Ingredient
Basil
Heat destroys it, so it goes in at the end or not at all — the exception being a sauce where it infuses whole and is then lifted out. Bruising the leaves by chopping with a blunt knife turns the cut edges black within minutes.
- Sourcing
- A living pot on a windowsill outlasts a cut bag several times over. Thai basil is a different plant with an aniseed note and is not a substitute for the Genovese kind.
- Varieties
- Genovese, Thai, Holy basil, Lemon basil, Purple basil
- Quality cues
- Bright green, unblemished leaves. Black spotting or translucent patches mean cold damage, which is usually the fridge's fault.
- Substitutions
- Flat-leaf parsley, Mint
- Storage
- Never the fridge — it blackens below about 10°C. Stand the stems in water on the counter like a bunch of flowers.
- Shelf life
- 4-5 days in water at room temperature
Nutrition
Per 100 g
- Calories
- 23 kcal
- Protein
- 3.1 g
- Fat
- 0.6 g
- Carbs
- 2.6 g
- Fibre
- 1.6 g
- Sugars
- 0.3 g
- Sodium
- 4 mg
From USDA FoodData Central (#172232). Raw, edible portion.