Martin Yan - THAI SWEET BASIL

"The more you understand the ingredients, the better cook you will become."
-Martin Yan

These are common ingredients found in local cuisine. You can find these ingredients readily available in your local supermarket.

THAI SWEET BASIL

For those of you who enjoy the slightly strong, yet sweet lingering flavor of anise, you must try this fresh herb. It plays an important role in the Thai and Vietnamese cuisines. Thai sweet basil has bright green leaves with purplish green stems and flowers. It has an aromatic anise fragrance and flavor.

Use Thai sweet basil as you would other fresh herbs. Toss whole leaves into salads or add to stir-fried dishes. Stack a few whole leaves on top of each other and roll into a bundle. Turn the bundle sideways and thinly slice to make fine shreds. Use shreds to garnish sops and sauces. Pound chopped basil into curry paste, or serve whole trimmed bunches as an accompaniment to Vietnamese noodle soup. Just pluck the leaves from the stem and drop them into the fragrant hot broth.

To store Thai sweet basil, place stem ends in a glass of water, cover with a plastic bag, and refrigerate. It will keep for several days, but it is best when used the day of purchase.