Original text in Chinese from "Eat & Travel Weekly" interview; English translation by the author.
香草人自白
我叫Bonnie，媽媽是泰國人，他們愛用香草入饌，所以我自小便接觸香草。小時候回泰北家探親，家家戶戶都種金不換。燒飯時，媽媽便摘幾塊來做炒律或湯河，好隨意。
如今我家的天台也種滿一盆盆的香草。點解？好似Jamie Oliver的廚房，放上一盆盆香草，要用便摘幾棵，聞一聞，感覺好型。
其實種香草並非常難，買一些泥土、撒下種子，適時澆水便成；再懶的可在花店買整盆的小香草回家種。就算沒有天台，放在通風的地方，如窗邊也可。話雖如此，五年前我初初種香草也遇過滑鐵爐，種一盤死一盤，後來發現，原來是我沒有認真了解香草的需要。香草跟人一樣是有生命的，我會跟它傾傾偈， 用手摸摸它的葉，它的泥、感到乾淨淨便澆水。看它色澤暗淡，毫無神氣就是不夠營養，要為它施肥。
我用香草來煮食，所以不會施化學肥，會用雞蛋殼、豆渣、過期牛奶、豆漿、乳酪等，加點水稀釋後，便是天然的肥料，因此我的香草都是有機香草。
每次看著一盆盆香草由最初細細棵，到生長至枝葉茂盛、開花結果，那種滿足感難以形容。最近我還嘗試種香蕃茄、青檸、檸檬，都很成功。今日你跟番茄無緣，因為已經給我全部摘下來吃了！
自從在家種植香草後，我的生活也隨之改變。現在煮飯已少用濃味的醬油，多用香草代替，如Rosemary用來做燒雞，煮綠豆沙又會加臭草，香味零舍唔同。當你試得多，就發現有機食物味道好唔同。
除了食用，香草的用途可多呢！例如蘆薈肉可以當mask敷面，薄荷葉加水可當爽膚水，抹上去涼浸浸的。摘幾條Rosemary掛在窗邊可驅蚊；Bay leaf也有驅蟲功效，將葉整碎放在牆邊、抽屜底，殺蟲水都不用噴。
這個私家香草花園也讓我的家居生活更有情趣。像我先生，最愛晚上來乘涼，一邊聞著香草香，一邊啜啜啤酒，好不快活。還有，因為香草的香氣，這裏時常都會吸引不少蝴蝶飛來覓食，最誇張是有隻白鷺鷥也飛來，朋友都笑說我家像個迷你動植物公園。
Homegrown Herbs ｜ Eat & Travel Weekly 2008-07-04
A Herb Lover’s Confession
My name is Bonnie. My mother is Thai, and Thais love to use herbs in cooking, so I’ve been surrounded by herbs since I was little. When I visited my relatives in Northern Thailand as a child, every household grew holy basil in their gardens. Whenever she cooked, my mother would simply pick a few leaves for stir-fries or noodle soup — so casual, so natural.
These days, my rooftop is filled with pots of herbs. Why? Well, like Jamie Oliver’s kitchen, having pots of fresh herbs means I can snip a few sprigs whenever I need them, take a whiff, and instantly feel stylish.
Growing herbs isn’t difficult at all — just get some soil, scatter the seeds, water regularly, and you’re done. If you’re feeling lazier, you can simply buy ready-grown pots from the flower market to bring home. Even without a rooftop, you can place them in a well-ventilated spot like a windowsill. That said, when I first started growing herbs five years ago, I failed miserably — every pot I planted would wither and die. I later realised that I hadn’t truly understood what herbs need. Herbs, like people, are living beings. I talk to them, touch their leaves, and feel the soil; if it’s dry, I water them. When the leaves turn dull and limp, that means they’re lacking nutrients, and it’s time to feed them.
Since I use herbs for cooking, I never use chemical fertilisers. Instead, I feed them crushed eggshells, soybean pulp, expired milk, soy milk, or yoghurt, diluted with a little water — all natural fertilisers. That’s why my herbs are all organically grown.
Watching each pot grow from a tiny sprout into lush greenery, then bloom and bear fruit, is a satisfaction that’s hard to describe. Recently, I’ve also started growing cherry tomatoes, limes, and lemons — all with great success. As for the tomatoes, you’re out of luck today — I’ve already picked and eaten them all!
Since I started growing my own herbs, my cooking habits have also changed. I use less heavy-flavoured soy sauces, replacing them with herbs instead. For example, rosemary for roast chicken, or pandan leaves for mung bean dessert soup — the aroma is completely different. Once you’ve tried enough, you’ll notice how organic produce has a unique and fresher taste.
Herbs are useful for so much more than cooking! Aloe vera flesh can be used as a face mask. Mint leaves steeped in water make a refreshing toner, cooling when applied to the skin. A few sprigs of rosemary hung by the window can repel mosquitoes. Bay leaves also have insect-repelling power — crush them and place in corners or at the bottom of drawers, and you won’t even need bug spray.
This private herb garden has also made my home life much more enjoyable. My husband loves sitting outside in the evening, enjoying the herb-scented breeze while sipping beer — pure relaxation. And because of the aroma, butterflies often come to visit, and once, even a white egret stopped by! My friends joke that my home is like a mini botanical and zoological garden.
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