I love Thai food, and I like cheap food. That's healthy, too. Well, this is all of the above, though I suppose it may not be the most authentic in the world since I'm an American. It works for me, though, and I think it's pretty close to Thai. You can use pork and shrimp, too, in case you're a bird-hater.
Today's Specimen
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked brown basmati rice
- 2 cups chicken breast meant, skinless and boneless and diced large
- 5 cloves garlic, diced fine
- 10 dried red peppers, cut in half laterally
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger, diced fine
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. chili oil
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. fish sauce
- 2 tbsp. cane sugar
Directions
- In a large wok or sauce pan on medium-high heat add the olive, sesame, and chili oils and fry the garlic and ginger until they become golden brown, then add the peppers and continue to cook until they darken, then add the chicken and stir constantly until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar and stir a few time to evenly distribute, then add the rice and stir to blend the entire mixture evenly.
- Add the basil and cilantro and cook, stirring constantly, for one to two minutes.
Next Time in the Lab
I really liked this and can't see much that can be done to improve the dish. I would like to add some heat to it, though, and try using actual Thai, and perhaps scramble in an egg or two.
- Double the peppers for some unholy fire!
- Scramble in a couple eggs with the rice.
- Use an equivalent amount of Thai basil or increase the amount of basil by 50% to about a third of a cup.
- I'm sure adding some carrots would be nice, too.
