Thai Spicy Basil Chicken

[Haggis]

Mmmm just felt the craving for this delicious Thai dish so I thought I better share it around. I love it over rice with a fried egg over the top, yum.

450g chicken thigh/breast, coarsely chopped, or cut into small bite-size pieces
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 shallots, thinly sliced (or substitute with 1/2 cup sliced onion)
2-3 tbsp peanut oil for stir-frying
2 tsp. black soy sauce
1-2 Tbs. fish sauce, to taste
1 cup fresh Thai holy basil (or normal basil)
2 small kaffir lime leaves, very finely slivered (optional)
2-3 fresh jalapeno or fresno peppers, cut into large slivers; or 5-10 Thai chillies (prik kee noo), chopped and pounded with a mortar and pestle
Dash of ground white pepper

Heat a wok until the surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to coat the wok surface. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat, then stir in the garlic, followed a few seconds later with shallots. Stir another few seconds before adding the chicken.

Stir-fry a minute or two, or until most of the chicken has started to change color on the outside and is no longer pink.Toss in the chillies and slivered kaffir lime leaves (if using). Sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry another 15-20 seconds.

Then add fresh basil leaves and fish sauce to taste. Stir and mix well. Stir-fry another half a minute, or until the basil is wilted and the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with white pepper.

Stir and transfer to a serving dish, or spoon directly over individual plates of plain steamed rice.

[kyles]

That sounds delicious Haggis. I love Thai basil (you can't get that here, not even seen the seedlings or seeds) and I really love Kaffir lime leaves. I bought freeze dried lime leaves the other day, and was pleasantly surprised, they have a lovely aroma and flavour.

[Haggis]

I must say I have not tried it with regular basil so I would not know how good a replacement it would be in this dish. Have always been lucky to have asian supermarkets/grocers nearby that stock it.

Thai/Holy basil just has something that regular basil lacks for this recipe, I think it is the fact that thai basil is perhaps more peppery and has a more distinct anise flavour.

[kyles]

I think normal basil would change the flavour of the dish quite considerbaly, make it taste a bit more "fusion" rather than Asian. We can't quite get normal basil here yet, all of Europe is in winter and if we do get it it will be glasshouse grown or from Africa and pretty much devoid of taste, so coped and pasted and saved til summer!