Is it OK to use Thai basil for pesto?
Table of Contents
Pesto with Thai basil, bird’s eye chilies, walnuts and garlic has all the flavors you need for a dressing, sauce or as a spread. Unlike the Italian basil, Thai basil has a spicy-sweet flavor that goes well with chillies and garlic.
Can you use Thai basil in place of regular basil?
Can I substitute basil for Thai basil? You can substitute basil for Thai basil in dishes if that’s all you have. It won’t have that same punch of flavor that Thai basil brings, so it could be worth adding other fresh herbs to help brighten the dish like mint or cilantro.
Can you mix Thai basil and regular basil for pesto?
Thai basil pesto would be tasty. I wouldn’t make any changes to the recipe, other than the type of basil you are using. All of the ingredients found in pesto, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and olive oil, will work well with the flavor of the Thai basil.
What is the difference between Thai basil and regular basil?
So, how does Thai basil stand up against the more familiar Italian sweet basil? At a glance, the most distinguishable difference is the color of the stems: Thai basil has a purple stem and sweet basil has a green stem.
What can I use Thai basil for?
Thai basil is wonderful eaten raw, slivered, and added to salads, both your plain old cucumber-tomato salad or something meaty like northern Thai larb. But its hardy leaves stand up especially well to cooking—their flavor infuses readily into food and the leaves don’t wilt quite as much as Italian sweet basil’s would.
How do you keep Thai basil fresh?
Store basil for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Leave it in its original plastic container or rinse the leaves, roll them up in paper towels, and place them in a resealable plastic bag for up to about 4 days.
What is Thai basil good for?
Thai Basil seeds are said to have antioxidants, anti-cancer properties, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties.
Is Thai basil the same as Vietnamese basil?
Thai basil is known by many names. In the West, it is sometimes called licorice basil, sweet basil or anise basil, although there are variants of basil that are also referred to by those names. In Thailand, Thai basil is called bai horapa, while in Vietnam, it is known as rau húng quế.
Should Thai basil be refrigerated?
Can I freeze Thai basil leaves?
Yes, you can freeze Thai basil. Thai basil can be frozen for around 6 months. People freeze Thai basil, as well as other herbs, in a variety of ways. Blanching isn’t essential but can help it to retain some of its colour and flavour.