The Thai take on stir-fry, like the southern Chinese, tends toward the simple and adds the clean, bright taste of fresh ingredients with a little fresh chile heat and flavor.
This dish is best made with the dark meat that comes from the thighs or drumsticks of a chicken, though it is perfectly fine if made from boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chop the chicken as fine as possible.
INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp vegetable oil (preferabley canola or an oil that has a high smoke point)
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1½ tsp finely chopped Thai or serrano chile
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
½tsp sugar
2 red Thai chiles, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 cup firmly packed Thai basil leaves
Serve with/over jasmine rice.
PREPARATION
- Heat oil over high heat in a wok or large skillet and stir-fry garlic until fragrant - about 15 seconds
- Add chicken and stir-fry until opaque - about one minute
- Add fish sauce, soy sacue and sugar and stir fry until chicken is opaque throughout - about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Add sliced chiles and basil and toss just until basil wilts. Turn out onto a platter and serve at once before basil loses its bright green color.
