its beneficial properties remain unchanged:

• Prevention of deficiency of vitamins and minerals during diets.Women often sit on strict diets, leading to a deficiency of nutrients. As well as fresh, dried basil makes up for their shortage.
• Body cleansing. This spice helps remove toxins.
• Wound healing, astringent, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.Basil infusion or decoction facilitates influenza conditions, improves the digestive tract, relieves toothache and relieves inflammation of the larynx or genitals.

In addition, dried basil greens improves brain function, gives strength and soothes the nervous system. As you can see, drying basil at home preserves all its useful properties.

When to collect basil for drying for the winter

Is basil dried? Of course, it is dried along with other herbs, then to be used in cooking or for treatment. Which is better: freeze basil or dry? Is basil frozen or dried?

They do both: if you have the conditions for storing frozen or dried herbs, you can dry or freeze the basil.

If you are interested in basil, when to collect it and how to dry it, we will first examine the topic of collecting raw materials.

What parts of the basil can be dried? Only leaves and young stems (tops of stems).

Harvesting basil for drying

When to clean basil for drying? Raw materials for drying must be collected before the plants bloom. If the raw material is collected at the time of flowering, it will lose its unique smell and taste.

So, as soon as the plants have gained color, choose a sunny, dry day and proceed to the collection of young shoots with leaves.

This is done during the second cut - in the middle or end of September, but you can also dry the basil, plucked in the first cut.

When to collect basil for drying? It is better to collect greens in the middle of the morning, when the sun has already dried the leaves a little, but they still have the right amount of moisture.

How to store dried basil greens

Well-dried grass can be stored in two ways:

• We put the whole leaves with young stems into a package of thick paper.
• We grind the dried raw material into powder and put it in ceramic or glass containers with tightly closed lids. You can use jars for spices.

It is better not to store it in canvas bags, unlike many other herbs, dried basil quickly loses its taste and smell.

We store the dried spice in a cool, dry place where the sun does not penetrate.

Now you know that for the winter basil is better to dry or freeze. We learn how to properly dry basil at home.

Drying basil for the winter

If you are a fan of this spicy plant, then you will probably be interested to know how to dry basil for the winter in order to add healthy greens to dishes in the cold season. There are several options: in the oven, dryer and in a natural way. Consider all of these ways to know how to dry basil at home.

How to dry basil in the oven

Before you dry the basil, we harvest the raw materials, rinse it and dry it. How to dry basil? We lay it out on paper towels: they absorb glass of water. Change towels if a lot of water drains.

After 1-2 hours, proceed to direct drying:

• Preheat the oven to dry the basil: the temperature should be 80-100 degrees.
• We line the baking sheets with parchment and spread the dried raw materials.
• We put the baking sheets in the oven, leave the door ajar and wait 1-2 hours. During drying, fragrant aroma will float around the apartment.

The mass of dried leaves and stalks will be reduced several times, but they will become even more aromatic.

You know how to dry basil in the oven, now we will learn how to dry basil in an electric dryer.

How to dry basil for the winter in this way? Follow the walkthrough:

• We rinse the collected raw materials and shake to glass the water. It is best to dry only the leaves, as the branches are too coarse for this method.
• We put leaflets on pallets with a thin layer and put them on the base.
• At what temperature should basil be dried? We set the temperature to 35 ° C and turn on the device.
• We change the pallets in places every hour and dry the greens until 4 or more hours are ready.

Now you know how to dry basil in the dryer. If you do not have an electric dryer, and you do not know how to dry basil for the winter, we will resort to natural methods.

How to Dry Basil in a Natural Way

Learn how to dry basil for the winter in two simple ways.

How to dry basil without appliances

• Rinse the leaves thoroughly in running cold water.
• We dry the leaves by spreading them on paper towels so that it does not mold during drying.
• We lay out the leaves in one layer on clean paper, baking sheets or cloth, cover with loose gauze so as not to gather dust.

Choose one of the options for proper drying of basil:

• In a dry, warm place  - under a canopy, on the veranda, in a house where there is no increased humidity and stagnation of air.
• In the fridge  - on foam pallets or paper towels. Cold will draw moisture while retaining color and aroma. Under such conditions, the leaves dry out in about a week.

We remove the dried leaves for storage or pour in a jar for spices.

