Stir-fried dishes are easy to prepare, which is why this is my first option when I want to cook something good in a limited amount of time. The toughest part about it though, is ensuring the meat is tender. If you will use mince then that isn’t a problem, but for sliced meats you have to cook it just right, so that it won’t be tough. Allowing the meat to simmer in stock or water can also be done to soften it. I usually use a fork to test doneness. Once it goes through just fine then the meat is ready.

Chicken and basil stir-fry is a delicious rice topping. It can be served along with soup or a vegetable dish. For this recipe we used sliced chicken breasts, but you may use chicken mince as well. You can also use the same recipe for pork or even beef.

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut oil

600g chicken breasts, sliced into very thin strips

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 2cm knob fresh ginger, grated

4 fresh red chili, sliced thinly

4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, shredded

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

100g mushrooms, quartered

1 large carrot, sliced thinly

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/3 cup chicken stock

1 cup bean sprouts

3/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Heat half of the oil in a wok or skillet. Stir-fry the chicken in batches for 3-6 minutes or until they are brown and tender. After, transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Set aside.

Place the remaining oil in the wok or skillet and heat it. Sauté the garlic, ginger, onions and lime leaves for 3-5 minutes or until all the ingredients are soft and the mixture becomes fragrant. Add the mushrooms and the carrots. Stir-fry them for another 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Return the chicken to the wok and add the stock, soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce. Add the bean sprouts. Cook it in low heat for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and dries up a little. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Season it with salt and pepper if desired.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:   jules:stonesoup