I never knew until about last year that there are many kinds of Basil apart from the Holy Basil and the Basil used in Italian food. Then a dear friend gave me a small sapling she grew from a seed and said it was Thai Basil. To be honest I just put it in a corner and forgot about it for about 10 days and then spotted it and dismissively told the gardener to plant it in the vegetable bed. The poor thing sat there getting no particular attention but liked the spot and within six weeks had grown to a sizable bush. I guess that was when I actually paid attention to the plant and realized what a beautiful and useful plant it is. If you want to read more about different kinds of Basil the following link is useful.
https://howtoculinaryherbgarden.com/types-of-basil/
Some information about the Thai Basil- It grows easily from cuttings and can be rooted in water and then planted. The flowers are fragrant and are very attractive to bees but do remove a good number of them to keep your bush healthy and growing. They are very prone to caterpillar attacks as well as mealybug infestations, so keep an eye out for that.
Some information about Thai Basil culled from the website https://www.geturbanleaf.com/blogs/herbs/the-benefits-of-thai-basil-and-why-you-should-be-growing-thai-basil-indoors is as follows:
Originating from Southeast Asia, Thai Basil is the fun, exotic cousin of the popular sweet basil everyone has come to know and love in the West. Thai Basil has a more robust flavour with a spicy kick of licorice and anise than sweet basil, which has a minty and peppery taste. The plant also has a striking look due to its purple stem and flower buds which sometimes continue to spill out on its narrow leaves.
Of course, as the name suggests, it is used in a whole lot of Southeast Asian dishes but I like to add it to my pastas and chicken dishes as well as the extra kick is quite enjoyable. Even the seeds can be used to make a drink that is popular in Asia.
Because Thai Basil seeds can be added to drinks, many have found that drinking them can also cure many ailments like fever, dry cough, and colds. Adding it in smoothies or juices can aid in weight loss and promote better digestion as well. Research shows that Thai Basil is high in antioxidants, anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties, which is why it has been used in traditional healing since centuries ago.
Aside from ingesting Thai Basil, you can also bruise the leaves and inhale its aroma to relieve stress. Now I know why I particularly enjoy going to that side of the garden.
Only be careful about watering as it requires less water and needs a whole lot of sun in the winter months in the Gulf to really flourish. In the summer though give it some shade and you can have wonderful Basil even in the 50-degree centigrade heat.
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