Basil
About Basil
The king of herbs in Italian and Thai cuisine. Over 60 varieties including sweet basil, Thai basil, holy basil (tulsi), and purple basil. Holy basil has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for 3,000+ years. It contains eugenol, an anti-inflammatory compound also found in cloves. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed basil would only grow if the grower cursed while planting it. It is extremely cold-sensitive and turns black below 10 degrees C. Genovese basil is the classic pesto variety. It pairs with tomatoes more perfectly than any other herb. Fresh basil has 3x more vitamin K than kale by weight.
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