Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

of the Family 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 ßas??e??, 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
Basil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Genus: Ocimum Species: O. basilicum
Binomial name
Ocimum basilicum L.

Basil As An Herb

Dried basilBasil 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.

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’.

Basil is sometimes used with fresh fruit and in fruit jams and sauces — in particular with strawberries, but also raspberries or dark-colored plums. Arguably the flat-leaf basil used in Vietnamese cooking, which has a slightly different flavour, is more suitable for use with fruit.

When soaked in water the seeds of several basil varieties become gelatinous, and are used in Asian drinks and desserts.

Other Basils

Several other basils, including some other Ocimum species, 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 “???” (”Nine-Storied Pagoda”) in Chinese, while the imported herb is called “??”. If the western variety is required, a Chinese cookbook author will specify “??” or “???” instead of “???”.

Basil is also very popular in Thai cuisine, which uses cultivars of two different species: the type known in the west as Thai Basil, which is a cultivar of O. basilicum, and Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum). Vietnamese and Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh “???” basil leaves to thick soups (??). They also eat fried chicken with deep-fried “???” basil leaves.

’Lemon basil’ has a strong lemony smell and flavour, very different from those of other varieties. It is widely used in Indonesia, where it is called kemangi and served raw, together with raw cabbage, green beans, and cucumber, as an accompaniment to fried fish or duck.

Growing Basil

Basil thrives in hot weather, and it should never be grown outdoors if there is any chance of a frost. In Northern Europe, the northern states of the U.S., and the North Island of New Zealand it will grow best if sown under glass in a peat pot, then planted out in late spring/early summer (when there is little chance of a frost). It fares best in a well-drained sunny spot.

Although basil will grow best outdoors it can be grown indoors in a pot and, like most herbs, will do best on a south-facing windowsill. It should be kept away from any draughts, and must be able to get plenty of sunlight, therefore a greenhouse or cloche would be ideal if you have them.

If its leaves have wilted from lack of water, it will recover if watered thoroughly and placed in a sunny location. Yellow leaves towards the bottom of the plant are an indication that the plant needs more sunlight or less fertilizer.

In sunnier climates such as Southern Europe, the southern states of the U.S., the South Island of New Zealand, and Australia, basil will thrive when planted outside. It will need regular watering, but not as much attention as is needed in other climates.

Basil can also be propagated very reliably from cuttings in exactly the same manner as “Busy Lizzie” (Impatiens), with the stems of short cuttings suspended for two weeks or so in water until roots develop.

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.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article “Basil”.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 26th, 2005 at 7:34 pm and is filed under Aromatherapy and Essential Oils. Both comments and pings are currently closed.