How to dry basil by hanging

• We select a well-ventilated place (not in the sun) and hang the bundles so that they do not touch each other. You can hang them in a room with an open window or under a canopy.
• We harvest shoots with leaves and make bundles by tying them with an elastic band or thread.
• We dry the bundles for a couple of weeks - the leaves should become brittle and dry. To check the readiness, bend the twig. If it has broken, the green has dried, if it bends, we will wait again.

Knowing how to dry basil for the winter, you can easily do without an oven or an electric dryer. When the bunches are dry, rub them and rub them into powder.

Pour dry basil into jars and glue a label with the name of the plant, so as not to confuse with other spices. It goes well with garlic, tarragon, onions, sage and rosemary.

Now you know how to dry basil yourself. It remains to harvest and stock up on this spice for the whole winter!

Dried basil goes well with rosemary, tarragon, garlic, sage. Basil is served with salads, beans, rice, meat, vegetables and fish.

Dried basil is added to stews, pea and bean soups. In Poland, not only fried eggs or meat are cooked with basil, but also cottage cheese and even yogurt.

Basil is rich in vitamins, and its aroma is superior to mint. Basil can flavor vegetable oil and vinegar. The energy value of dried basil is 250 Kcal per 100 grams.

The benefits of basil

In nature, more than 35 types of basil are found. Originally from East India, basil is known in many countries, both in Asia and in Europe.

In Transcaucasia there is even a proverb: "He who chews basil, he lives a long time."

Europeans grow basil with green leaves, and Asians grow purple (“reagan”).

Italians prefer Neapolitan basil (basilico napoletano) for pesto sauce and Genoese basil (basilico genovese) for salads.

Basil, which has wound healing, anti-inflammatory, astringent and cleansing effects, is used to treat bronchitis, prolonged cough, with gastric catarrh, to treat wounds and treat headaches. Despite the many advantages, the basil has contraindications.

It can not be used for coronary heart disease, thrombophlebitis, myocardial infarction and hypertension.

How to dry basil so that it retains all its beneficial properties to the maximum?

Harvest basil

The basil leaves are cut throughout the summer and cut before or during flowering, when the flower has the most trace elements and aromatic substances, and the basil stems are not yet coarsened. ,

Basil is usually harvested twice, in July and late September, when the second crop grows.

Basil can be harvested by drying and freezing. Dry basil leaves in several ways. Good air circulation, heat and shadow are necessary conditions for proper drying.

Most often, basil is dried in a dark, well-ventilated area, in the fresh air, or on the street.

Before drying the basil, some wash the basil, cut and dry the leaves, others dry it with a bunch (bush). Dried basil loses up to 80 percent moisture.

Basil, like other plants with a large amount of essential oils, must be dried slowly, at a temperature of no higher than 35-45 degrees.

At high temperature, the essential oils evaporate, and the basil thus dried weakly retains its smell. From poor ventilation and high humidity, dried basil may smell hay.

Drying basil with a bunch (bush)

You can dry the basil with a “bush” by hanging the chopped tops of the basil shoots in small bundles near the window in the kitchen, near the stove, in a dark barn, in a canopy or in the attic, where the place is well ventilated and there is no sun.

It should be noted that even with minor heat treatment, basil loses its flavor. Therefore, when drying basil in the oven, the temperature in the oven should not be above 43 degrees.

Otherwise, basil will lose all its aroma and nutrients. Drying the basil in the oven is better by stirring, with the door ajar for about an hour, and then leave in the oven until morning.

It is very good to dry basil on a clean window net. For better circulation, window nets with raw materials should be set separately and not overlap.

Instead of a window net, basil leaves can be laid out for drying on clean gauze stretched over the frame.

Drying the basil in the microwave has become a modern convenient method of drying, where it takes only a few minutes for the leaves to dry and not lose their properties and aroma.

Microwave drying takes about 3-4 minutes at 700W. Carefully take out the dried leaves, the plate may be hot!

How to dry basil leaf

If you decide to dry the basil with leaves, then you need to spread them in one thin layer not on the newspaper, but on clean sheets of paper, on a paper towel, on a cloth or on a baking sheet.

To protect against dust and blowing away, the leaves can be covered with gauze, but it is very important that it does not interfere with air circulation.

Under a rag, basil leaves may wither, taste and smell may change.

An original and effective way of drying basil was “drying in the refrigerator” on paper napkins or on foam pallets.

The cold draws water well, the products dry in the refrigerator even without a film.

