What it tastes like
Holy basil against green tea gives a clean, slightly peppery herbal note with a distinctly aromatic finish. More characterful than plain green tea and less busy than the masala version.
Where it earns its place
Wellness-leaning menus, yoga and clinic settings, and hotel tea trays where an Indian herbal option is expected alongside the imported ones. It is also an easy premium listing because tulsi is instantly recognised here.
What to add
Hot and plain is best. If it is being served iced, brew it a little stronger before cooling, because the herbal note fades faster over ice than the tea does.
Getting the water right
Green tea is the one tea a counter can ruin by being efficient. Boiling water strips it — the leaf gives up its bitterness before it gives up its aroma, and what arrives is astringent and flat. The declared 70 to 80 degrees is not fussiness; it is the difference between the cup you paid for and a cup nobody finishes. In practice that means taking the kettle off before it boils, or letting it stand a minute after it does, and steeping for two to three minutes rather than leaving the leaf in while you serve someone else. This is orthodox leaf, so it will also take a second infusion — the first is bright, the second is rounder and softer, and both are worth serving.
Green Tea
