Lemon basil

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sources. (October 2008)

Lemon basil

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Asterids

Order: Lamiales

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Ocimum
 Species: O. africanum

Binomial name

Ocimum africanum
Lour.

Synonyms[1]

Ocimum citriodorum Vi
s.

Ocimum graveolens A.
Br.

Ocimum petitianum A.
Rich.

Ocimum pilosum Willd.

Lemon basil, hoary basil,[2] Thai lemon basil[citation needed] or Lao basil[citation needed] (Ocimum africanum) is
a hybrid between basil (Ocimum basilicum) and American basil (Ocimum americanum).[3][4][5]
The herb is grown primarily in northeastern Africa and southern Asia for its strong fragrant lemon
scent, and is used in cooking.
Lemon basil stems can grow to 2040 cm tall. It has white flowers in late summer to early fall.
The leaves are similar to basil leaves, but tend to be narrower with slightly serrated
edges. Seeds form on the plant after flowering and dry on the plant.
Lemon basil is a popular herb in Arabic, Indonesian, Lao, Malay, Persian and Thai cuisine.

Contents
[hide]

1Culinary uses

2Cultivation

3References

4External links

Culinary uses[edit]
In Malaysia, lemon basil is used in rice dishes such as Nasi ulam. In Laos, lemon basil is used
extensively in Lao curries, stews, and stir-fried dishes as it is the most commonly used type of basil
in Laos.[4] Many Lao stews require the use of lemon basil as no other basil varieties are acceptable
as substitutes. The most popular Lao stew called or lam uses lemon basil as a key ingredient.
Lemon basil is the only basil used much in Indonesian cuisine, where it is called kemangi. It is often
eaten raw with salad or lalap (raw vegetables) and accompanied by sambal. Lemon basil is often
used to season certain Indonesian dishes, such as curries, soup, stew and steamed or grilled
dishes. In Thailand, Lemon basil, called maenglak (Thai: ), is one of several types of basil
used in Thai cuisine. The leaves are used in certain Thai curries and it is also indispensable for the
noodle dish khanom chin nam ya. In the Philippines,where it is called 'sangig', particularly in Cebu
and parts of Mindanao, Lemon basil is used to add flavor to Law-uy, assortment of local greens and
vegetable based soup.The seeds resemble frog's eggs after they have been soaked in water and
are used in sweet desserts.It is also used in North East part of India state Manipur. In Manipur, it is
used in curry like pumpkin, used in singju (a form of salad), and in red or green chilli pickles type.

Cultivation[edit]
Lemon basil requires the same care as other basil varieties. It is a tropical plant, that should be in a
spot receiving at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. It is actually quite hardy and can sometimes
grow continuously given only water, but the flavor will be at risk if not given any fertilizer, chemical or
organic. It can really grow in a matter of weeks. It should be watered whenever the topmost part of
the soil is dry. At this time, the plant will wilt, but will be back to normal once watered.
Basil should never reach flowering during the harvesting periods. If given a chance to flower, its
flavor will be sacrificed and the leaves become smaller, dry and leathery. Once the flower clusters
form, they should be removed so the plant will continue its vegetative growth. It is, however, a good
idea for it to be left to flower and set seeds that will be collected during fall, because the cold winter
frosts will kill the basil plant anyway. Harvesting the seeds two weeks before the last frost, and
sowing them indoors in the spring will provide next year's harvest.
Harvesting once a week for each plant will make it bushy due to the side shoots that will develop.
The plant should never be completely defoliated. Propagation is achieved by sowing seeds and from
stem cuttings. Seedlings will reach six inches in 34 weeks and should be harvested at this time to
let them branch out. Stem cuttings will gain roots after they have a week of being soaked in water.
The setup is simply a Mason jar filled with water and a square of mesh with holes large enough to
hold the plant in place while the roots grow. As many cuttings as the gardener wishes can be
planted, preferably the most vigorous stems that can be found because they will root faster. The
water should be changed every few days. After 23 weeks, the roots will be long enough for the
cuttings to be transplanted into pots or planted in their permanent position to keep in the garden.

References[edit]
1. Jump up^ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species,
retrieved 11 June 2016

2. Jump up^ USDA GRIN Taxonomy, retrieved 11 June 2016

3. Jump up^ Germplasm Resources Information Network

4. ^ Jump up to:a b "Basil". Food from Northern Laos. 4 August 2010.

Retrieved 31 May 2013.
 5. Jump up^ "Food & Wine Laos Food: Searching for a Lost Cuisine".
Food & Wine. February 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2013.

External links[edit]
Basil

gardeningpatch.com

howtogrowbasil.com
Categories:
Ocimum
Herbs
Laotian cuisine
Thai cuisine
Food plant hybrids

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This page was last edited on 10 December 2016, at 18:19.
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