This week has been a busy week. In between work, two certificate programs, homework, and studying for exams, I haven’t been able to do too much cooking and baking in the kitchen. Starting in the middle of March, I will be starting a third class. I even planned ahead to squeeze in a third certificate program during the summer. So far, the schedule seems to work for me. My family and friends think I’m crazy to try to do so much in such a short period of time. I actually love learning, so I find it more fulfilling than challenging. With all of these competing priorities, I’ve been resorting to more quick and easy meals throughout the week. One of the dishes I love to make during busier weeks is my Thai basil fried rice. It is super easy, very quick, and oh so good. I like to use Thai basil in fried rice mostly because it has a strong flavor and the addition of Thai basil elevates the flavors of fried rice to a whole new level. The challenge with making good fried rice is to create layers of flavors in the fried rice. Without a restaurant quality kitchen stove, it’s difficult to truly achieve an authentic smoky flavor in the fried rice. To compensate for the lack of restaurant tools, I’ve discovered different flavor profiles to mix into the fried rice to create a tasty, good fried rice. Some of my previous fried rice dishes all have an extra element which brings the fried rice to the next level. My bacon and egg fried rice has diced smoky bacon added to it. It’s the perfect fried rice to eat in the morning when all you want to eat is fried rice. I’ve had many of those mornings over the years. My mushroom and miso fried rice has a wonderful umami flavor and is both vegan and vegetarian friendly. The recipe I’m sharing today is another vegan and vegetarian friendly fried rice dish. The star of this dish is Thai basil. It’s one of those ingredients where you can’t easily substitute it with something else. You definitely taste the Thai basil when it’s added to a dish and you definitely miss the Thai basil when it’s omitted from a dish. My Thai basil fried rice comes together very quickly and makes for the perfect lunch or dinner to eat when studying for midterms. It took less than 30 minutes for the fried rice to come together. I did use cooked and cold jasmine rice to reduce the cook time in this recipe. I actually prefer cooked and cold rice in fried rice over hot and fresh rice. I made an large batch of fried rice and saved it for lunch and dinner throughout the week.
Thai basil fried rice:
· 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
· 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
· 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 2 carrots, finely diced
· ½ onion, finely diced
· ½ red pepper, finely diced
· ½ green pepper, finely diced
· ½ inch piece ginger, minced
· 2 garlic cloves, minced
· ½ cup frozen green peas, thawed
· 2 cups jasmine rice, cold and overnight
· 3 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
· 6 sprigs fresh Thai basil, stems removed
Directions:
1) In a small bowl, combine the wine and soy sauces. Set aside.
2) Heat a skillet on medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Toss in the carrots. Cook for 2 minutes, until carrots are softened. Add the diced onion, peppers, ginger, and garlic. Cook until the onions and peppers are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the green peas. Add in half of the sauce. Cook for another minute.
3) Add in the cold rice and let the rice cook for about a minute. Add the remaining sauce. Stir all of the ingredients together to ensure they are coated in the sauce. Fold in the scallions and fresh Thai basil leaves. Cook for another minute. Serve as is or with your favorite hot sauce.
Takeaways: The star of this fried rice is the Thai basil. It’s one of those ingredients where it isn’t easy to substitute. You can feel free to swap in different vegetables depending on the vegetables you have in your fridge. If you want to add more protein to the dish, you can also add a couple scrambled eggs.