STIR FRIED BEEF WITH HOT BASIL (PHAD KRA-PRAOW NUA)
Jason Glover
1
10 minutes
15 minutes
Authentic Thai, stir fried beef and basil! This is a classic dish over in Thailand - it’s SPICY but easily adjustable…just leave out a few of the chilies, if you need to.
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 Thai chilies
- 3 dried bird’s eye chili
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 ½ oz minced beef (or minced pork/chicken/seafood)
- 1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded, optional (fresh leaves can be found at most International markets or substitute about 1 tsp of lime zest)
- 2 fresh green peppercorns
- 10 hot basil leaves (ka-praow) (or substitute Thai basil)
- 1 large yellow or red chili, sliced
- 4 tbsp chicken stock
- 1 oz long green beans
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sweet dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp palm sugar
- 15 deep fried holy basil leaves, for garnish
Tools
- Mortar and pestle or small food processor
- Wok
- Spatula
- Cutting board
- Knife
Directions
- In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, Thai chilies, and bird’s eye chilies into a rough paste. Alternatively, pulse the ingredients in a small food processor until a paste is formed.
- Preheat a wok over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and chili paste and cook until fragrant.
- Add the minced beef, followed by the green beans, sliced chilies, and chicken stock.
- Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, and palm sugar. Mix well.
- Stir in the shredded lime leaf and green peppercorns.
- Sprinkle in the hot basil leaves and remove from heat.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the deep fried basil leaves.
- To make the deep fried basil leaves, make sure the leaves are very dry and fry for a few minutes in about ½ cup vegetable oil.
