With the weather getting colder, I was keen to use the last harvest of my basil plant before it goes to sleep for winter. Thai-style minced pork with basil came to mind immediately. This easy and delicious dish is a hot favorite in Thai restaurants and an extremely popular street food in Thailand. Frequently served with a fried egg and rice, this simple dish makes a perfect one-person meal.
The original recipe calls for Thai holy basil which is not easily available in my area. But I found out my Greek basil works very well in this recipe too. Similar to Thai holy basil, Greek basil has small aromatic leaves which are pleasantly spicy with a clove-like taste. If you are unable to find holy or Greek basil, regular sweet basil can be the next option, the taste will be slightly different but still good.
The key to making this dish is a hot wok or stir-fry pan - do not over-crowd the wok/pan, maintain a high temperature and work fast. The high heat combined with the seasonings will infuse the dish with a nice smoky flavor.
RECIPE FOR STIR-FRIED MINCED PORK WITH BASIL
Serves 1
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Ingredients
100g minced pork
3 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp thai or regular red chili, minced (adjust amount according to taste)
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1/2 cup basil leaves (Thai holy or Greek)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Steps:
1) Over medium heat (or medium-high heat for bigger portions), heat up 1 tbsp oil. Add minced pork and pan-fry till lightly-browned on one side, flip and cook till lightly-browned on the other side.
2) Add minced garlic and red chili to pork, stir fry till aromatic.
3) Add fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and water. Stir to mix well.
4) Add basil leaves and cook till leaves are slightly wilted, and water has mostly evaporated. Transfer to plate, serve with fried egg and rice.
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