Basil Holy Thai

Not the Thai basil sold in supermarkets — this is the genuine article. Holy Basil, Tulsi across South Asia and Kaprao in Thailand, is a different species with hairy stems, serrated leaves and an intensely peppery, clove-forward flavour quite unlike the sweet anise of Italian basil.

The heat comes from eugenol, the compound that gives cloves their warmth, and it intensifies rather than fades when cooked. That is exactly why it goes into a sizzling wok at the last moment for Pad Kra Pao rather than being stirred raw into a salad.

It carries real cultural weight too. In Hindu tradition Tulsi is the queen of herbs, grown at the heart of the home and tended as an act of devotion, and brewed as tea across South Asia for thousands of years. Being genuinely tropical, it wants more warmth and humidity than Italian basil — a greenhouse, a conservatory, or the sunniest windowsill you have.