Chabret (Arganavt) – an annual herbaceous plant growing 20–30 cm tall, valued both in cooking and folk medicine. Its branched stem is covered with gray-green leaves, while small light-purple or pink flowers gather in a loose inflorescence. The plant has a strong aroma resembling hot pepper and adds a distinctive flavor to dishes when used in cooking.
In cooking, chabret is widely used as a spice: its fresh leaves or dried flowers can be added to meat, fish, mushroom, and vegetable dishes. It is an ingredient in traditional sauces such as ajika and khmeli-suneli, and is also used in pickling cucumbers and tomatoes, preparing smoked foods and drinks. Thanks to the content of essential oils, vitamin C, carotene, and rutin, chabret enhances the aromatic qualities of dishes and increases their nutritional value.
In folk medicine, chabret is used as a pain reliever, astringent, appetite stimulant, and anthelmintic. Infusions and decoctions from its flowers, leaves, and shoots help with kidney diseases, gastrointestinal tract, liver, bronchitis, and also diabetes. Chabret has anthelmintic, expectorant, and antibacterial effects; baths with the addition of the plant are effective for people with asthma and rheumatism. Care for chabret is simple: the plant prefers warm-loving conditions and does not tolerate waterlogged soils.
