Thai Basil

Unlike its European cousin, Thai basil has woody purple stems and leaves loaded with estragole and anethole, compounds that are chemically resistant to heat. Its powerful scent of anise and licorice does not collapse upon contact with a boiling liquid. It is the perfect thermodynamic aromatic for infusing broths above 90°C (like Vietnamese Pho), where the extraction of its essential oils occurs aggressively without destroying its aromatic framework.