Fried rice was never in my favorite food list until i got to try the basil fried rice from one Thai restaurant, here in Carlsbad . The flavor of basil and pepper brought an entirely new and refreshing taste to this dish and i have to tell you, I just loved it. Now this Thai restaurant is one of the few places i love to frequent, whenever I get that craving to eat something from outside..(I guess that's something for a person like me who will go for rice, moru curry/curd and pickle if any one offered me chinese food like fried riceeeee!!!)


Let me put a disclaimer before i start off with the recipe. This is not authentic and its just my idea of presenting this dish and any resemblance to the actual Thai spicy basil veg/egg fried rice is a pure coincidence ;) ...So here goes my version...

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup (basmati or long grain white rice)
Vegs (Its your choice!!) - Capsicum/Cabbage/Celery/Beans/Asparagus/Carrot - 2 cups
Onion - 1/2 of one med onion
Green Chilly(small) - 2-3
minced garlic - 1 tsp
Spring Onion
Soy Sauce - 1- 2 tsp
Chilli Garlic Paste - 1.5 tsp
Vinegar/Tomato Ketchup - 1tsp
Freshly ground pepper - 1tbsp
Salt to Taste
Oil( Olive/Veg)
Eggs - 3
Basil Leaves - a small bunch


Method

• Cook the rice and keep it aside. It should be fluffy when cooked. You can use the refrigerated left over rice from the day before(actually that's ideal!)
• Heat oil, add minced garlic and saute well. Now add the finely chopped onion, spring onion(white part) and small green chillies and saute well till the onion is soft and pale.Now add in some salt and crushed pepper and stir for 2 minutes
• Add the chopped vegs and saute it. Cook for few minutes till done (no need of water here as the vegs are chopped fine , it will cook fast.)
• Move the vegs to one side of the pan and add a few drops of oil and the add the beaten eggs(use only two, keep the final one for garnish) on the other side and scramble it with some salt and pepper . Mix it well with the cooked veggies.
• Now throw in the basil leaves and mix well. Add some soy sauce and chilli garlic paste and tomato ketchup( I did not have vinegar) and give it a stir and cook for few minutes.
• Add in the cooked rice and mix well till all the flavors combine well.
• Garnish with green onion and scrambled egg(optional) and a generous pinch of crushed pepper. Enjoyyyyy!

It turned out to be something like the basil fried rice i had in my mind when i started off and my hubby seemed to be in good condition even after i tested this on him (except that it was a bit spicy...but then it was authentic with the spice level of Thai food;) )

~Luv
Resh