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Aroy Mak Mak

Thai Basil

โหระพา

Horapha: sweet basil with an anise edge, for green curry and stir-fries.

Thai Basil

Thai sweet basil has purple stems, purple flower buds and pointed green leaves with a strong scent of anise and liquorice. It is sturdier than Italian basil, so it holds up well in hot curries and stir-fries.

Pronunciationhor-ra-paa
FlavourSweet, anise and liquorice, slightly spicy
Used inGreen and red curries, stir-fries, noodle soups, larb
SubstituteItalian basil with a few fennel fronds or a pinch of anise

Thailand’s three basils

  • Thai sweet basil (horapha): anise-scented, used in curries, stir-fries and as a raw side herb.
  • Holy basil (kra pao): peppery and clove-like, always cooked, the star of pad kra pao.
  • Lemon basil (maenglak): lemon-scented, used in some soups, kanom jeen, and its seeds in desserts and drinks.

How to cook with it

In curries, stir in a big handful of leaves right at the end of cooking, after you turn off the heat; they wilt in seconds and keep their perfume. In stir-fries, add it in the last 10 seconds.

Raw, it is served in the plate of herbs that comes with larb, nam tok and noodle soups, and with Vietnamese-style dishes such as pho, where diners tear leaves into their bowl.

Buying and storing

Choose bunches with perky, unspotted leaves. Basil hates the cold: in the fridge the leaves turn black within a day or two. Instead, trim the stems and stand them in a glass of water on the kitchen counter, loosely covered with a bag, like a bouquet. It keeps for several days this way.

Grow your own

Thai basil grows easily from seed in a sunny spot or on a windowsill in summer. Pinch out the flower buds to keep the plant producing leaves.

Cook’s tip

Add Thai basil after you turn off the heat. Its fragrance is volatile, and a minute of boiling cooks most of it away.

More Vegetables

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Recipes with Thai Basil