Ocimum Basilicum Thyrsifolium

Thai basil or horapha in Thai may sometimes be called anise basil or licorice basil to describe its anise- and liquorice-like and slightly spicy flavour. Widely used throughout Southeast Asia especially cuisines from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao, Thai basil is more stable under high or extended cooking temperatures than that of sweet basil.

It is also the cultivar most often used for Asian cooking in Western kitchens among the Basil family. Thai basil is also an essential ingredient in the well-known Taiwanese dish “three-cup chicken” – sān bēi jī 三杯鸡.

Basil grows best outdoors but can be grown indoors in a pot like most herbs in a spot where it can get a lot of sunlight. If its leaves have wilted from lack of water, it will recover by compensating with more water and placing it in a sunny location. Yellow leaves towards the bottom of the plant are an indication that the plant has been stressed. Usually, this means that it needs less water or less or more fertilizer.