*Basil is most commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. In general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavor.
*Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto—a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce.
*The Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other [[foods]].
*When soaked in water, the seeds of several basil varieties become gelatinous, and are used in Asian drinks and desserts such as faluda, sharbat-e-rihan.