Possible Clues:

• Shallow basin in a desert region
• Seasonal producer of plants -- a criminal
• Bridge placed over key area supplying basic condiment
• Shallow basin left by an evaporated lake (2 words)
• Desert basin
• Part of desert area covered in exotic plants
• Cooked plantains, but not in shallow basin
• Seasonal depression somewhere in desert?
• Shallow basin left by an evaporated lake
• A plant's emerging from shallow basin