Scent leaf
센트리프 / 아프리칸 바질
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Photo: Forest & Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)
The fragrant leaf added at the end of Nigerian pepper soup. It's a kind of basil, with a rich aroma mixing clove and oregano.
Flavor and aroma
- It smells like a mix of clove and oregano, with a spicy, basil-like taste.
- There's a hint of fresh citrus too.
Fun facts
- The clove aroma comes from eugenol (the same compound as in holy basil).
- In Nigeria it's mostly grown in home yards or picked nearby.
- It's called efirin in Yoruba and nchanwu in Igbo.
In the kitchen
Cooking
- Add it to bean dishes, jollof rice, yam and plantain porridge, stews and spicy chicken dishes.
Soups
- Add it at the end of Nigerian pepper soup for a fresh aroma. Use it in Ghanaian "black soup" and to garnish okra soup too.
Other ideas
- Sun-dry any leftovers to store them.
Goes well with
ChiliFishGoat meatChickenYamPlantain
Season
We're still checking the season. We'll add it once we find a source.
Details
- Korean name
- 센트리프 / 아프리칸 바질
- English names
- scent leaf, African basil, clove basil
- Scientific name
- Ocimum gratissimum
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Same genus as basil - Genus
- Ocimum
Show sources for this page
References for this herb
- Wikipedia
- Truelove Seeds
- Kitchen Butterfly
- Afrifood Network
- Heliyon 학술지(2021)
Name and classification
Photo
Forest & Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)