In Thailand, Thai basil is called bai horapa, while in Vietnam, it is known as rau húng quế. Interestingly, rau hung que literally means “cinnamon mint,” though Thai basil is a true basil. This true basil is made distinct by its small leaves, smaller than its western and European counterparts.
Is Thai basil the same as Vietnamese mint?
Vietnamese mint smells similar to Thai basil but it is far more pungent with a hot bite and slight numbing character and a strong alkalinity. Also known as hot mint, it is the leaf to use in Malaysian laksa soups, and is often simply known as laksa leaf. It’s also used as a salad ingredient, and cooked dishes.
What is Thai basil called in Vietnamese?
In Vietnamese this herb will be called: húng quế, rau quế, or sometimes even rau húng quế. The literal translation is cinnamon mint. In English it is most commonly referred to as Thai Basil or Taiwanese Basil.
What basil is closest to Thai basil?
Italian
Some recipes call for Thai basil, a pungent variety that can be hard to find in grocery stores. To duplicate its flavor, use common “Italian” basil and add a few fresh mint sprigs to the recipe.
What is the equivalent of Thai basil?
If you can’t find Thai basil, you can substitute sweet basil, but it will lack its distinctive grassy and spicy flavor. If you are to substitute, supplement the sweet basil with mint to make up for this loss of flavor.
What can I substitute for Vietnamese mint?
Similar
- Anise Leaf. Share.
- Apple Mint. Share.
- Bergamot Mint. Share.
- Bishop’s Weed. Share.
- Black Pepper Mint. Share.
- Borage Leaves. Share.
- Burnet. Share.
- Chinese Shiso. Share.
What kind of basil is used for pho?
Thai Basil
Thai Basil (Ocimum basilicum var.
Thai Basil is an essential ingredient when we make pho, a Vietnamese soup with broth, noodles, meat, and vegetables. But, we also use it liberally in salads, curries, noodle dishes, and stir-fries. The plants are beautiful with deep green leaves and reddish-purple stems and flowers.
Are there different types of Thai basil?
Thai cuisine utilises three main type of basil: Thai basil, holy basil, and lemon basil. A fourth less common basil is tree basil. The latter two are the most difficult to find outside of Thailand and the first in the list the most commonly available.
Are you supposed to eat basil in pho?
A good way to begin is by sprinkling on black pepper, then adding bean sprouts, fresh chiles and a little squeeze of lime. Using your fingers, pluck the Asian basil leaves from their sprigs and, if available, shred the saw-leaf herbs and add them to the soup. Add them little by little, eating them as you go.
What’s the difference between Thai basil and regular basil?
Appearance: Thai basil has purple stems, while sweet basil has green stems. The leaves of Thai basil are narrower than sweet basil leaves and have a slightly serrated edge. Sweet basil leaves also tend to be more delicate than sturdy Thai basil leaves.
Can you substitute basil with Thai basil?
Can I substitute basil for Thai basil? You can substitute basil for Thai basil in dishes if that’s all you have. It won’t have that same punch of flavor that Thai basil brings, so it could be worth adding other fresh herbs to help brighten the dish like mint or cilantro.
What do you use Thai basil for?
Taste and Uses
Fresh sprigs of Thai basil can be served with vegetable platters and nibbled on with spicy salads and chili dips. It can also be used in salads, vegetable dishes, or as a popular garnish for soup.
What does Thai basil taste like?
Thai basil is a type of basil with an anise or black licorice flavor that’s native to Southeast Asia. It has a purple stem, purple flowers, and thin, dark green leaves.
Can you buy dried Thai basil?
Dried Thai Holy Basil Leaves 0.9oz
FREE delivery on $25 shipped by Amazon.
Can you use Thai basil in spaghetti sauce?
Melt butter in the pot. Once it’s frothy, add the chickpea mixture and let it bubble away for about 7 minutes. Once the sauce is thickened, add Thai basil and cook for just a minute. Add the cooked pasta, toss to coat, and that’s it.
Can I use star anise instead of Thai basil?
Thai bail has a strong anise flavor profile, so substituting anise for Thai basil is a good option. We recommend using star anise specifically, as it is commonly used in the cuisines that use Thai basil.
What kind of mint is used in Vietnamese cooking?
As previously mentioned, both peppermint and spearmint are utilized in all types of Vietnamese cuisine, including fresh rolls (gỏi cuốn) and salads. And you’ll see them in your herb basket almost every time you dine in Vietnam.
What does Vietnamese mint taste like?
Vietnamese mint is admired for its peppery or hot minty taste, which is quite pleasant. Some people prefer to use it sparingly while others use larger servings in their salads. The taste has been also been likened to coriander and its culinary uses are similar.
What is Vietnamese mint good for?
The leaves are used for medicine. People use Vietnamese coriander for diabetes, stomach pain, constipation, dandruff, gas (flatulence), and to reduce sexual desire, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
What is the best tasting basil?
The best variety to grow for flavor is sweet basil
Sweet basil, specifically a variety of sweet basil called Genovese basil, is the star of the Italian classic, pesto, as well as many other sauces and soups.
What are the leaves they give you with pho?
If you’re hardcore, add culantro (ngò gai) leaves, a hot-weather herb with a strong, slightly sweet cilantro flavor; it’s usually sold at Vietnamese, Latin, and Caribbean markets.