Both color and smell are perfectly preserved. Depending on the intensity of cooling, the basil leaves are dried through 5-7.

A rare but interesting method of drying basil is considered to be a hairdryer or the use of an electric dryer, a special dryer for vegetables and fruits.

How to store basil

Basil is dried for about 5 to 13 days, depending on air humidity and season.

After 2 weeks, you need to remove the dried branches, separate the dried basil leaves from the branches, and discard the sticks.

If the basil leaves were dried whole, then it is better to chop them.

Dried leaves should be easy to grind with your fingers into powder.

Dry basil leaves should be stored in a cool, dark place in an airtight container, preferably in a tightly closed glass or opaque jar or in a cloth bag.

Some store dry basil in paper bags or in a gauze bag. With constant contact with air, the smell of basil disappears.

Basil Freeze

You can not only dry the basil greens, but also freeze them by simply finely chopping the basil with a knife, unpacking them in zipper bags and placing them in the freezer. So basil can be stored for up to a year, and the smell of basil is perfectly preserved.

We have considered many ways to prepare basil, allowing to preserve its useful properties as much as possible.

We hope that the tips in this article will help you maintain the cultivated basil harvest, which will give you and your family health for a year.

Basil has a spicy taste. The plant contains many useful trace elements that have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial effects. Dried basil is used as a seasoning in the preparation of various dishes.

Basil is a spicy plant used as a nutritional supplement. Originally grown in Central Asia, but later spread to Europe, Russia and both Americas.

The maximum height of the culture is 30-60 centimeters. Essential oil gives the plant a spicy aroma. The basil blooms from June to September.

Allocate more than 70 varieties of basil. According to the color of leaves, the culture is divided into:

1. Green. This type is divided into Italian, South American (Evenol), broadleaf.
2. Violet. This type is divided into ordinary, Yerevan, red (Dark Opal), Tulasi, Osmin.

Depending on the aroma that the culture gives when added to dishes, the plant is classified into the following types:

• clove and Clove Aroma;
• clove pepper (Basilisk, Marquise);
• pepper (camphor, Cairo Ruby);
• lemon and Lemon Aroma;
• caramel (Red Ruby);
• pickle;
• anisic;
• peppermint;
• menthol;
• vanilla.

There is also a gradation in size. On this basis, low, medium and tall varieties are distinguished.

Composition and useful properties

The culture is considered rich in useful trace elements. Basil contains:

1. Carbohydrates. Provide the body with energy.
2. Vitamins C, B2, A, K, PP. Support the performance of many organs and systems.
3. Essential oils. Restore water balance and prevent early aging of the dermis.
4. Routine. Stimulates the synthesis of red blood cells, strengthens the vascular walls.
5. Tannins. They suppress foci of inflammation and normalize blood coagulation.
6. Zinc, iron and other trace elements.
7. Flavonoids. Prevent the appearance of benign and malignant neoplasms, normalize metabolism.

Basil is healthy, both dry and green. The plant strengthens the natural protective mechanisms, reduces the risk of developing arthritis, colds and other pathologies.

Benefits and contraindications

The main advantage of basil, in comparison with other spices, is that this plant has a complex effect on the body, eliminating and preventing various diseases. The taste of the culture does not change when dried. Regular inclusion of spices in the diet helps lower cholesterol in the body.

Basil (herbs and seeds) should not be consumed if:

• coronary heart disease detected;
• a person has previously suffered a stroke or heart attack;
• diagnosed with epilepsy;
• blood clotting is disturbed, thrombosis or thrombophlebitis is present;
• low blood pressure.

Spice is not recommended to be added to dishes intended for children under 7 years old. Also, do not often consume basil in adults. The leaves of the plant contain a small amount of mercury, which eventually accumulates in the tissues and provokes serious disturbances in the body.

How to dry at home?

With the help of drying, you can preserve basil for a long time and use it as a spice in cooking. The procedure does not cause any special difficulties and is easily carried out at home.

When to collect?

The assembly period affects the taste of the plant. Moreover, each person chooses when to cut the culture, taking into account their own preferences. Some people collect leaves shortly before flowering. During this period, according to gardeners, more flavor is preserved. Others collect leaves during flowering.

How to dry in the oven?

When drying in the oven, it is recommended to separate the leaves and stems. The plant is laid out on a baking sheet covered in paper. Branches must first be cut so that the length is 4-5 centimeters. The oven is heated to a temperature of 45 degrees. To ensure ventilation, leave the door slightly ajar.

