Lobo brand Thai Holy basil seasoning paste - 1.76 oz each (5 packs)

Product Information

Thai Holy Basil Leaves: This is what this dish is all about! Holy basil (also known as ‘kra pow’in Thai or spicy basil) has a lovely peppery taste. It adds a whole lot of flavor and aroma to this dish! You can try finding it at your local Asian or Thai grocery store if you’re based in the US. In Asia, you can find this in the Thai stall at your local wet market during the summer. But if you can’t find holy basil easily, substitute with Thai sweet basil or Italian basil. The dish won’t be traditional as it’s normally made with holy basil. But I promise you that it’ll still be mighty delicious! In fact, I normally use Thai sweet basil in the winter here as my local wet market only carries holy basil during spring and summer.

Make it gluten-free: Use a gluten-free soy sauce, Tamari, or coconut aminos for the light soy sauce. Also use a gluten-free sweet soy sauce such as a gluten-free kecap manis, gluten-free oyster sauce (or gluten-free vegetarian oyster sauce if making this veg), and gluten-free pasta. As long as you use it in dishes that include either spicy or sweet flavors, this type of basil can be equally as good as using Thai basil. Thai Holy Basil Leaves: Also called spicy basil or hot basil sometimes. Thai holy basil has a unique peppery flavor and it is what makes this dish so special! It has furry stems, and the leaves have ridges on the sides. Look for it at your local Asian or Thai grocery store if you’re based in the U.S. In Asia, it should be available at the Thai stall in your local wet market. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with Thai sweet basil or regular Italian basil. Italian basil is closer in flavor to holy basil than Thai sweet basil. But either will work. Thai Holy Basil Leaves: This lovely and unique basil has a peppery flavor and makes this dish incredibly fragrant and tasty! You can try finding it at your local Asian or Thai grocery store in the US. In Asia, it should be available at the Thai stall in your local wet market. But if it’s not easy to find for you, you can substitute with Thai sweet basil or Italian basil instead. They both can usually be found in large supermarkets. Long Grain Brown Rice: I’ve used cooked long grain brown jasmine rice here. It’s more nutritious than white rice and has a hint of nutty flavor and firmer texture. However, Thai jasmine white rice or other long grain rice can be used instead. Day old chilled rice works best and won’t turn into mush like hot, freshly cooked rice will.The correct placement of the R is in the last syllable, so ka-prao and ga-prao are variations of the correct pronunciation. But because many more Thai words start with kra- than ka-, it's common for Thai people to say kra- pao instead out of habit.

Toss through holy basil: Add the holy basil leaves to the wok and toss through to combine for a minute or so. Cook until the basil has wilted and the liquid has mostly cooked off, then switch off the heat. Compared to Thai basil, holy basil has a fragrance that is less floral and more peppery; which is why it’s paired with very spicy dishes like pad kra pao or jungle curry.The aroma is always hard to describe, but trust me when I say the two smell quite different. Thai basil A fragrant, delicious mix of Thai chili paste and holy basil leaves leaves (called Grapao in Thai). Chilies: I’ve used plenty of red and green Bird’s eye chilies, and a very hot type of Thai chili called ‘ Prik Kee Nu‘. When translated from Thai, prik kee nu means “rat droppings chilies” in English. They are fiery HOT, so use sparingly unless you are sure you can handle the heat! Use as many or as few hot chilies as you like.Thai basil presents distinctive purple stems that get more intense in color while it ages while holy basil has only green and hairy stems. Add the rice and sauce. Add the rice and pour the sauce on top. Stir-fry until combined well and every grain of rice is evenly coated with the sauce. Fresh flat wide rice noodles have a wonderful and pleasing chewy texture. They taste phenomenal with the sauce and other elements in this dish. Here’s a detailed comparison of the 4 best substitutes for Thai basil in recipes, along with their key characteristics and proper ratios: Substitute

Add the veggies and green peppercorn: Toss through the Chinese broccoli, baby corn, and young green peppercorn sprigs. Stir-fry the onion and aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large wok over high heat. Once hot, add the onion and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the smashed garlic chili paste and large red chili (reserve a few slices for garnish) and stir-fry for 30 seconds to combine. (Note: Open a window or switch on the exhaust fan if needed. Stir-frying chilies over high heat can produce a lot of smoke and pungent fumes.) This aromatic herb is also used in Vietnamese dishes and Cambodian recipes. How to grow Thai Basil at home? Lemon basil can be substituted for Thai basil in cooking because they both have similar flavor profiles and can be used interchangeably in savory dishes. Red and Green Chilies: I use Thai Bird’s eye chilies, which are incredibly HOT and tasty in my opinion! But Holland or any other small chilies will work too. Feel free to adjust the amount to taste and/or deseed them if you prefer to make this dish milder.Serve on a plate topped with a bit of fresh cilantro and sliced green onion. Serve with freshly steamed Thai jasmine rice. You can also grow other basil varieties such as Thai Lemon Basil and holy basil. Growing Tips for Thai Basil Feel free to tone down the heat level to suit your preference. It’ll still be incredibly flavorful and fabulous! Why This Recipe Works

Add 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon light soy sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar, and finally a splash of dark soy sauce. Keep stir frying for about another 30 seconds. It’s customizable with your favorite protein (pork, beef, tofu, or seafood), and is veg/vegan adaptable. Holy basil and Thai basil taste nothing alike. It is a common herb in India, Southeast Asia, and other tropical areas of East Asia. It has an interesting flavor that’s unlike anything else. I suppose you could use it as a substitute if your curry recipe was originally made with one of those two kinds of herbs – but I wouldn’t suggest just replacing it – let your mouth guide you instead to culinary bliss 🙂 Why is Thai Basil so popular in Thai food? In its original form, this Thai pad kra pao recipe was said to be made using beef mince, contained oyster sauce, and was cooked over a very hot seasoned wok, perhaps pointing to it being Chinese in origin. In addition to its culinary uses, Thai basil is thought to have beneficial medicinal properties as well.

Write a review

Can I make this gluten-free? Use a gluten-free oyster sauce, gluten-free light soy sauce, and a gluten-free sweet dark soy sauce such as this gluten-free kecap manis. Also, make sure that the fish sauce you’re using is GF certified. Also known as Italian basil, sweet basil is the most widely available type of basil in the United States. Mediterranean basil has other names such as Italian basil, Genovese basil (a cultivated variety of it), and sweet basil. This herb is well-known for its role in Italian cooking, where its flavor is used for pasta sauces, pesto, and a vast range of dishes from lamb to salads. Mediterranean basil has the same peppery note that you get from holy basil along with some of the minty, clove-like notes. There are hints of licorice/anise flavor as well. Make the sauce: Whisk together the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sweet dark soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar and water in a small measuring cup or bowl until combined well. A much-loved Thai food dish, pad kra pao is thought to be a recent addition to Thai cuisine, with this stir fried pork and holy basil with fried egg having only appeared on the streets of Thailand as recently as 50 years ago.