Basil Chicken (Zesty Cook)

* 1 Tbsp. Peanut oil for stir-frying
* 4 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 Small Onion (Chopped finely) – optional
* 2 Cups Chicken - coarsely chopped, or cut into small bite-size pieces
* 2 Jalapeno peppers, cut into large slivers with seeds
* 2-3 Tsp. Soy sauce
* 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
* 1 Cup fresh sweet basil
* Black Pepper

1. Prepare the ingredients as instructed. Leave the fresh basil leaves whole.
2. Heat a wok until its surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to coat the wok surface.
3. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat, then stir in the garlic, followed a few seconds later with the onion.
4. Stir another 15 to 20 seconds before adding the chicken.
5. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until most of the chicken has changed color on the outside and is no longer pink.
6. Toss in the chillies. Sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry for another 15 to 20 seconds.
7. Season to taste with fish sauce, then stir in the fresh basil. Toss well.
8. Stir-fry another 1/2 to 1 minute, or until the basil is wilted and the chicken cooked through.
9. Sprinkle with pepper.
10. Stir and transfer to a serving dish, or spoon directly over individual plates of plain steamed rice.

Caramelized Chicken with Lemongrass and Chilies

3/4 cup of thin ringlets of lemongrass
1 pound chicken breasts or chicken thighs with skin, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided (about 4 to 5 cloves)
1 large yellow onion, halved and cut into thin crescents along the grain
3 red Thai chilies, cut into rounds
2 teaspoons fish sauce, or to taste
Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
Chopped green onions for garnish

In a medium bowl, season the chicken with salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and toss together with 3 tablespoons of lemongrass flakes. Set aside.
In a large skillet (if possible, use a pan with a light interior such as stainless steel so you can monitor changes in color), heat the oil over medium-high heat until it becomes runny and starts to shimmer. Add the sugar and stir continuously. After 1 to 2 minutes, the sugar will start to clump together then melt into syrup. After another 2 to 3 minutes, the clear syrup will thicken into a gooey caramel-brown liquid suspended in the oil. You will also smell a pleasant burnt sugar aroma. Watch the caramel closely during this process as it can burn very quickly. If the caramel starts to turn black and smell acrid, pull the skillet off the stove for a few seconds before continuing.

Stir in the remaining lemongrass, onions, and 1 tablespoon garlic, and cook and stir until the ingredients turn golden brown and fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the chicken and raise the heat to high. Toss the chicken in the caramel sauce for about 1 1/2 minutes. If there isn’t enough sauce to evenly coat the chicken, carefully add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the mixture starts to sputter aggressively, pull the skillet off the stove until it ceases. Throw in the chilies and keep stirring until the chicken is no longer pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.

When the chicken is just cooked through, add the fish sauce and remaining garlic. Stir with a couple more flourishes to mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and green onions. Serve with freshly steamed rice.

Thai Garlic Shrimp

1/2 lbs Shrimp (shelled & deveined)
3 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
2 tbsp cooking oil (peanut) 
¼ tsp white pepper powder (Prik Thai) 
1 tbsp fish sauce 
1 ½ tbsp palm sugar
2 tbsp Cilantro(minced)
1 tbsp Golden Mountain Sauce
1 cucumber (sliced) 

1. Heat oil at high heat in a wok or skillet. Wait till the oil starts to smoke. Add garlic, white pepper powder and golden mountain sauce. After garlic becomes golden brown and fragrant, add the shrimp and fry till color changes to pink.

2. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and cilantro and mix well for 30 seconds.

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.