Stirfried Chicken with Thai Basil and Chili Peppers

Stirfried Chicken with Thai Basil and Chili Peppers
(KAI PHAT BAI KRAPHRAU)
INGREDIENTS :
1. Vegetable oil ............................................................................... 5 tbsp.
2. Yellow spur chili peppers, chopped .................................................. 2 - 3 tbsp.
3. Garlic, peeled and chopped ........................................................... 1 - 2 tbsp.
4. Skinless and boneless chicken thigh, ground or sliced ................................... 1 lb.
5. Black soy ................................................................................... 1 tbsp.
6. Fish sauce .............................................................................. 1 - 2 tbsp.
7. Granulated sugar ....................................................................... 1 - 2 tsp.
8. Holy basil leaves, (bai kraphrau) ....................................... 1/2 cup (4 servings)

1. Heat oil in a wok or regular frying pan until it almost smokes.

2. Add chopped chili and chopped garlic to the pan and stir quickly to create aroma. Be careful not to burn them.

3. Just before the garlic browns, add the chicken and stirfry continuously. Once the chicken is cooked and the liquid from the chicken is reduced slightly, add the black soy to give this dish color and season with fish sauce and sugar. Continue to stirfry then allow the seasoning to seep into the chicken.

4. The above process should only take a few minutes since it is essential that you cook this dish on a high heat at all times. Before taking off the heat add Thai basil leaves, toss in the pan and serve immediately.

Tips…
This dish can be made with any kind of meat as well as seafood. It is a standard dish eaten in Thailand for lunch, served over steamed rice.

Green Beef Curry (KAENG KHIAO WAN)

Green Beef Curry (KAENG KHIAO WAN)
INGREDINTS :

1. Vegetable oil ............................................................................... 4 tbsp.

2. Coconut milk .................................................................. 2 cups or 16 fl.oz.
3. Green curry paste,(Kaeng khiao wan paste) ............................ 3-4 heaped tbsp.
4. Beef, sliced ...................................................................... 1 1/2 lbs/24 oz.
5. Fish sauce ................................................................................. 3-4 tbsp.
6. Granulated sugar ........................................................................... 1 tbsp.
7. Sweet basil leaves, (bai horapha) ..................................................... 1/2 cup.
8. Red spur chili peppers, sliced ................................................. 4-6 (4 servings)

1. Heat up the oil in a pan large enough to hold the curry. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat and add the curry paste and fry the paste over a low heat, separating the lumps as much as possible. Stir constantly and do not let the curry burn.

2. Add a little of the coconut milk to the curry paste to soften the paste making it more spreadable. Add more coconut milk saving about half for later use. Bring the sauce to the boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching.

3. Add the sliced beef and stir. Bring the curry back to a boil and cook the beef until done. Add the rest of the coconut milk, bring the curry back. to boil and season with fish sauce and sugar. Before serving, add Thai basi leaves and garnish with red spur chili peppers.

4. Serve this dish with rice or spooned over cooked khanom chin, which is Thai spaghetti sold dry in a box under the name of nguan soon.

Tips…
Green curry paste is available in most Asian grocery stores and comes vacuum packed or in cans. The amount of chili paste used has to be adjusted depending on the saltiness of the particular paste. Conseguently all your seasonings have to be adjusted accordingly. Taste your curry before seasoning with fish sauce or sugar.

All Thai curry pastes contain most of the amazing Thai herbs. They differ from other curries as Thai curry pastes have fresh ingredients rather that dry herbs and spices.