Thai Chicken and Basil Fried Rice

 

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1. Jasmine rice, uncooked – 1 cup (Makes about 2 – 2.5 cups of cooked rice)

2. Oil – 1 + 1 tbsp

3. Cashews – 8 – 10

4. Egg – 1

5. Garlic – 3 cloves

    Thai green chilies – 3

6. Chicken breast – 1/2 cup, thinly sliced

7. Fish sauce – 1 tbsp

    Oyster sauce – 2 – 3 tsp

    Sugar – 1/2 – 3/4 tsp or to taste

8. Onion – 1/4 – 1/2 cup , cut into thick slices

    Bell pepper, green and orange/red – 1/2 cup

9. Soy sauce – 1 tsp (Use black/dark soy sauce for dark-colored fried rice)

10. Thai sweet basil leaves, loosely packed – 1 – 1.5 cups, torn or coarsely chopped

11. Pineapple – 1/4 cup, cut into small cubes

12. Salt – If required

13. Cilantro – 2 – 3 sprigs , to garnish

     Cucumber – 1/2 cup, to garnish

     Lemon wedges – to garnish

Method

1) To cook rice – Heat 1.5 cups of water in a sauce pan. Bring it to a boil adding a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp oil. Add washed jasmine rice. Mix well. Bring to medium-low heat. Cover and cook until done, about 13 – 15 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork. Set aside to cool completely. This makes about 2 – 2.5 cups of cooked rice)

2) Roughly chop garlic and green chilies. Crush them in  a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

3) Heat 1 tsp in a wok/ pan. Add cashews and fry until golden. Drain and set aside. To the remaining oil, break an egg and scramble adding a pinch of salt. Remove and set aside.

4) To the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil at medium heat . Add crushed garlic and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. Add chicken pieces and mix well. Next add fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Mix well and cook for 3 – 4 minutes until chicken is almost cooked. Now add sliced onion and bell peppers. Stir fry  at medium-high heat for a minute. Add cooked jasmine rice and mix well. Add 1 tsp soy sauce and mix well. Taste-check for salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add basil leaves and pineapple cubes. Stir-fry for 1 – 2 minutes. Stir in the fried cashews and scrambled egg. Cook for a minute. Switch off. Garnish with cucumber slices, lemon/lime wedges and cilantro. This delicious, flavorful Thai fried rice tastes best after 5 – 10 minutes.