Sweet Basil
Basil is a flavorful, leafy green herb that originated in Asia and Africa. It provides vitamins, minerals and a range of antioxidants as well as its essential oil possessing medicinal benefits. There are two main varieties of basil: sweet basil and Thai basil. Sweet basil is most often used in Italian cuisine and Thai basil in Asian cuisine
Basil adds a unique tang to many dishes including tomato dishes, salads, zucchini, eggplant, meat seasonings, stuffing, soups, sauces and more. This herb can be transformed into a well-liked delectable paste known as ‘Pesto’. House cooks turn to this herb so often that they have found it convenient to grow their own so they always have a supply on hand.
It is best to add basil only in the last minute or so of cooking
Below are a few creative uses for basil in the kitchen:
- Top whole leaves onto pizza.
- Finish pasta with whole or thinly sliced leaves.
- Blend it into sauces.
- Puree it into soups.
- Chop it up to add to a salad.
- Use it to garnish avocado toast.
- Turn it into an ice-cream topping, jazz up vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries, basil and a balsamic reductio
Basil will reach its full potential and grow best in a location that gets 6 to 8 hours of sun daily. The plant sprouts in 1-2 weeks and lasts up to 12 weeks. It grows best at temperatures of 17°-30°.
Begin picking the leaves as soon as the plant is 6-8 inches (20,32cm) tall. To prune the plant. Remove the top several sets of leaves on each stem, taking care to leave at least three sets of leaves on the lower part.