What's the best substitute for holy basil / gaprao in pad gaprao?

[Badger18]

I'm not currently in Thailand and can't get hold of gaprao. What's the next best thing? I can get hold of most Indian ingredients (but not "tulsi", which is apparently their name for gaprao).

[xylophone]

You could try ordinary Basil but would need more of it to affect the taste of the dish.

[Upnotover]

If using ordinary basil then add a little fresh mint.  Still wont really replicate the real thing, personally I would keep searching! 

[Badger18]

Thanks guys. I found some dried tulsi so will give that a whirl, though obviously it's not the same. I can get the fresh stuff online but there's a delivery charge equivalent to 400 baht and I'm too cheap for that.

[northsouthdevide]

If you're in the UK, they sell Thai basil in tesco and asda now. 

[Acharn]

Gaprao is also known as Thai basil, or sweet basil. I'm very surprised you can't find it. Might not be able to get it fresh, though.

[bbko]

Holy basil grows very fast and easy, maybe buy some seeds and give it a try.  Plenty of video tutorials on youtube.

[Tropposurfer]

Thai basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is sold worldwide but is hard to find in countries where it gets very cold, but it is sold in these countries cause I've seen it in garden centres and some gardens and greenhouses.

The closest thing in flavour (in my opinion) to Thai Holy Basil would either be (Ocimum ) common name 'perennial basil'. This species is sold worldwide usually under the common name, or purple basil, a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum. It is more spicy than the European green sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) we all know, and is used as a substitute for Thai basil in cold climates. 

 

Most basil's are annuals with the exception of Ocimum gratissimum which when grown in temperate climate countries e.g. grows for 3 or 4 years in Australian east coast beautifully as a potted or garden plant and will reach a metre diameter easily and quickly. Gets covered in flowers spikes as the pic shows.

I have seen both tenuiflorum and gratissimum species in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portugal, and Australian garden centres.

Gratissimum is a nice garden addition too as it is most floriferous, easy to care for (hedge sheer prune at end of flowering cycles and at the onset of autumn when it starts to change colour and look leggy and weak).

In coldish climates (if its fiercely cold or snowy you gotta grow all Basil's as annuals [especially green or purple basilicum species] or put the pot into your greenhouse over winter and see if it will survive the hard winter cutting back it must have as the stems dry and die-back).

You can in temperate climates cut gratissimum species right to the ground in autumn throw some manure or compost on and around it and bang it grows right back with even more fragrant leaves, and pretty flowers in the Spring. It makes a very pretty potted plant next to a doorway (always in full sun) where you brush past it and it releases its Holy fragrance.Ocimum basilicum ssp.

Butterflies and bees love it.

Can anyone tell how much I love gardening lol ☺️

Edited December 10, 2021 by Tropposurfer

[sikishrory]

Thai basil/horapa 

Or one of the dry or saucy packet mixes.

 

 

 

[ArcticFox]

On 11/22/2021 at 4:13 PM, Badger18 said:

I'm not currently in Thailand and can't get hold of gaprao. What's the next best thing? I can get hold of most Indian ingredients (but not "tulsi", which is apparently their name for gaprao).

Regular Sweet Basil that you can find in the West.

[CLW]

In your situation I would be the packaged sauces from Lobo or other brands available at Asian supermarkets.

Their Kraphao sauce is not bad

[SunsetT]

4 hours ago, bbko said:

Holy basil grows very fast and easy, maybe buy some seeds and give it a try.  Plenty of video tutorials on youtube.

I prefer hoorapaa which they use in Keemoaw. But I just love 'Pak hee too' or what I call lemon hoorapaa in salads, So yes I took home a packet of seeds a few years and found them very easy to grow and keep on my window cill in the UK. The seeds were good for 2 summers too, possibly longer but I have been too lazy to grow it since.

[teeyai]

What Country you in ? If England you have Thai food direct in Letchworth,Hertfordshire . They have a website.