Licorice Basil is used to add a mild licorice flavor to recipes – it is especially good with fish, in salads, or to flavor candy! Purple spikes make this an attractive as well as a tasty addition to your herb garden!
What does licorice basil taste like?
A type of Thai basil, these plants are not only beautiful, but reward growers as an immensely fragrant addition to the home garden. As the name would imply, both licorice and anise are prevalent in the flavor of the basil.
Is licorice basil the same as 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 do you eat Thai basil with?
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 do with Thai basil leaves?
How is Thai basil used? Unlike sweet basil, Thai basil’s sturdy leaves retain structure and flavor even when cooked. That means that it can be added fresh as a garnish, to provide an herbaceous kick, but it can also be added during the cooking process, to infuse the whole dish with its aroma.
Can you eat licorice basil?
Description/Taste
Licorice basil, a Western strain of Thai basil, is also known as anise basil as it has distinctive anise flavored qualities and aromatics. It is a lanky plant with pointed green leaves and signature burgundy tinted spiked flowers. Both the leaves and the flowers are edible.
Why does my basil plant taste like licorice?
The smell of licorice is attributed to a chemical compound present in both licorice and anise known as anethole. Anethole can be found in fennel as well. Certain basil varieties have this compound which gives them their distinct smell and flavor, often described as either like licorice and anise.
Which basil is best for pesto?
Italian Large Leaf Italian Large Leaf Basil
Italian Large Leaf
Italian Large Leaf Basil is the most commonly used in pesto. This variety offers a strong flavor for a robust fullness. When using fresh basil to prepare pesto, crush the leaves first to release the flavor, then add them to the olive oil.
Is Thai basil good in spaghetti sauce?
You can’t really taste the anise/fennel flavor of the Thais basil but it lends something special to the dish. Although, you could certainly make a fabulous sauce using all regular basil, with our without additional fresh herbs of your choice. And, don’t take the amounts in the recipe as written in stone.
Why does my basil smell like cinnamon?
Basil can often smell like cinnamon. That is because of a certain chemical compound named methyl cinnamate, which is found in some varieties of basil. Methyl cinnamate is a white or transparent solid substance that has a strong aroma which is the smell of cinnamon.
What’s the difference between Thai basil and 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.
Should Thai basil be cooked?
Kitchen Tips. Like other basil varieties, Thai basil should be used fresh, and added during the last moments of cooking. Overcooking Thai basil is not recommended as heat quickly dissipates the flavor.
How can I preserve Thai basil?
You can freeze it in ice cube trays or in a freezer bag. Another option is to store it with some olive oil. You can also dry it, but you’ll need to do this in a food dehydrator. If you’re growing your own Thai basil, you can also preserve it by harvesting the basil plants and hanging them upside down to dry.
Should you let Thai basil flower?
Check your basil plants frequently for flowers, and if you see any, pinch them off right away. If the flower stems are too woody to pinch (often the case with Thai basil), cut them off with shears. A plant allowed to flower will soon go to seed, stop growing, and die, so be vigilant about removing flowers.
Can Thai basil flowers be eaten?
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.
Is Thai basil good for tea?
Basil Tea. Finally, Thai basil is amazing when consumed as tea. Not only is it delicious, but this fragrant tea has a lot of potential benefits for your health.
Who should not take holy basil?
Holy basil is probably safe for most people; however, Pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who are trying to become pregnant, and people with type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and those undergoing surgery should avoid holy basil.
Is basil good for kidneys?
Kidney Health
Basil leaves act as a kidney tonic by cleansing the kidneys and lowering uric acid levels, which is the root cause of kidney stones. Basil contains compounds like acetic acid which help in the expulsion of kidney stones via urine.
Is basil good for your lungs?
A tea made with leaves of holy basil is a common remedy for cold, cough and mild indigestion. Holy basil has diverse actions on the respiratory system. It effectively liquefies the phlegm and is effective for cough due to allergic bronchitis, asthma and eosinophilic lung disease.
Does Thai basil smell like licorice?
In terms of taste, Thai basil smells like anise and has a more licorice smell with a slightly spicy taste.
What herbs smell like licorice?
Answer: Anise (Pimpinella anisum), an herb native to the Mediterranean region which has a strong licorice scent and the flowers are like those of the blue hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), a European native with many old world medicinal uses.