I know I've spoken of my love affair with Thai before in previous posts, but I just can't seem to get enough of it these days. Not everything I've been experimenting with is strictly "traditional" Thai, but much of it has Thai influences and "notes". This dish, however, is adapted from David Thompson, author of Thai Street Food, and is pretty authentic. When we were in Boston a couple of weeks ago, my husband actually ordered this dish off the menu at a Thai place. We didn't realize it was the same as what I sometimes make at home until it arrived at the table!
One of the great things about this dish is the egg on top. The egg is gently fried (you could also poach it), leaving a gorgeous, gooey, luscious yolk, just waiting to be cut open and ooze out over everything on the plate. I've discovered that eggs cooked like this, with a humble yolk patiently waiting to unify the entire dish in its amazing simplicity and richness, can elevate an otherwise "ok" or even boring dish into something inspired and amazing. For example, some morning for breakfast I'll make these babies and top them with a yolky egg. SOOO good! A poached egg also works great over a bed of fresh spinach. It's acts as a great little dressing, and a good kick of protein and healthy fat! Sautéed/grilled asparagus is also great with this kind of egg on top, as is a sauce-less pizza with perhaps arugula and prosciutto. Anyway...this dish is AWESOME, and the egg just contributes to that awesomeness!
Stir-fried Minced Beef with Chiles and Basil (Neua pat bai grapao)
serves 2
adapted from Orangette
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
4-10 Thai (bird's eye) chiles, sliced (I used jalapeños, and only 4 or 5, with most of the seeds removed)
pinch of salt
2 Tbs coconut oil (or olive oil, or sesame seed oil) divided
6 oz ground beef (or ground pork; I've made it with both and it was excellent either way!)
1 Tbs fish sauce (more to taste, if you like)
pinch of sugar
1/4 chicken/pheasant/veggie stock or water
2 large handfuls of basil leaves (I've used dried basil, but definitely prefer the fresh. If you're using dry, you have to use a TON, like half a cup....seriously. I've used less, and it will work and taste good, but if you want it to taste great and authentic, you need to use fresh or a lot, LOT of the dried - 1/3ish cup dried for each cup fresh)
Hot, cooked brown jasmine rice
2 eggs
2 lime wedges
Stir the garlic, chiles, and salt together. In a large skillet (or wok), heat 1 Tbs of the oil over high heat. Add the garlic, chiles, and salt and stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the beef. Cook, stirring as you go, until the beef is just starting to brown and cooked through. Break it up a bit with your wooden spoon as you go so it's not just one big mass of meat. Add 1 Tbs fish sauce and the sugar. Then add your basil and stock (or water). Stir until basil is just wilted (or about a minuteish if using dried). Remove from the heat.
Warm the remaining 1 Tbs oil in a skillet and fry the eggs. They should be a bit browned and crispy on the underside, but the yolk should still be soft and runny. Alternatively, you can poach two eggs.
Put some of your rice into bowls, divide the beef and juices over the top, and finish with an egg. Give each bowl a good squeeze of lime juice. Eat immediately, then find more delicious ways to use runny eggs and share them in the comments here! :)
Stir-fried Minced Beef with Chiles and Basil (Neua pat bai grapao)
serves 2
adapted from Orangette
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
4-10 Thai (bird's eye) chiles, sliced (I used jalapeños, and only 4 or 5, with most of the seeds removed)
pinch of salt
2 Tbs coconut oil (or olive oil, or sesame seed oil) divided
6 oz ground beef (or ground pork; I've made it with both and it was excellent either way!)
1 Tbs fish sauce (more to taste, if you like)
pinch of sugar
1/4 chicken/pheasant/veggie stock or water
2 large handfuls of basil leaves (I've used dried basil, but definitely prefer the fresh. If you're using dry, you have to use a TON, like half a cup....seriously. I've used less, and it will work and taste good, but if you want it to taste great and authentic, you need to use fresh or a lot, LOT of the dried - 1/3ish cup dried for each cup fresh)
Hot, cooked brown jasmine rice
2 eggs
2 lime wedges
Stir the garlic, chiles, and salt together. In a large skillet (or wok), heat 1 Tbs of the oil over high heat. Add the garlic, chiles, and salt and stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the beef. Cook, stirring as you go, until the beef is just starting to brown and cooked through. Break it up a bit with your wooden spoon as you go so it's not just one big mass of meat. Add 1 Tbs fish sauce and the sugar. Then add your basil and stock (or water). Stir until basil is just wilted (or about a minuteish if using dried). Remove from the heat.
Warm the remaining 1 Tbs oil in a skillet and fry the eggs. They should be a bit browned and crispy on the underside, but the yolk should still be soft and runny. Alternatively, you can poach two eggs.
Put some of your rice into bowls, divide the beef and juices over the top, and finish with an egg. Give each bowl a good squeeze of lime juice. Eat immediately, then find more delicious ways to use runny eggs and share them in the comments here! :)