Thai Basil Fried Rice (Mixed)

 

 A secret wish of mine is to visit Thailand sometimes , as I loved each and everything we tried from any Thai restaurants so far.
If Soccer man reads this he will hesitate to take me to restaurants serving any other cuisines we haven't tried yet ;)
We cannot restrict our self from visiting a Thai restaurant at least once in a month...as we really miss that special blend of herbs and spices like Thai Basil and Thai chili's which make their food unique.

Basil is a key ingredient in Thai cooking and also the coconut milk gravy is another reason that we fall for the same...love that Jasmine rice - which tastes special with Thai Red , Green and Yellow curry...
& never knew Basil tastes this special when mixed in a curry , though a kind of Basil called "Holy Basil " what we have in India , is a medicinal plant seen in every houses , back in my place , we never tried it with any of our traditional dishes other than a special black tea which is made during the rainy season...or when someone is ill with fever...as Basil is a strong medicinal plant used in Ayurveda for treating diseases like Arthritis , Irritable Bowel Syndrome and even for Common Cold and also these are believed to have Anti Cancerous Properties.

Thai Basil 

Just 2 or 3 springs of Basil cost $ 3 here ,  which I thought is really expensive (may be because I compared these to the Tulsi / Holy Basil seen in the backyards in our house in Kerala )

But then I noticed this Basil Plant , somewhere in the corner of the same grocery store kept for sale, the whole plant cost the same as the 3 spring of basil , grabbed it without a second thought, will try to make'em survive , waiting for spring to come :) so that I can keep plants outside. 

Ingredients

Jasmine Rice - 2 cups cooked (if possible a day old cooked rice or kept for at least 2 to 3 hour's)
Thai Basil - 1/4 cup ( fresh )
Chicken - 1 cup thin stripes (Boneless , skinless Piece , or use any other meat)
Prawns - 1/2 cup to 1 cup (Optional)
Egg - 2 no's
Oyster Sauce - 2 Tb Sp
Fish Sauce - 1 Tb Sp
Soy Sauce - 2 Tb Sp
Green Chili's - 2 no's
Red and Yellow or Green Bell Peppers /Capsicum  - 1/2 of each sliced length wise
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 6 to 8 no's crushed and chopped
Green Onion's - 4 to 5 no's chopped (white and green part)
Tomato - 1 sliced lengthwise (optional)
Carrot - Thin slices or shaved thin slices (Optional)
Sugar - 1/2 tsp -Optional
Oil - 4 Table Spoon (I used Vegetable oil )
Cilantro springs and Orange slices or wedges for Garnishing.

Method

* Mix the chicken slices and prawns with sugar (if using) and all the sauces (Oyster sauce, Soy Sauce and Fish Sauce) I used only Fish sauce and Soy sauce , marinate for 10 minutes.

*Heat Oil in a wok over medium high heat , fry the Chicken first saute till almost cooked ( 5 to 7 minutes till the chicken is no longer pink) and then add the prawns and continue to cook till done (another 3 to 5 minutes) , drain and keep the fried meat and prawns aside.

*While the oil is still on medium heat , add in the finely chopped garlic and the chopped white part of green onion (if using) and chopped green chili's , saute for few seconds

* Add in the chopped onion and thin slices of carrot , saute for 5 to 7 minutes.

* When the onions starts to become translucent , add the star ingredient - Basil , followed by the fried chicken and prawns.

* Add in the cooked jasmine rice (Jasmine rice is what they use in Thailand , for that authentic Thai fried rice , use this rice as its little sticky and with a different aroma makes it special )
I cooked it 3 hours before making this dish , when cooled these tend to be little sticky which is what you want for this fried rice.

* Stir quickly adding the left over sauce (used for the marinating the meat and prawns) , add in all the other vegetable's (Sliced bell pepper's and tomatoes (if using), cook stirring vigorously for another 3 to 5 minutes in medium- high heat , make space in the middle and add the 2 eggs to it , stir only when the eggs is lightly cooked and starts to thicken , mix well all the ingredients together and switch off the heat.

* Add the chopped green part of the green onion and do a taste test to check if seasoned well , since sauces contain salt its not a necessary ingredient, still check if its less and add the same if needed or else add little more of Soy sauce if you like.

Garnish with Cilantro & sliced Orange like how they serve in the restaurants (may add chopped cilantro/coriander leaves to this dish if you like at the last step)

Do serve these hot because that's when it taste the best.

For all Thai Food Lover's  - Restaurant style Thai Fried Rice. 

Notes

If using Jasmine rice , care should be taken while cooking rice , as it absorbs a lot of water hence once cooked it should be strained without delay.
Boil the water first , and when it starts to bubble add rice , cook for 15  to 20 minutes in medium heat and then strain it right away , keep this cooked rice for several hour's or minimum 2 hour's.

Cheers
TN