Product guide
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Thai holy basil dried and milled — clove-warm and peppery, quite unlike the sweet basil of an Italian kitchen.
Botanical story · current research
Holy basil is an aromatic, branching herb whose leaves and flowering tops carry clove-like, peppery and warm green notes. Ocimum tenuiflorum differs from sweet basil in both fragrance and cultural meaning; its aroma is often linked to eugenol and other volatile compounds. The plant’s lively character survives drying, though it becomes rounder and less leafy.
Ocimum tenuiflorum
South & Southeast Asia
Known as tulsi in South Asia and kraphao in Thailand, holy basil belongs to more than one living tradition. In Thai kitchens it is the defining herb in pad kraphao and is added near the end so heat does not erase the aroma. Elsewhere the leaves are also infused, creating a bridge between culinary herb and everyday botanical cup.
Leaf · powder
Fresh leaves bring texture and a bright final aroma to stir-fries and soups; dried leaf or powder is more concentrated and easy to blend into infusions, spice mixes and sauces. Powder should be added gradually and usually later in cooking. Every form comes from the same Ocimum tenuiflorum leaf, but fresh and dried expressions are sensorially different.
Latest useful research
We prioritise the newest credible source we can find and state clearly whether it is human, animal, laboratory or review evidence.
The strongest relevant human study found; newer work is mainly preclinical.
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
For an infusion, stir ½–1 teaspoon into 250 ml of water just off the boil and cover for 5 minutes.
Covering matters: the clove note sits in volatile oils that escape with the steam.
In cooking, add it at the very end of a stir-fry, off the heat.
Ways to use it
Further watching & reading