Leaves are dried in the oven for 2.5 hours, branches - 3-4 hours. After completing the procedure, it is recommended to leave the basil for 8-10 hours, closing the door.

In the electric dryer

Before laying in an electric dryer, the plant is crushed so that the length of the stems is 4-5 centimeters. Further, the device heats up to 40-45 degrees (or select the "Grass" mode).

If you exceed the specified temperature, the oil that contains basil will evaporate.

Naturally

There are several options for drying basil naturally:

1. The plant is hung on a rope or elastic band.
2. Leaves are laid out on a sieve or net.
3. Basil is laid out on a pallet covered with paper.

The culture must be laid out in a dry room with good ventilation.

Storage

Dry basil is stored in glass jars or bags. It is recommended to divide leaves and stems by containers. Cans should be kept in dark, dry and well-ventilated areas.

Application

The use of basil is not limited to cooking. The plant is often used in the preparation of various folk remedies for the treatment of pathologies.

For women

Green and purple basil contains trace elements necessary to maintain women's health.

With PMS

Some components of the plant suppress the pain syndrome characteristic of PMS. Seasoning consumption tones the body. In addition, basil contains iron, which is necessary for heavy blood loss.

With cystitis

To prepare the medicine you need to take a tablespoon of leaves (purple is recommended) and, mixed with a glass of boiling water, simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. The resulting composition is filtered and taken three times a day, 50 milliliters.

For weight loss

In the fight against excess weight, plant seeds help. The latter accelerate metabolism. To prepare the medicinal composition, you need a teaspoon of seeds and a glass of warm water. The container in which the ingredients are mixed is covered for 5 minutes. After swelling, the seeds are ready for use.

To reduce weight, baths are also used in which basil leaves are added.

For men

The main benefit of basil for men is the ability of plant components to combat the first signs of erectile dysfunction. Acids stimulate blood circulation in the pelvic area, thereby increasing sexual desire and erection.

When dried, the plant helps to lose weight and strengthen the nervous system. With the help of spices, the tone of the body increases.

In folk medicine

There are many recipes for the use of basil for the treatment of diseases. The plant helps to cope with the manifestations of the common cold, renal and other pathologies.

Dry cough

For the treatment of dry cough, 100 milliliters of pure water and 7 leaves will be required. The ingredients are mixed, 4 heads of garlic are added and boiled for 10 minutes. After cooling, the broth should be drunk during the day.

With weakening of tooth enamel and gums

In case of violation of the enamel structure and the first signs of gum disease, it is recommended to grind several basil leaves into powder and use the resulting composition for brushing your teeth.

With kidney stones

Some components of basil stimulate the outflow of bile. To cope with kidney stones, it is recommended for several months before each meal to eat a mixture of plant juice and honey (combined in equal proportions).

To strengthen vision

Regular consumption of plant leaves normalizes the functioning of the organs of vision. To relieve eye fatigue, you need to mix 2 tablespoons of the plant (dry or green) with 1.5 liters of boiling water. After insisting, the composition in the form of a compress is applied to the eyes twice a day. The course of treatment lasts no more than 12 days.

Under stress

By consuming 12 plant leaves per day, you can strengthen the nervous system. Along the way, harmful toxins will leave the body.

From severity in the stomach and gastrointestinal problems

With dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, the use of a decoction of 1.5 teaspoon of seasoning leaves and 250 milliliters of boiling water is indicated. The product should be infused for 15 minutes. After cooling, the mixture should be drunk in 2 divided doses. Treatment is carried out for 8 days, after which it is necessary to take a two-week break.

For immunity

To strengthen immunity, grind 15 grams of the plant and mix with 200 milliliters of boiling water. The tool is infused for 20 minutes. After filtration, the medicine should be taken 3 times a day, 50 milliliters.

Dried basil is a fragrant spice that has unique beneficial properties and gives the dish a rich taste. Initially, this herb was widely used in French, Greek, Italian, Georgian and Azerbaijani cuisine.

The popularity of seasoning grew rapidly, and soon it became an element of the culinary culture of other peoples. However, the fresh leaves of the plant quickly deteriorated, and the cooks began to look for a way to increase the shelf life of the spice. Drying of basil prevented the loss of useful and tasteful properties, as well as prepared seasoning for future use.

