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.
Is Thai basil different to normal basil?
Thai basil is a type of basil that originates in Southeast Asia. It’s got a stronger flavor than that of it’s sweet basil cousin with more of an anise flavor. What is this? You can usually find Thai basil at a well-stocked grocery store or your local International or Asian market or grocery store.
Can I replace Thai basil with basil?
No Thai Basil? No problem! 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.
How do you tell basil apart?
You can also tell Italian basil and Asian basil apart by looking at the leaves. The Italian variety has green, large, round leaves that look very similar to spinach. The edges of the leaf are always smooth and slightly concave. Asian basil leaves are smaller, somewhat oblong, and can be either green, purple, or both.
What is another name for Thai basil?
Thai basil may sometimes be called chi neang vorng, anise basil or licorice basil, in reference to its anise- and licorice-like scent and taste, but it is different from the Western strains bearing these same names.
What dishes use Thai basil?
Try Thai basil in simmered dishes like Taiwanese braised eggplant and green curry as well as high-heat stir-fries such as Thai basil chicken and Thai tofu (traditionally made with holy basil, but great with Thai basil, too).
What can I use if I dont have 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.
Can Thai basil be eaten raw?
Thai basil stands up to cooking a little better than sweet basil, making it a good choice for soups, stir-fries, and curries. It can also be eaten raw sprinkled over salads or cold noodles dishes, and used interchangeably with sweet basils in most recipes.
Can you eat all types of basil?
Are all types of basil leaves edible? Almost every basil variety is grown as a culinary herb. And not just the leaves, the flowers, and stems of the basil are perfectly edible. You can use the flowers to make tea or sprinkle them on your salad and pasta to make them look prettier.
What is the most common type of basil?
Sweet Basil
Also called Sweet Basil or Sweet Genovese, Genovese Basil is the most common variety and what you’ll find in those plastic packages at the supermarket. The oval-shaped leaves are about two to three inches long and have a strong aroma and peppery flavor.
Does Thai basil taste minty?
Different kinds of basil will boast slightly varied taste features. For example, Thai flavor will lean more on the anise, spicy, and licorice side, while sweet basil will be fresh, peppery, and a bit minty.
Are all parts of Thai basil edible?
Thai Basil leaves, flowers, and stems are all edible and offer a bold flavor with spicy-sweet notes of anise and black licorice.
What is special about Thai basil?
Research shows that Thai Basil is high in antioxidants, anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties, which is why it has been used in traditional healing since centuries ago. Aside from ingesting Thai Basil, you can also bruise the leaves and inhale its aroma to relieve stress.
What kind of basil is best for cooking?
Sweet Basil
It is the most used and popular basil variety to grow. Sweet basil is used extensively in cooking for its aromatic foliage. Ranging from green to purple, the herb can attain a height of 12-18 inches.
What part of Thai basil do you eat?
The stem is usually purple or red, and the flowers are also purple or red. Thai can withstand heat better than sweet basil. As with the other two types, the flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves are all edible.
Can you eat Thai basil stems?
If you do have an excess of basil, catch it before it’s too late and blend it into a classic pesto, or chop and freeze in ice cube trays to add to dishes at a later date. As with any soft herbs, the stalks are edible and delicious, too, and will add depth of flavour to all kinds of dishes.
What does Thai basil taste like?
Thai basil leaves have a distinctive flavor with bold notes of licorice and spice. True to its common name, sweet basil has a sweeter flavor and more peppery notes.
Can you buy dried Thai basil?
Dried Thai Holy Basil Leaves 0.9oz
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Is Thai basil the same as Italian basil?
What is Thai basil, and can you use Italian basil in its place? A variety of the sweet Italian basil used widely in American and European cooking, Thai basil brings slightly savory, spicy, anise-like notes to many Southeast Asian and Chinese dishes.
Is fresh basil better than dried?
Herbs like dill, parsley, and basil lose or change flavor when dried. Parsley, when dried, loses all of the fresh flavor that makes it worthwhile as an herb. Dehydrated basil, on the other hand, tastes more like mint than fresh basil — a flavor that won’t complement your pasta dish very well.
Are the flowers on Thai basil edible?
Are Thai basil flowers edible? The flowers are edible in the sense that they can be used in dishes safely. However, we wouldn’t advise eating them on their own as the texture isn’t the most appealing. Instead, use the flower heads as a garnish.