anise.
In terms of taste, Thai basil smells like anise and has a more licorice smell with a slightly spicy taste. Sweet basil has the classic aroma that reminds you of pesto and has more of a clove like.
What is the smell of Thai basil?
Thai basil is sturdy and compact, growing up to 45 cm (1 ft 6 in), and has shiny green, slightly serrated, narrow leaves with a sweet, anise-like scent and hints of licorice, along with a slight spiciness lacking in sweet basil.
How does basil smell like?
What does basil smell like? No two types of basil smell alike, but most have a lemony, peppery, herbaceous, slightly minty scent that’s similar to tarragon. At close quarters, basil sports a warm, fresh, and sweet scent.
Which basil is most fragrant?
Holy Basil is highly fragrant with a spicy, sweet musky scent. The flavor is best when cooked since eaten raw it can be slightly bitter. Holy basil is used in Indian cuisine, especially in meat curries. Holy basil is also known as tulsi which means the incomparable one in South Asia.
What is the difference between basil and Thai basil?
Appearance: Thai basil has purple stems, while sweet basil has green stems. The leaves of Thai basil are narrower than sweet basil leaves and have a slightly serrated edge. Sweet basil leaves also tend to be more delicate than sturdy Thai basil leaves.
What herb smells like urine?
Sandpapery leaves conceal a somewhat pungent surprise. Brush against or break lantana leaves, and you’ll encounter an odor that’s somewhere between cat urine, gasoline and fermented citrus.
What goes well with Thai basil?
Try Thai basil in simmered dishes like Taiwanese braised eggplant and green curry as well as high-heat stir-fries such as Thai basil chicken and Thai tofu (traditionally made with holy basil, but great with Thai basil, too).
Why does basil smell weird?
basil plants can produce different scents akin to cat urine, lemon, licorice, or even cinnamon due to the presence of particular compounds like mercaptan, anethole, citral, cinnamate. Some of these compounds can be externally introduced while others are naturally produced by specific basil varieties.
Does basil have a sweet smell?
Sweet basil tastes somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, sweet smell. Basil is very sensitive to cold, with best growth in hot, dry conditions. While most common varieties are treated as annuals, some are perennial, including African Blue and Holy Thai basil. Other basils are grown in many regions of Asia.
Why does basil smell so good?
The characteristic scent of the basil plant is due to a volatile compound called eugenol (shown in yellow), which is produced by the basil enzyme, eugenol synthase (shown in purple).
What is Thai basil used for?
How is Thai basil used? Unlike sweet basil, Thai basil’s sturdy leaves retain structure and flavor even when cooked. That means that it can be added fresh as a garnish, to provide an herbaceous kick, but it can also be added during the cooking process, to infuse the whole dish with its aroma.
Which basil has the best flavour?
One of the most popular varieties, ‘Sweet’ basil has a full licorice flavor and spicy clove fragrance that’s just as nice when used fresh in salads, sandwiches, and wraps or added to pesto, sauces, and savory dishes.
What is the sweetest basil?
The most common basil is ‘Genovese basil‘ (Ocimum basilicum), which is often referred to as sweet basil.
Can I substitute regular basil for Thai 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.
Does Thai basil taste like regular basil?
But setting looks aside, Thai basil is spicy with an anise, or licorice-like flavor, while sweet basil has a more mild peppery and sweet taste (for reference, sweet basil is commonly used as a main ingredient in Genovese-style pesto).
Can I use normal basil for Thai basil?
No Thai Basil? No problem! Some recipes call for Thai basil, a pungent variety that can be hard to find in grocery stores. To duplicate its flavor, use common “Italian” basil and add a few fresh mint sprigs to the recipe.
What plant smells like death?
The corpse flower
The corpse flower smells like… well, a dead body. Given its rotting odor, the plant, whose technical name is Amorphophallus titanum has also been dubbed the corpse bride, corpse plant, and the world’s smelliest flower. The plant’s smell has also been likened to “Limburger cheese, garlic, rotting fish, and smelly feet.”
Is there a tree that smells like sperm?
More precisely, a Callery Pear, or Pyrus calleryana, a deciduous tree that’s common throughout North America. It blossoms in early spring and produces beautiful, five-petaled white flowers — that smell like semen.
What food makes poop stink?
When you eat foods that are high in sulfur—such as meats, dairy, garlic, and cruciferous veggies (think: broccoli, cabbage, kale)—your gut works overtime to digest them and produces a larger amount of the gasses that make your poop smell.
Should you let Thai basil flower?
You can either pinch your Thai basil to prevent flowering and harvest the leaves or let the plants flower and use the flowers as a garnish, for cut flower arrangements, or for vinegar.
Can you eat Thai basil stems?
If you do have an excess of basil, catch it before it’s too late and blend it into a classic pesto, or chop and freeze in ice cube trays to add to dishes at a later date. As with any soft herbs, the stalks are edible and delicious, too, and will add depth of flavour to all kinds of dishes.
Lorraine Wade is all about natural food. She loves to cook and bake, and she’s always experimenting with new recipes. Her friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of her culinary skills! Lorraine also enjoys hiking and exploring nature. She’s a friendly person who loves to chat with others, and she’s always looking for ways to help out in her community.