Thai basil
โหระพา / horapha; húng quế
- Flavor and role
- A basil with purple stems and small leaves, giving a sweet, strong anise and liquorice aroma. Its aroma holds up well when cooked.
- Typical dishes and uses
- Pho, green and red curry, Thai stir-fries, Vietnamese wraps. In this book: pho bo and pad kra pao (instead of holy basil).
- Substitutes
- The same amount of sweet basil + a few mint leaves or a pinch of ground star anise to round out the aroma.
- Storage
- The leaves blacken in a cold fridge, so stand the stems in a glass of water at room temperature (18-22°C) and use within 2-4 days.
- Main countries
- Thailand · Vietnam
- Used in this book
- Thai Green Curry with Chicken (Gaeng Keow Wan)Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Yan Su Ji)Thai Red Curry Coconut AlbóndigasThai Red Curry Coconut Dal with Lemongrass TadkaGado-Gado Rice Paper RollsThai Lemongrass GambasGreen Curry with Hand-Pounded PasteGreen Curry Shrimp Spaghetti (Thai-Italian)Green Curry Fried Rice with Crispy Fried EggThai-Style Coconut Chicken and Squash CurryThai red curry moqueca with lemongrassThai Red Curry Coconut CouscousPhở Đặc Biệt with 4-Hour Oxtail BrothPhở French Dip SandwichPhở-Spiced Beef Fried RiceNight-Market Master Popcorn Chicken with Toasted Pepper SaltGochujang-Honey Popcorn Chicken (Korean Yangnyeom Style)Tom Yum Shrimp Cream SpaghettiThai Coconut Lemongrass White Chicken Chili
Updated 2026-10-10