Monday, September 20, 2010

Chicken Fried Rice with Cilantro

I made this before and posted the recipe with an error, so I decided that it's high time I give it another shot and correct the mistake I made when I posted the prototype to this version. This is a very simple Thai-style chicken fried rice with fresh basil and cilantro that is easy to make, and eat.



Preparation: 15 mins.

Cooking: 15 - 20 mins.

Servings: 4 to 5

Est. cost: about $4






Today's Specimen



Ingredients




  • 2 cups (about ½ breast) chicken breast meat, cubed

  • 2 cups cooked brown Basmati rice, chilled

  • 2 tbsp. (about 4 cloves) fresh garlic, finely diced

  • 2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely diced.

  • ¼ cup de árbol chili peppers, chopped

  • ¼ cup fresh green onion, chopped

  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

  • ½ cup carrot, small diced

  • ¼ cup unsalted cashews, smashed into bits

  • 1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp. fish sauce

  • 1 tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice (about a quarter of a lime)

  • 1 tbsp. cane sugar

  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil

  • 1 tbsp. chili oil



Directions




  1. In a large saucepan on medium-high heat or in a wok cook the garlic and ginger in the olive, sesame, and chili oils until they turn a golden brown.

  2. Add the peppers, carrot, and chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and the peppers have turned dark.

  3. Add the rice with the soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar (mix the four together in advance) and cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes.

  4. Add the onion, cilantro, basil, and cashews and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for another five minutes.



Next Time in the Lab



Hmm, I think the lime juice should be an optional addition, though it didn't really make the recipe taste off. Also, I'm thinking cayenne peppers may be much better and more authentically Asian. Other than that the only thing I can think of is to crank up the flavor a bit by increasing ingredients.




  • Increase the garlic to five tablespoons, maybe six.

  • Increase the ginger to a tablespoon.

  • Use cayenne instead of de árbol peppers, in the same amount.

  • Use Thai basil instead, in the same amount.

  • Increase the carrot to ¾ cups.

  • increase the crushed cashews to ½ cups.

  • Eliminate the lime juice

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