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Thai Basil

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Thai Basil (bai horapa)

by Kasma Loha-unchit
Text Copyright © 1995 & 2000 Kasma Loha-unchit.

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See below for Recipes with Thai Basil.         See Also: Holy Basil.

Thai Basil: (bai horapa): Two varieties of the lusciously fragrant herb – basil – generously enhance Thai seafood dishes. The first and most prolifically used is a tropical strain of sweet basil, frequently referred to in American Asian markets as Thai basil (bai horapa), although it is also common in the cuisines of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Thai basil has lush, deep green leaves, purplish flower buds and stems and carries anise overtones to its sweet basil scent. It is added by the big handfuls in whole leaves, to green and red curries and spicy stir-fried dishes; sprigs of it regularly appear with other herbs on vegetable platters to be nibbled on with spicy salads and chilli dips. The flower buds are also edible, adding a wonderful floral bouquet.

Thai sweet basil is readily available in most Southeast Asian markets and can be grown easily in an herb garden in summer. Many nurseries carry the seedlings, and seeds for an improved strain called "Siamese Queen" can be acquired through several gourmet vegetable seed catalogues. (Check out our online markets page for some sources.)

Text Copyright © 2000 Kasma Loha-unchit in Dancing Shrimp: Favorite Thai Recipes for Seafood. See pages 50.

This is just one of many listings in the "Alphabetical List of Ingredients" in chapter four (pages 49 to 73) of Dancing Shrimp: Favorite Thai Recipes for Seafood.

Ingredient index   |  Return to Top     See Also: Holy Basil.

Mints and Basils, Holy and Not: Belonging to the same family of fragrant leafy herbs, mints and basils boast an extensive network of relatives growing in various pockets around the world. Some are profuse and have long since made a name for themselves, while others are more obscure, though showing promising futures.

The varieties of basils used in Thai cooking are quite different from the common sweet basil sold in American produce markets, but these varieties have yet to make a name for themselves. Of the three favorites – bai horapa (Thai or anise basil), bai gka-prow (holy basil) and bai maeng-lak (lemon basil) – only the first has made significant progress in getting established in the U.S., thanks to the growing population of Southeast Asian immigrants and resulting interest in their cuisines. Besides their valued culinary uses, these basils (as well as spearmint) have healing qualities and are used by country folk to alleviate various conditions. Holy basil in particular is said to be beneficial in the treatment of children's illnesses and in promoting tonicity of the body following childbirth. Its aromatic oils are believed to be potent enough to kill insects and prevent the spread of certain types of bacteria.

Thai Sweet Basil, or Anise/Licorice Basil (Bai Horapa): This tropical variety of sweet basil provides the unusual basil flavor present in so many Thai dishes that it has come to be identified as "Thai basil" in America, even though the Vietnamese and Laotians also use lots of it in their cuisines. Its leaves are deep green, smaller and not as round as Western sweet basil. They grow on purplish stems, topped with pretty, reddish purple flower buds. Both leaves and edible flowers are sweetly perfumed with a mix of a distinctly basil scent and that of anise or licorice. Therefore, it is, therefore, sometimes referred to as "anise basil" or "licorice basil," though it is not the same as the Western strain of these basils stocked by local plant nurseries.

Plentiful in Thailand, bai horapa is eaten almost as a vegetable. It is used in large quantities, in whole leaves and sprigs, in many types of dishes, including curries, stir-fried dishes, salads and soups. I am reminded of the wonderful clam dish my mother frequently made during my youth, a favorite of the family. Big handfuls of this basil were tossed in the hot wok with the very sweet, succulent and tasty thin-shelled hoi lai ("clams with a patterned shell"), garlic, roasted chilli paste (nahm prik pow) and fish sauce – delicious!(See Clams Stir-fried with Roasted Chilli Sauce and Basil (Hoi Pad Nahm Prik Pow).

Bai horapa is now readily available year-round wherever there is a sizable Southeast Asian population to support a market of its own. As demand for this great-tasting basil increases, specialty produce markets and gourmet grocery stores are beginning to add it to their herb selections. It is also easy to grow, and seed packets can be purchased from local nurseries or ordered from national seed catalogues. You can root a fresh stem easily by placing it in a glass of water outside the refrigerator. As with many leafy herbs, this basil can be kept fresh by placing it in a glass with the cut ends in water, covering it with a plastic bag and storing it in the refrigerator. Or, you can wrap the herbs in paper towels before bagging them in plastic for refrigerating. They will stay fresh for about a week.

Ingredient index   |  Return to Top     See Also: Holy Basil.

Recipes with Thai Basil : 
    Curries
       Roast Duck and Pumpkin Curry (Gkaeng Ped Bped)
       Easy Green Curry with Pork (Gkaeng Kiow Wahn Moo)
       Green Curry with Fish/Shrimp Dumplings (Gkaeng Kiow Wahn Loogchin Bplah/Gkoong)
       Chicken and Roasted Eggplant in Red Curry Sauce (Gkaeng Ped Gkai)
    Main Courses
       Spicy Basil Chicken (Pad Gkaprow Gai)
       Spicy Chicken and Basil Fried Rice (Kao Pad Gkai Gkaprow)
    Seafood Dishes
       Clams Stir-fried with Roasted Chilli Sauce and Basil (Hoi Pad Nahm Prik Pow)

See Also: Holy Basil.

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See our Online Markets page for online sources of Thai ingredients. If they do not have the product you wish, inquire by email if they will order it for you.

About this site
Text Copyright © Kasma Loha-unchit, 1995 in It Rains Fishes, and 2000 in Dancing Shrimp. All rights reserved.
First drawing Copyright © 1995 Toby Goodenough. All rights reserved.
Second drawing Copyright © 1995 Margaret DeJong. All rights reserved.
All material on this website is Copyright © 1995 to 2008 Kasma Loha-unchit. All rights reserved.
For comments, feedback or questions, contact Kasma.
Page added 15 December 2002. Last updated 1 December 2005.