Product guide
Ocimum africanum Lour.
Whole edible maeng lak seeds from Udon Thani — mild in flavour, with a soft translucent gel that forms after soaking.
Botanical story · current research
Hairy basil is a lemon-scented basil with softly hairy stems, green leaves and upright flower spikes. The tiny dark seeds are gathered after the spikes dry. In water, the seed coat quickly opens into a translucent mucilage around a dark centre. Ocimum africanum is distinct from sweet basil, holy basil and chia, even though their seeds can look similar in a glass.
Ocimum africanum Lour.
Udon Thani, Isan, northeastern Thailand
In Thailand the plant is called maeng lak and is familiar in home gardens, including those of Isan. Its leaves are used for their citrus-like aroma, while the soaked seeds appear in everyday drinks and desserts such as nam maeng lak, coconut preparations and sweet syrups. Green Botanica’s current lot comes from Udon Thani province through a local contract-farm relationship.
Seed · whole dried
This profile follows the whole edible seed. Dry seeds are tiny and crisp, but after soaking they become soft, slippery and gel-coated, bringing texture rather than a strong flavour. That transformation is the key culinary quality: the soaked seeds can be spooned into lime drinks, butterfly pea tea, rose milk, falooda, yoghurt or chilled desserts.
Latest useful research
We prioritise the newest credible source we can find and state clearly whether it is human, animal, laboratory or review evidence.
Laboratory food-material study of mucilage extracted from Ocimum africanum seeds; it characterises structure and texture, not a health effect.
Open the research ↗A study of an extract, cell or animal model is not the same as eating or drinking the plant. It can still be valuable evidence when described accurately.
From plant to kitchen
Flavour profile
How to prepare
Add 1 teaspoon of dry seeds to about 150 ml of cold water and stir once.
Leave for 10–15 minutes, until every seed is surrounded by a translucent gel, then stir again.
Use the fully soaked seeds in iced lime drinks, butterfly pea tea, coconut desserts, falooda, yoghurt or smoothies; do not eat them dry.
Ways to use it
Further watching & reading
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