Basil: If it didn't exist, you'd have to invent it
Chillies, onions and garlic. Without them Thai food couldn’t exist. They are the Oscar-winning actors of our national cuisine. Bai kaprao, or holy basil, is a front-rank supporting cast player that turns up in innumerable important roles. If it were to disappear, Thai dishes with aggressive, spicy flavours would go along with it. But before discussing the roles that basil plays in the Thai…