These are the seeds of sweet basil aka Thai Holy Basil. This Thai holy basil is different than Tulsi or Holy basil that we all Indians have in their garden. This sweet basil plant is native to India; still we are not using these seeds that widely in our diet. Most people might know about it only because of falooda. Subja seeds are very well known in Ayurvedic medicine.

How do Sabja seeds look?:

They are black in color and tear drop shaped. When you buy, make sure that they are firm. Before using, clean them, remove any stones. Let’s take a closer look of the seeds

Where to Buy:

I bought from near by Indian grocery store. Buy it from near by local  grocery shop. You can buy it online from amazon.

How to soak sabja seeds:

  1. Take sabja seeds in a bowl. Make sure that there are no stones or dirt in it.
  2. Pour the water, as soon as you pour water, it will start to absorb. If added water is less then they becomes lumpy. No worry add more water and let them absorb.
  3. This is how they look after 10 minutes; some seeds has not absorbed enough water. But let it soak for about 30 minutes.
  4. Here they are after 30 minutes. More soaking won’t hurt. They swells up the water, create a transperent gel like membrane around it. If added water is less then they becomes lumpy. No worry add more water and let them absorb. Drain the water and use as required. Leftover can be kept in the refrigerator, covered for one day.

Where to use Sabja seeds:

The most popular use of it is in Falooda. You can use them in any drink like rooh afza milkshake, rooh afza cold drink, nimbu sherbet or any other sherbet or even with plain water.  Add few spoons of soaked seeds per glass. It is also used in ice creams or kulfis. There is one beverage is sold on amazon which is Honey bee Drink with basil seeds, which is sweetened water with sabja seeds.

Health Benefits of Sabja seeds:

helps in digestive issues like stomach cramps, indigestion, and constipation. Provide relief in cold, cough, and flu. Relives stress, tension, migraine and depression Seeds can be crushed and applied on cuts, wounds or skin infection. Lower the cholesterol Relives in food poisonings and vomiting Chewing the seeds (without soaking) helps in mouth ulcer They are cooling and reduce the body heat, perfect for Indian summer

References: http://hubpages.com/hub/Sweet-Basil-Herb-Sabja-Or-Tukmaria-Seeds-And-Their-Health-Benefits http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/sweet-basil-seeds-are-nutritious-have-medicinal-value/1085275/

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