Thai Style Basil Rice Food

THAI SPICY BASIL FRIED RICE

Steps:

• Whisk together oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
• Spray a wok or large frying pan with olive oil spray and heat over medium-high heat.
• Add the garlic and chili (or serrano) peppers and stir fry for 30 seconds.
• Add the red pepper and onion and stir fry until the onion is translucent. If using chicken or beef, add it with the the onion and red pepper. Cook until chicken is done, or beef is about medium.
• Push ingredients in the wok/pan aside and quickly scramble the egg.
• Add the oyster sauce mixture and stir everything together.
• Raise the heat to high and add the chilled rice. Stir until blended with the sauce and other ingredients, breaking up clumps of rice with the back of a spoon.
• Add more soy, oyster, or fish sauce, if necessary (or to taste).
• When everything is blended together and rice is hot, remove from heat and stir in the basil.
• Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

THAI-STYLE BASIL RICE

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter and oil together over medium heat.
• Add the shallots and chopped basil and cook until shallots are slightly soft, about 5 minutes; add garlic and green onion and sauté another 2 to three minutes.
• Add the uncooked rice and stir to coat well; sauté for 3 minutes while stirring.
• Mix together the water and chicken bouillon and stir until dissolved; add bouillon liquid to rice in saucepan and bring to a boil.
• If using, stir in red pepper and coconut flakes.
• Cover saucepan, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and rice is to preferred texture.
• Fluff with fork, serve, and enjoy.
• Makes 4 servings.

THAI-STYLE BASIL SHRIMP WITH BASIL-COCONUT RICE

Steps:

• Whisk the lime juice, vegetable oil, curry paste, fish sauce and garlic in a large bowl. Add the shrimp; toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, soak ten 8-inch bamboo skewers in water at least 30 minutes; drain. Thread the shrimp onto the skewers, rubbing any excess marinade on the shrimp; set aside.
• Preheat a grill to medium high. Puree the coconut milk, 2 cups basil, the jalapeno and a pinch of salt in a blender, about 30 seconds. (Do not over-blend or the coconut milk might separate.) Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the rice, 1/2 cup water, the coconut milk-basil puree and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to prevent the rice from sticking. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered.
• Meanwhile, brush the grill grates with vegetable oil. Grill the shrimp skewers until well marked and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Fluff the rice with a fork, stir in the scallion greens and season with salt. Combine the bean sprouts, peanuts and remaining 2 cups basil. Top the lettuce leaves with the bean sprout mixture and shrimp skewers. Serve with the rice and lime wedges.

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.

THAI SPICY BASIL CHICKEN FRIED RICE

Steps:

• Whisk together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar in a bowl.
• Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat until the oil begins to smoke. Add the garlic and serrano peppers, stirring quickly. Stir in the chicken, bell pepper, onion and oyster sauce mixture; cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Raise heat to high and stir in the chilled rice; stir quickly until the sauce is blended with the rice. Use the back of a spoon to break up any rice sticking together.
• Remove from heat and mix in the basil leaves. Garnish with sliced cucumber and cilantro as desired.