Indian bay leaf | tejpatta | cinnamomum tamala
What is Cinnamomum Tamala – Cinnamomum Tamala is the Botanical name for Indian Bay Leaf(Tejpatta). Tej Patta translates into a “pungent leaf”. Teja Patta or the Indian Bay leaf is used commonly as a spice and tastes more like cinnamon, but milder, and is indeed the leaf of the Cassia (Cinnamomum tamala) tree.
Apart from spice Tej Patta has several health benefits too. Burning Indian Bay Leaf is said to help fatigue, varicose veins, painful joints, and viral infections.
It also helps by calming the nervous system and boosting mental activity, as well as strengthening immune systems. Culinarily, Indian bay leaves are quite different having a fragrance and taste similar to cinnamon (cassia) bark, but milder.
Read more: Health Benefits of Cinnamomum Tamala
Cinnamomum Tamala is thought to have been one of the major sources of the medicinal plant leaves known in classic and medieval times as malabathrum (or malobathrum).