Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Thai Basil Chicken

Ingredients for 2 servings:

2 cups "already cooked" jasmine rice or long grain rice (Make sure to use leftover, day old rice when making fried rice. Freshly made rice will make a fried rice that's soggy/mushy.) 
3 big cloves garlic (crushed)
1 to 2 Thai red and green chili peppers or 1 to 2 Serrano peppers (crushed) 
2 tbsp cooking oil (peanut)
1 lbs chicken meat (cut into bite sizes)
1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
¼ tsp white pepper powder (Prik Thai)
½ - 1 tsp palm sugar 

1 medium size red bell pepper (julienne) 
1 cups fresh sweet basil leaves 
1 cucumber ( cut into bite sizes)
¼ cup cilantro sprigs for garnish

Pound chili peppers and garlic in a mortar and pestle (don't over-pulverize them). Heat oil at high heat in a wok or skillet. Wait till the oil starts to smoke. Add garlic, Thai chilies/Serrano peppers, and white pepper powder. After garlic becomes golden brown and fragrant, add the chicken and fry until cooked. Add fish sauce, oyster sauce (optional) and sugar. Fry for just a few minutes (or less). Add already cooked rice. Stir quickly until sauces are blended with rice (a couple of minutes). Stir in red bell peppers and basil leaves and keep stirring for few seconds. Turn the heat off. Garnish with sliced cucumbers and cilantro. The dish is often served with a fried egg on the side. If you would like egg in the dish you need to cook it before you add the rice.




  

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