This article is about basil the plant and herb. For other uses of the word basil, see basil (disambiguation).

Basil growing in a backyard

Basil (Ocimum basilicum, Lamiaceae) is also known as Albahaca, St. Joseph's Wort, and Sweet Basil. It is a tender annual herb.

Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum = O. tenuiflorum) is a sacred herb in India but is not much used for culinary purposes there. Known as Tulasi, the plant is worshipped as dear to Vishnu in some sects of Vaishnavism. A tea made from the leaves is used as a remedy for cold in India. Also known as Thai basil, it is a very common ingredient in Thai cuisine with a strong flavor similar to aniseed, which used to flavor curries and stir-fries.

The most commonly used basil varieties are sweet basil and Thai basil. Other varieties include Purple Ruffles, Mammoth, Cinnamon, Lemon, Globe, and African Blue.

Basil is a low-growing annual. It has light green silky leaves and tastes somewhat like cloves, with a strong, pungent, sweet smell. Basil is very sensitive to cold.

The word basil (fr. Gk basileus, king) means "royal". The Oxford English Dictionary quotes speculations that basil may have been used in "some royal unguent, bath, or medicine".

Basil as an herb

The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. Place fresh leaves in a dry jar with a pinch of salt, and cover with olive oil. The dried herb tastes utterly different, rather like curry.

Mediterranean cuisines frequently use basil, especially combined with tomato. Basil, often the 'Genovese' variety, is one of the main ingredients in pesto - an Italian sauce from the city of Genoa.

There are several varieties of basil grown in many regions of Asia. Most of the Asian basils have a clove-like flavor that is generally stronger than that of the Western basils. For example, Chinese Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is the same species of plant as its European counterpart. However they just taste a little differently. The local variety is called "九層塔" lit. "Nine-Storied Pagoda" in Chinese while imported herb is called "羅勒". If the western variety is required, a Chinese cookbook author will always use "羅勒" or "巴西里" instead of "九層塔".

Basils are very popular in Thai cuisine. Vietnamese and Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh "九層塔" basil leaves to thick soups (羹湯). They also eat fried chicken with deep fried "九層塔" basil leaves.

Some culinary writers have opined that basil is the "king of herbs".

Cultural aspects

The name basil may derive from the basilisk (also fr. Gk basileus), a legendary monster, because the plant was said to be a cure for its poison. Indeed, A Modern Herbal, by Mrs. M. Grieve, tells us: "The seeds have been reckoned efficacious against the poison of serpents..."

The plant has frequently been considered poisonous itself, while African legend claims it protects against scorpions. European lore sometimes claims that basil is a symbol of Satan, though in other places, like India, the plant is highly revered. Similarly, it is a symbol of love in present-day Italy, but represented hatred in ancient Greece.

In Boccaccio's Decameron a memorably morbid tale (novella V) tells of Lisabetta, whose brothers slay her lover. He appears to her in a dream and shows her where he is buried. She secretly disinters the head, and sets it in a pot of basil, which she waters with her daily tears. The pot being taken from her by her brothers, she dies of her grief not long after. The story is already told of the Longobard queen Rosalind.

External link

• Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages (http://www_ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/Ocim-bas.html) explain the culinary use of basil in European and Asian cooking; further weblinks.

See also Basil of Caesarea.