Thai Spicy Chicken and Basil Fried Rice recipe
~ Kao Pad Gkai Gkaprow

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Serves : 2 - 3

Ingredients :

• ½ lb boneless chicken, cut into small bite-size pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 - 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 - 3 cups Asian broccoli
• 2 jalapeño, serrano or fresno hot chili peppers
• 4 cups cold cooked leftover rice
• 3 - 4 tbsp peanut oil
• 2 tspn semisweet black soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla), or to desired saltiness
• 1 cups basil leaves and flowers
• generous sprinkling of powdered white pepper, to taste
• 1 lime, cut into four wedges

Preparation and Cooking Instructions :

1. Prepare the ingredients where instructed above. For the Asian broccoli, cut the stem ends at a very slanted angle into thin strips about 1½" long and the leafy portion in segments about the same length. Keep the stem pieces separate from the leafy pieces. Slice the chili peppers into half circles or short slivers; do not remove the seeds if you wish a spicier fried rice.
2. Crumble and break up the cold leftover rice so that the grains are no longer stuck together in big chunks. Set aside.
3. Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Swirl in the oil to coat its surface and wait a few seconds for the oil to heat.
4. Add the chopped garlic, followed a few seconds later with the chicken. Stirfry half a minute, or until the chicken begins to lose its raw pink color. Toss in the sliced shallots and chilies. Stir and follow 15 seconds later with the broccoli stems. Stirfry another 20 seconds before adding the leaves. Toss until leaves are partially wilted, then add the rice and toss well with all the ingredients in the wok.
5. Continue to stirfry until the rice is well coated with the oil and has softened and begun to brown. Sprinkle evenly with some black soy sauce, enough to lightly color the grains. Stir some more, then sprinkle with fish sauce to the desired saltiness. Stirfry until the broccoli is cooked to your liking, preferably still crisp and a vibrant green color. Toss in the basil and stir quickly for a few seconds to wilt and mix in with the rice. Sprinkle with white pepper. Stir well and transfer to serving plate.
6. Serve with a wedge of fresh lime for each serving. Squeeze the juice over the rice, as desired, before eating.
7. Cooks note : If you do not have leftover rice, cook rice earlier in the day and cool completely before frying. Freshly cooked rice makes mushy fried rice if used when it is still warm.