| Prep: 25 mins | Cook: 15 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 370 | 14g | 3g | 24g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 4g | 2g | 35g | 1.2g |
Why I Love Thai Stir-Fried Basil with Fried Ingredients
For a taste of something truly vibrant and brimming with flavor, look no further than the recipe for Stir-Fried Basil with Fried Ingredients. It’s a personal favorite of mine that showcases the diversity of international cuisine, much like the unique culinary tapestry of my hometown, New York City. There’s a beautiful interplay here between the fragility of basil leaves and the robust profile of fried ingredients that never ceases to delight my palette.
An Ode to Flavorful Fusion
As a stage actor, I find intertwined connections everywhere, in scripts, between characters, and glaringly in cuisines. Thai cuisine is no complacency, it seamlessly merges disparate tastes into a unified whole. When creating my own rendition of Stir-Fried Basil with Fried Ingredients, I found inspiration in the work of Ian Kittichai, a renowned Thai chef known for his innovative takes on street food.
From a Stage Actor’s Kitchen
Preparing this dish is akin to orchestrating a play – there’s a harmony and response amongst the ingredients that, when done right, can elicit applause from your senses. Picture the kick of Thai chilies playing off the subtle sweetness of basil, or the succulent chicken slices intertwining with onions in a dance of textures. No ingredient is a mere bystander, each plays a part – a nod to my experiences on stage.
A Versatile Crowd-Pleaser at the Dining Table
The Stir-Fried Basil with Fried Ingredients recipe isn’t just a solo act; it can be a versatile supporting player in a larger meal. Try it alongside a bowl of Thai Red Chicken Soup or Classic Pad Thai, and I promise that a round of applause in the form of satisfying sighs won’t be too far off. This delightful Thai stir-fry certainly contrasts against the staples of my New York upbringing, but surely captures the same spirit of cultural melange that I love about my city.
What You’ll Need
- 2 lbs of boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 1 cup of fresh Thai basil leaves
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 thai chilies, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons of fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon of white pepper
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups of jasmine rice, cooked
Method
Step One:
Firstly, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and sauté until thoroughly cooked. This could take about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside for later.
Step Two:
In the same pan, increase the heat to high and add another tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped Thai chilies and minced garlic. Stir-fry these ingredients for about 30-60 seconds until they are fragrant but not burned.
Step Three:
Return the chicken to the pan and mix it in with the chilies and garlic. Then, add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce and white pepper to the pan. Stir all these ingredients together to make sure the chicken is well coated in the sauces and the flavors are well combined.
Step Four:
Next, fold in the fresh Thai basil leaves and stir-fry the mix for another minute until the basil leaves wilt and become aromatic.
Step Five:
While the ingredients are being stir-fried, crack the eggs into a separate frying pan and fry them until the whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny. This should take around 2-3 minutes.
Step Six:
Serving time! Place a portion of cooked jasmine rice on each plate, then top it with the chicken basil stir-fry and a fried egg. Enjoy your delicious Stir-Fried Basil with Fried Ingredients.
