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The holy basil plant is called tulasi in Hindi and some other Indian languages. Ocimum tenuiflorum: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocimum_tenuiflorum https:/

The holy basil plant is called tulasi in Hindi and some other Indian languages. Ocimum tenuiflorum: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocimum_tenuiflorum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocimum_tenuiflorum It is widespread across India, both as a weed and grown in houses, gardens and temples, and there is a lot of religious and cultural stuff around it. Edit: it is also supposed to have some medicinal value, so is added to herbal teas along with other common spices like ginger, turmeric, pepper, cardamom, clove, cinammon, etc.

spaceman_2020 3y ago
Didn't realize they used Tulsi. I've been using regular Basil instead! Surprising that Tulsi is so rarely used in Indian cooking. When I think about it, fragrant fresh herbs are very seldom used in Indian cooking, outside of coriander (mostly used as garnish). Even mint is used only in certain dishes.
- selimthegrim 3y ago
  Fresh fenugreek (as opposed to dried) is occasionally used in chicken and vegetable dishes. Mint is sometimes used in lentil dishes to punch it up.
  - fuzztester 3y ago
    >occasionally Very regularly, actually. Methi (fenugreek) paratha is popular wherever parathas are, which is large parts of India.
    - fuzztester 3y ago
      Also see what I said about methi here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37398973 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37398973
      - selimthegrim 3y ago
        As you said it varies by region. Certainly Kasuri methi (dried) is most commonly used form in Pakistan. You are right about mint chutney but that is condiment.
        fuzztester 3y ago
        >As you said it varies by region. Certainly Kasuri methi (dried) is most commonly used form in Pakistan. Okay. >You are right about mint chutney but that is condiment. True.
- fuzztester 3y ago
  >Even mint is used only in certain dishes. Pudina (mint) chutney is ubiquitous, often mixed with fresh green coriander leaves (hara dhaniya). >When I think about it, fragrant fresh herbs are very seldom used in Indian cooking, outside of coriander (mostly used as garnish). Somewhat true, but would vary by region. Curry leaf usage is widespread in South India. Just had an egg curry today with curry leaf (and other) flavoring, with chapatis, at a Kerala restaurant in a non-Kerala town. With raita and chopped onion and chilis on the side. :) Methi (fenugreek) is used as a green and cooked and eaten, apart from use in parathas. Methi thepla (like paratha but from a different region, Gujarat / Rajasthan), is so tasty (to me) that I can eat it by itself. :) And if you extend the definition of fresh (but not necessarily fragrant, some are neutral in smell) herbs to greens used like spinach, India has a wide variety of such greens that are eaten on a regular basis in different parts of the country. For example, many kinds of keerai in South India, including amaranths, palak, siru keerai, thandu keerai, agathi keerai, and many more. It's just that they are not much offered at mainstream Indian restaurants in India or abroad, AFAIK. That's because such restaurants are conservative and mainly make what sells the most.
temp0826 3y ago
Also called Ocimum sanctum. There are a few different varieties of holy basil, too. Some are mostly used for their medicinal value and some for cooking. I'm not 100% sure which type is used in Thai cuisine, though.
- fuzztester 3y ago
  >Also called Ocimum sanctum. Yes. When I first googled for holy basil Wikipedia, to post about it here, I was a bit surprised to see that other second name, because I too knew it earlier only by the sanctum second name. >There are a few different varieties of holy basil, too. Right. A few I know of are Krishna tulasi, Rama tulasi, vana tulasi (maybe some overlap there). Those names are mentioned in some Ayurvedic medicines that include tulasi as an ingredient, IIRC.

spaceman_2020 3y ago

Didn't realize they used Tulsi. I've been using regular Basil instead! Surprising that Tulsi is so rarely used in Indian cooking. When I think about it, fragrant fresh herbs are very seldom used in Indian cooking, outside of coriander (mostly used as garnish). Even mint is used only in certain dishes.

selimthegrim 3y ago
Fresh fenugreek (as opposed to dried) is occasionally used in chicken and vegetable dishes. Mint is sometimes used in lentil dishes to punch it up.
- fuzztester 3y ago
  >occasionally Very regularly, actually. Methi (fenugreek) paratha is popular wherever parathas are, which is large parts of India.
  - fuzztester 3y ago
    Also see what I said about methi here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37398973 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37398973
    - selimthegrim 3y ago
      As you said it varies by region. Certainly Kasuri methi (dried) is most commonly used form in Pakistan. You are right about mint chutney but that is condiment.
      - fuzztester 3y ago
        >As you said it varies by region. Certainly Kasuri methi (dried) is most commonly used form in Pakistan. Okay. >You are right about mint chutney but that is condiment. True.
fuzztester 3y ago
>Even mint is used only in certain dishes. Pudina (mint) chutney is ubiquitous, often mixed with fresh green coriander leaves (hara dhaniya). >When I think about it, fragrant fresh herbs are very seldom used in Indian cooking, outside of coriander (mostly used as garnish). Somewhat true, but would vary by region. Curry leaf usage is widespread in South India. Just had an egg curry today with curry leaf (and other) flavoring, with chapatis, at a Kerala restaurant in a non-Kerala town. With raita and chopped onion and chilis on the side. :) Methi (fenugreek) is used as a green and cooked and eaten, apart from use in parathas. Methi thepla (like paratha but from a different region, Gujarat / Rajasthan), is so tasty (to me) that I can eat it by itself. :) And if you extend the definition of fresh (but not necessarily fragrant, some are neutral in smell) herbs to greens used like spinach, India has a wide variety of such greens that are eaten on a regular basis in different parts of the country. For example, many kinds of keerai in South India, including amaranths, palak, siru keerai, thandu keerai, agathi keerai, and many more. It's just that they are not much offered at mainstream Indian restaurants in India or abroad, AFAIK. That's because such restaurants are conservative and mainly make what sells the most.

temp0826 3y ago

Also called Ocimum sanctum. There are a few different varieties of holy basil, too. Some are mostly used for their medicinal value and some for cooking. I'm not 100% sure which type is used in Thai cuisine, though.

fuzztester 3y ago
>Also called Ocimum sanctum. Yes. When I first googled for holy basil Wikipedia, to post about it here, I was a bit surprised to see that other second name, because I too knew it earlier only by the sanctum second name. >There are a few different varieties of holy basil, too. Right. A few I know of are Krishna tulasi, Rama tulasi, vana tulasi (maybe some overlap there). Those names are mentioned in some Ayurvedic medicines that include tulasi as an ingredient, IIRC.