Tulsi

[BBhasin]

I love the use of Basil in Thai cooking. Even though Tulsi is very Indian and used in tea and other concoctions I am not familiar of its use in any main dishes. Does anyone know Indian reciepes with Tulsi. Thanks

bhasin

[Suvir Saran]

Hemant Mathur at Diwan is making Basil Chicken that is superb. It has a Tulsi marinade in which the chicken is marinated and then baked in the tandoor.

I love Charnamrit or Panchamrit.. and they each have tulsi.

What savory dishes do we know that have Tulsi in them??

[Monica Bhide]

I do quite a few indian recipes with Basil or "western" tusli as my dad calls it. Marinated shrimp wrapped in a basil sari and then cooked, basil rice pulao, using it in Indian kachumbars or salads

Getting hungry just typing!

[Suvir Saran]

I use dried basil for Kachumbars.

Basil infused Creme Brulee is wonderful. It was a hit at Pondicherry.

[Monica Bhide]

Sound delightfull Suvir. I hae a dear friend who makes a wonderful tea with fresh basil leaves. I can never seem to get that recipe quite right. It is a very refreshing tea.

How do you make the creme brulee with basil?

[Suvir Saran]

Infuse the basil into the cream and then go on as you would for a regular creme brulee.

My mom would drink Tulsi ki Chai every morning. It is considered to be a cleanser.

[skchai]

I love the use of Basil in Thai cooking. Even though Tulsi is very Indian and used in tea and other concoctions I am not familiar of its use in any main dishes. Does anyone know Indian reciepes with Tulsi. Thanks

bhasin

I have a related, perhaps off-topic, question. Besides cilantro, curry leaves, and methi (which seems anyway to be used more as a vegetable), which other herbs are commonly used in Indian cookery? I realize that the definition of herb may be somewhat vague, but I am referring here to the use of leaves and/or stems of plants for flavoring or aromatic purposes.

Also, why, despite the huge number of spices in wide usage in both North and South, are herbs not widely used as well? Is their some justification from Ayurvedic teachings?

[Wholemeal Crank]

Reviving an old topic because I was recently given a box of tulsi tea bags, really love what it does in for my chamomile/hibiscus herb tea blend, and would like to find more. But I checked out the Indian grocery store near my house and the only thing I could find was a mixed herb tea with tulsi in it, marketed for weight loss. I want just the pure tulsi for my own tea blends.

So....can any one suggest a source for Tulsi?

It's easy to find dried sweet basil in spice shops but there's not much flavor there.

[KarenDW]

holy basil seems easy enough to grow in a window...

[Blether]

So....can any one suggest a source for Tulsi?

You'll find holy basil as 'gra pow' / 'kra pao' (link) in Thai stores. Thai sweet basil is 'hora pa'.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Thai markets, good point. I have an excellent one nearby. And I think I could manage to buy it fresh and dry it, but I don't have the patience to really do a good job with basil in the garden, because it bolts so fast if you're not right on top of it.

Rosemary and sage are more my speed!