Thai basil; ocimum basilicum, is variety of Italian sweet basil. This aromatic herb is native to India, SE Asia, and NE Africa and is an important herb used in Thai cooking (and less significantly in other cuisines).
Thai Basil is also know as Sweet Basil or Asian Basil and the Thai name is bai horapa. Theses tropical varieties of basil referred to as "Thai Basil" are slightly sweeter in flavor and are more stable when cooked than the Mediterranean basil. Another common variety is called Holy Basil, bai gaprow, and has little aroma or flavor until it is cooked. The leaves have a recognizable purple tinge.
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