Holy basil has a hot flavor and slightly medicinal. It has a purple stem and purple leaves, usually used in stir-fried menu such as  Stir-Fried Chicken with holy basil leaves (Pad Krapao Gai).

Holy Basil. This is a rather fragrant variety with variegated leaves which is grown around temples in India. It suits very humid areas and can be grown as a border though it gets about 40 to 50 cm tall.