Thai basil

Thai basil or 'hora-pa' is different than the sweet basil or Italian basil in supermarket. It has smaller leaves with purple stems. It can be found in oriental grocery stores. If you can get some seeds, it is very easy to grow. Choose a sunny spot, you will have you Thai basil all summer along. Pick often to encourage growth. I often get hora-pa mixed with gra-pow. My mom taught me how to remember which is which by noticing the hair on the leaves and branches. The one without the hair is hora- pa and the one with hair is 'gra-pow'. Often in Thai restaurants, sweet basil is substitute for 'gra-pow'. It is not the same but some sweet basil is better than none.