Asian Beef With Basil Food

THAI BASIL BEEF WITH COCONUT RICE

Steps:

• Bring the coconut milk, 3/4 cup water and the lemongrass or ginger to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice and return to a boil. Stir, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Meanwhile, whisk 1/4 cup soy sauce, the lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Toss the cucumbers with 1 tablespoon basil and the remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium skillet over high heat.
• Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
• Reduce the heat to medium high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high and return the beef and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and cook until the liquid evaporates, 2 minutes. Add the remaining basil and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute. Serve the beef and cucumber salad over the rice.

BASIL BEEF STIR-FRY

Steps:

• Cook the rice as the label directs. Set aside off the heat, about 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
• Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve the sugar.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, crumble the beef into the skillet and cook, undisturbed, until slightly crisp on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until cooked through, 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Discard the fat in the skillet and wipe the skillet clean.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the soy sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer, then add the beef, scallions, chiles, snow peas and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the basil. Stir until just wilted, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Divide the rice among shallow bowls. Spoon the stir-fry on top. Serve with lime wedges.

SPICY BEEF STIR-FRY WITH BASIL

Steps:

• If you're making rice with this dish, get it started. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chicken stock and sugar. In a mortar or small food processor, grind together the garlic and chiles into a coarse paste.
• Heat the lard in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic-chile paste, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Before the garlic starts to brown, add the beef, and stir-fry to separate the pieces and coat with fat. Add the liquid mixture, making sure not to leave any behind in the bowl, and cook until the beef is only barely pink, about 2 minutes. Add the lime leaves, and continue to cook until no pink remains on the beef, about 1 minute. Add the basil leaves, and stir until they are just starting to wilt, then remove from heat and serve with rice. (You can fish out the large pieces of makrut leaves before serving or put them aside as you eat.)