Nine-story pagoda is an annual herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family, Ocimum basilicum L. Its flowers are in the shape of a multi-layered tower, so it is called "nine-story pagoda". It is also called basil, Lingling, etc. Because its leaves, stems and flowers all have lemon aroma and mint aroma, it is also called lemon basil, mint basil, orchid basil. The whole herb has the functions of dispersing wind and relieving the surface, dispersing dampness and neutralizing the disease, promoting qi and blood circulation, detoxifying and reducing swelling. Effective and widely distributed in tropical areas of Asia, Europe, Africa and America. It has developed rapidly in recent years and is cultivated in all parts of the north and south of my country, especially in the south and coastal areas.

The nine-story pagoda is native to India and Iran. It has a particularly strong and unforgettable fragrance. It is a widely used spice in Taiwan. There is a saying in rural Taiwan: "Nine-story pagoda, ten miles of incense." The aroma of some varieties is slightly like cumin, and the taste is sweet and slightly spicy. The nine-story pagoda is also a plant that can be used as medicine and is included in the "Compendium of Materia Medica".

The origin of the name Nine-Story Pagoda is also quite interesting: it is said that in ancient times, when an emperor was on a patrol, he was trapped in a long-abandoned nine-story tower due to a sudden flood. Since he had nothing to eat, the emperor had to pick a kind of weed that grew on the eaves of the tower to satisfy his hunger. Unexpectedly, the weed tastes really good. The emperor ordered his followers to bring the seeds back to the palace to plant them, and in memory of the pagoda, he named the weed the Nine-Story Pagoda.

Nine-story pagoda is basil (also called basil, also known as dwarf bran, thousand-layer pagoda, etc.). It is an indispensable ingredient for making delicious Taiwanese three-cup chicken or crispy chicken. It can also be used to stir-fry clams and other seafood: There is also a simple and delicious dish of nine-layered tower scrambled eggs in Taiwanese home-cooked dishes. Nine-layered tower is also a spice that often appears in Southern European dishes, especially Italian pasta. It is also the main ingredient of nine-layered tower sauce (pistou) in southern France.

The aroma of the Nine-Story Pagoda is extraordinary. When I think about the Nine-Story Pagoda, I can’t help but think back to the Nine-Story Pagoda scrambled eggs that my girlfriend prepared for me not long ago, as well as the many Nine-Story Pagoda delicacies I have eaten. The first layer of fragrance. When I was in Taipei, I usually went to the vegetable market downstairs where I lived in the morning to buy fish, vegetables, and fruits for cooking. I also often bought a big bag of the nine-story pagoda that only cost two yuan. The proprietress stuffed the fresh nine-story pagoda into the plastic bag one by one, and the irreplaceable fragrance hit her face. This is the third, fourth, fifth and fourth layers of the nine-story pagoda. The sixth layer of incense is almost uninterrupted and connected: when preparing to cook, first take out the nine-story pagoda from the plastic bag (three aromas), wash it in water (four aromas), pull out the leaves (five aromas), and put it in the pot (Six Fragrances), every stage is an indescribable olfactory enjoyment. Often, after pulling out the nine-story pagoda leaves and before washing my hands, I will move my fingers to my nostrils to smell the aroma of the nine-story pagoda. When it is put on a plate and brought to the table, whether it is chicken, clams, eggs or pasta, it will release an intoxicating aroma that makes people unable to suppress their appetite. This is the seventh layer of the nine-story pagoda. The eighth layer of aroma is, of course, the effect that the nine-story pagoda has on your taste buds when you pick up a piece of meat with chopsticks or wrap a bit of noodles with a fork. : There are only a few foods or spices that can make gourmets feel this way. Finally, after the dishes are finished, the table is cleared, and you lie on the bed to get ready for sleep, you close your eyes and let your tongue wiggle in your mouth a few times. . The one that makes you feel like you haven't had enough yet, and makes you hesitant to get out of bed and go to the kitchen to look for any leftovers for dinner. It's the ninth layer of the nine-story tower!