Cooking use

In cooking, dried basil is most often used as a separate seasoning, but sometimes it is part of spice mixtures.
To give an exquisite flavor to three kilograms of the final product, only a quarter of a teaspoon of dried plants is enough.

What dishes are basil added to? Seasoning will perfectly complement soups, pizzas, meat, risotto, omelettes, lasagna, cottage cheese casserole and stewed vegetables. The dried ingredient is an essential ingredient in pesto along with grated parmesan, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil.

The dried product is combined with tomatoes and sweet paprika. And this is not the whole list of dishes where spice is added. Basil gives flavor to beef and lamb. Spice is also used for salads, winter preparations and even pasta.

Medical and cosmetic use

Dried basil was widely used not only in cooking; its daily use helps to cope with various ailments; the use of cosmetics containing this herb in its composition can slow down the aging process.

This spice is used in medicine to treat whooping cough, protracted bronchitis, neurosis, neuralgia, migraine, inflammation of the bladder and kidneys. It accelerates cell regeneration, and also slows down the aging process.
  Dry basil is used to make an infusion that stimulates appetite and improves digestion. The invaluable benefits of the plant for women during lactation. It increases milk production and enhances its protective properties.

Spice is used for visual impairment, bone fractures and bronchial asthma. There are positive results from the use of herbs in complex therapy in the treatment of cancer. How useful is basil in the fight against this serious illness? Of course, it is not a panacea, but it can slow down the formation of carcinogens in cells.

Basil contains fiber, vitamins and minerals. The plant is rich in iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, calcium. Folic acid in its composition contributes to the normalization of hormone production in women.

The use of dry spices in food prevents the formation of blood clots, helps to cope with headaches, relieves nervous tension, increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
  In winter, it helps strengthen immunity. These beneficial properties of the plant are due to the content of phytoncides and vegetable fats in its composition.

How to Dry Basil at Home

It’s easy to make dried basil at home. First, the grass should be washed and laid out on paper towels. Then you can put the dried grass in an electric dryer or oven and dry for five hours at a temperature of thirty-five degrees.

There is an alternative method of preparing aromatic herbs that does not require the use of technology, but requires more time. Tufts of grass can be hung in a dark, well-ventilated area for several days.

After the leaves have dried, they should be separated from the branches, crushed into powder, placed in a paper bag or jar with a tight-fitting lid and stored in a dry, dark place.

Contraindications

In order for the plant to bring exclusively benefits, contraindications must be taken into account. Basil is not recommended for use in the presence of diabetes mellitus, thrombophlebitis, hemophilia, thrombosis and other diseases of the circulatory system, as well as for preschool children, pregnant women and people suffering from allergies or heart diseases.

Dried basil has a wide variety of uses. Drying it at home allows you to get a high quality product that is not inferior in useful properties to a fresh plant.

Basil does not change its qualities when dried,  unlike many other spices. When dried, it does not lose its unique taste, the aroma also does not change and even slightly amplifies.

Dried basil completely retains its useful properties, is not inferior to fresh in terms of vitamins and minerals. The only vitamin that is reduced is Vitamin C.

Calorie content of dried basil - 230 kcal.  per 100 grams, of which:

• proteins 22.98 g;
• fats 4.07 g;
• carbohydrates 47.75 g.

• potassium - 2630 mg .;
• calcium - 2240 mg .;
• magnesium - 711 mg .;
• sodium - 76 mg .;
• phosphorus - 274 mg.

• iron - 89.8 mg .;
• manganese - 9.8 mg .;
• copper - 2100 mcg .;
• selenium - 3 mcg .;
• zinc 7.1 mg.

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Benefit and harm

Beneficial features:

• Basil, due to the content of various antioxidants, is able to beneficially affect the human cardiovascular system, allows you to maintain youth and health.
• It has antibacterial and antiseptic effects, heals wounds, relieves fever and strengthens the nervous system.
• Modern medicine uses it as a means to combat stress, and the components of this plant are included in drugs to improve memory.
• Extracting basil essential oils can heal wounds, kill microbes, which is why it is often used in the preparation of gargles for sore throats with angina, and for bronchial asthma as an expectorant.

Contraindications to the use of basil:

• Basil greens contain mercury compounds, for this reason it is harmful to patients with diabetes mellitus, patients with increased blood coagulation, as well as suffering from hypertension, angina pectoris, epilepsy.
• Caution and in moderation should be eaten by pregnant and lactating women.

