Thai basil is a variety of basil (Ocimum basilicum) best known for its use in Asian and Thai cuisine. Unlike its cousin, Italian basil (aka Genovese basil), Thai basil has sturdy, resilient leaves that stand up well to extended cooking times and prolonged heat.
What kind of basil is used in Thai dishes?
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.
What type of basil is Thai basil?
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. It’s common in Southeast Asian cuisine, including Thai, Cambodian, Lao, and Vietnamese recipes.
Can you use regular basil in Thai cooking?
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 kind of basil goes in Thai curry?
Featured Ingredient: Thai Basil
Thai basil has a hint of anise or licorice flavor, is spicier than sweet basil, and holds up better than other basil varieties in high heat. It’s most commonly used in Asian dishes.
Which basil is best for Thai food?
Thai basil is a variety of basil (Ocimum basilicum) best known for its use in Asian and Thai cuisine. Unlike its cousin, Italian basil (aka Genovese basil), Thai basil has sturdy, resilient leaves that stand up well to extended cooking times and prolonged heat.
What’s the difference between Thai basil and regular basil?
But setting looks aside, Thai basil is spicy with an anise, or licorice-like flavor, while sweet basil has a more mild peppery and sweet taste (for reference, sweet basil is commonly used as a main ingredient in Genovese-style pesto).
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 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.
Can you use Italian basil in Thai cooking?
Thai basil and Italian basil belong to the same family, so you can use Italian basil as a Thai Basil Substitute, and the flavor will not change much. Sweet Italian basil has a milder taste, so you have to add a higher amount of Italian basil to get the same flavor.
Is there a difference between sweet basil and basil?
Sweet basil is a sub-type of common basil with milder or licoricey taste. It is the best choice for Italian sauces and soups and for making pesto. Sweet basil leaves can sustain better in high-temperature cooking than common basil, so they are widely used in the South Asian cuisine.
Is sweet basil the same as holy basil?
Although the names may sound similar, the origin of these plants are different. The biological nomenclature of Holy Basil is Ocimum Tenuiflorum whereas the scientific name for Basil is Ocimum Basilicum. However, both Basil variants belong to the same Lamiaceae family.
Which basil is used in Thai green curry?
Thai sweet basil
Thai Basil: Thai basil is called Thai sweet basil or Bai Horapa and have purple stems and constricted leaves. They are flatter than western basil. Thai basil adds a fresh flavor to Thai salads. A handful of it is added in the final stages of cooking many Thai curries and stir fried dishes.
Is Thai basil and cinnamon basil the same?
The term “cinnamon basil” can refer to a number of different varieties of basil, including as a synonym for Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), as a particular cultivar of Thai basil, and as a separate cultivar in its own right (i.e., O. basilicum ‘Cinnamon’).
What is Thai hot basil?
THAI HOLY BASIL IS THE MORE PUNGENT AND STRONG FLAVORED BASIL. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOT AND SEET BASIL IS EASY TO DETECT VISUALLY, BECAUSE THE HOT BASIL HAS SOME LITTLE HAIRS ON THE EDGE ON THE LEAVES. THAT, AS THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE LEAVES IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MOST COMMON USED THAI BASILS.
Which is better Thai basil or Genovese basil?
Genovese basil is the plant name for the most commonly used type of basil in western cooking. Thai sweet basil is quite different in appearance to typical Genovese basil. It has a more solid stem, and thus the herb branches are often sturdier while regular basil is more delicate.
Is Thai basil purple basil?
Thai basil can have both purple and green ones (depending on the variety) while holy basil has only green leaves; Thai basil leaves have a smooth margin while holy basil ones have a toothed one; and. Thai basil has a strong licorice sweet taste while holy basil presents a pepper flavor with a note of clove.
How do I use Thai sweet basil?
Thai basil is wonderful eaten raw, slivered, and added to salads, both your plain old cucumber-tomato salad or something meaty like northern Thai larb. But its hardy leaves stand up especially well to cooking—their flavor infuses readily into food and the leaves don’t wilt quite as much as Italian sweet basil’s would.
Can you buy dried Thai basil?
Dried Thai Holy Basil Leaves 0.9oz
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Can I eat Thai basil 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 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.