- This article is about basil the plant and herb. For other uses of the word basil, see basil (disambiguation).
Basil (Ocimum basilicum, Lamiaceae) is also known as Albahaca, St. Joseph's Wort, and Sweet Basil. It is a tender low-growing annual herb, originally native to tropical Asia. It grows to between twenty and sixty centimetres tall, with opposite, light green, silky leaves 1.5-5 cm long and 1–3 cm broad. It tastes somewhat like cloves, with a strong, pungent, sweet smell. Basil is very sensitive to cold, with best growth in hot, dry conditions.
The word basil comes from the Greek βασιλευς, meaning “king”. The Oxford English Dictionary quotes speculations that basil may have been used in "some royal unguent, bath, or medicine". Basil is still considered the "king of herbs" by many cookery authors.
Basil as a herb
Basil is most commonly used fresh, and in cooked recipes, is generally added at the last moment, as cooking destroys the flavour quickly. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. Place fresh leaves in a dry jar with a pinch of salt, and cover with olive oil. The dried herb also loses most of its flavour, and what little flavour remains tastes very different, with a weak coumarin flavour, like hay. Note that Basil is poisonous if eaten in very large amounts.
Basil growing in a backyard
Mediterranean cuisines frequently use basil, especially combined with tomato. Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto - an Italian sauce from the city of Genoa. The most commonly used Mediterranean basil cultivars are 'Genovese', 'Purple Ruffles', 'Mammoth', 'Cinnamon', 'Lemon', 'Globe', and 'African Blue'.
Several other cultivars of basil are grown in many regions of Asia. Most of the Asian basils have a clove-like flavour that is generally stronger than the Mediterranean basils. In China, the local cultivar is called "九層塔" ("Nine-Storied Pagoda") in Chinese while imported herb is called "羅勒". If the western variety is required, a Chinese cookbook author will specify "羅勒" or "巴西里" instead of "九層塔".
Basil is also very popular in Thai cuisine, which uses two quite different cultivars, generally sold as Thai Basil and Holy Basil in the West. Vietnamese and Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh "九層塔" basil leaves to thick soups (羹湯). They also eat fried chicken with deep fried "九層塔" basil leaves.
Cultural aspects
African legend claims that basil protects against scorpions. European lore sometimes claims that basil is a symbol of Satan, though in other places, like India, the plant is highly revered. Similarly, it is a symbol of love in present-day Italy, but represented hatred in ancient Greece.
In Boccaccio's Decameron a memorably morbid tale (novella V) tells of Lisabetta, whose brothers slay her lover. He appears to her in a dream and shows her where he is buried. She secretly disinters the head, and sets it in a pot of basil, which she waters with her daily tears. The pot being taken from her by her brothers, she dies of her grief not long after. The story is already told of the Longobard queen Rosalind.
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Last updated: 10-12-2005 18:55:41
