Holy Green Basil

Ocimum tenuiflorum (also Ocimum sanctum), commonly known as holy basil, or Tulsi, is an aromatic perennial plant native to the Indian subcontinent that is cultivated widely throughout Southeast Asia for religious and traditional medicine purposes, such as in herbal teas in Ayurveda. The leaves also are used in the worship of Vishnu, while the plant is viewed as protective for the home. With such grandiose uses, it may seem outrageous to use it in cooking. Nonetheless Tulsi is well-known in Southeast Asia cuisine, and during the hot summer months, you should be able to find big bunches of it at farmers' markets with ethnic stalls.