Thai basil Profile

Thai basil is a variety of basil native to Southeast Asia. It is widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine. Its aroma is described as similar to that of fennel and licorice and has a slightly spicy flavor. It is sweeter and stable under high temperatures or long-term cooking. Thai basil leaves are small and long and narrow, like a spearhead, with purple stems and inflorescences, and the petals are pink.

Thai Basil morphological characteristics

The thai basil plant is sturdy and can grow to 45 cm (1.48 feet). It has bright green, slightly jagged, narrow leaves; its scent is sweet, similar to fennel and has a licorice flavor, and has the pungency that sweet basil lacks. Breath. Thai basil stems are dark purple, and like other Lamiaceae plants, the stem section is square. The leaves are cross-shaped. The inflorescence is a dense cone inflorescence, the nickname thyrsiflora is to describe its inflorescence shape as a dense cone inflorescence.

Thai Basil botanical classification

There are many varieties of basil, including Thai basil. There are many varieties of Thai basil itself, and the most common variety in the United States is called Siam Queen. Because of its fragrance and taste, Thai basil is sometimes called anise basil or licorice basil. However, basil varieties are grown in the West also have the same name, which is easy to get confused. Thai basil is sometimes called cinnamon basil, especially when it is called cinnamon basil in Vietnamese. Similarly, there is another basil cultivar called cinnamon basil, which is easily confused.
The genus Ocimum is derived from the Greek word, which is actually a characteristic of most plants in the Lamiaceae. There are more than 40 varieties of basil, and various tastes, aromas, and colors often cause confusion in identification.

Basil-related plants commonly found in Thai cuisine

Thai basil, widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine, is also very important in Vietnamese cuisine. In Taiwan, it is mainly used in three-cup dishes such as salty crisp chicken, three-cup chicken, fried shellfish, and occasionally used in fried eggs. In Western countries, it is also a common supporting role in Asian cuisine. Thai holy basil is actually a species of Ocimum, but it is a different species from basil. It has a spicy flavor. It is a plant with the aroma of pepper and cloves. It is a spice that Thais love to use. The holy basil of the Thai variety and the holy basil used in India are different cultivars of the same species, so it is often called Thai holy basil with the distinction of Thailand. Indian holy basil is called Tulasi or tulsi. It is widely used in Indian cuisine, Ayurvedic medicine, and religious occasions. The locals recognize its sacredness.
Lemon basil has a lemony aroma and taste. Thai cuisine is the least used item among the three. In order to distinguish it from another variety, Mrs. Burns' Lemon basil, which is also called lemon basil, it is often topped with Thailand as Thai lemon basil.