Important:  like any plant rich in essential oils, basil can be a pretty strong allergen!

How to dry at home?

Lucky people living in regions with a warm climate can grow several basil crops a year and constantly have aromatic spice on their table. If the climate does not allow such luxury, and the basil harvest is grown considerable, it becomes urgent to dry your favorite grass for the winter.

How can this be done? Whatever method you choose, the first and most important thing is to harvest the crop on time.

A variety of basil can be anything: green, purple,  all of them are good in dried form, provided that they are collected before flowering.

The ideal time to collect is morning, as soon as the dew has dried on the greenery. Do not harvest under the scorching sun or in the rain. If possible, basil should be dried naturally. Further details on how to dry the plant at home.

How to dry basil for the winter at home, see the video below:

Natural drying

You can spread the washed leaves on a clean cloth or baking sheet,cover with gauze from dust and put in a warm, dark, dry and always ventilated place for about a week.

The second option is drying by hanging. Young shoots of basil need to be tied in bundles of 4-6 stems, then hung on a rope in the attic or under a canopy. The main condition is the lack of direct sunlight and good air exchange in the room.

Drying will take approximately two weeks, the readiness can be determined by the fragility of the stems: if it breaks, it means it has dried, if it bends, we continue to dry.

Use of electrical appliances

If using the natural drying method is not possible, you can use an oven or an electric dryer.

1. Before drying in the oven, the leaves should be washed, dried on a paper towel.
2. After a couple of hours, when the leaves have dried, you need to lay them out on a baking sheet covered with parchment and send them to the oven preheated to 80-100 degrees.
3. Leave the oven door ajar. Drying time is one and a half to two hours.

The electric dryer is good in that it maintains the desired temperature and at the same time provides ventilation of the raw materials.

Washed and dried leaves are laid out on the pallets of the dryer and set the temperature to 35-40 degrees. Drying takes approximately 4 hours.  and does not require owner control.

For more information on drying basil in an electric dryer, see the video below:

How to use and where to add?

Dried basil is most widely used, of course, in cooking. It can be used as an independent seasoning, for example, in combination with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes, or as part of multicomponent mixtures, such as Italian herbs or Provence herbs.

As part of these mixtures, basil is adjacent to dried chopped garlic, rosemary, sage, peppermint and marjoram. These spices are actively used in the preparation of:

• different types of pasta;
• baking pizza;
• serve as an excellent seasoning for meat dishes, especially lamb, as well as chicken dishes.

In addition to cooking, in everyday life, a decoction of basil is used to treat the oral cavity with stomatitis, tonsillitis, inhalation.  To do this, in a thermos brew 2 tablespoons of dry basil in 0.5 liters of water. The broth will be ready after 5-6 hours.

To raise immunity, basil is brewed like tea, at the rate of 0.5 teaspoon per glass of boiling water. Drink the drink throughout the day, adding sugar, honey or raspberry jam to taste.

Storage

After drying, pick off the leaves from the branches and grind them to a state of fine powder. Then pour into small, absolutely dry and clean glass jars and close tightly. On the jar, it is desirable to sign the name of the spice and the date of preparation. Store dried basil in a dry, dark, cool place.

Attention:  dried basil is preferably used within two years after harvesting.

Where can I buy?

Dried basil is widely marketed.  and as an independent spice and as part of mixtures with other spices. It is sold in packaging from 10 grams, can be packed in a moisture-proof paper bag or in a small glass jar.

You can buy this seasoning everywhere, from a small chain supermarket to a market or online store. The price of the smallest bag will be 15-20 rubles, a kilogram of dried herbs will cost 1000-1200 rubles.

In St. Petersburg and Moscow, a large selection of this spice from various manufacturers can be found in Auchan, Lenta, Metro, Perekrestok hypermarkets.

Also dried basil is a very popular souvenir in places of its growth,  for example in the south of France and Italy. Tourists willingly purchase inexpensive, fragrant bags as a gift to relatives and friends. The undoubted advantage of this souvenir is its low weight and versatility.

When buying dried basil, you should pay attention to the integrity and appearance of the packaging, shelf life, as well as the place of manufacture. In the market, you can additionally evaluate the aroma of spices, the uniformity of the composition and the absence of impurities.

Properly prepared dried basil will be an excellent assistant in the kitchen, diversify the usual dishes, increase immunity and vitality of all family members.