Thursday, December 20, 2012

Spicy Thai Beef with Lime Coconut Rice

I hope everyone had a good Thursday.  We are only 4 days out from the big Christmas Day.....I can hardly wait.  What is on your list?  Anything great for the kitchen I should ask Santa Bill for?

Today I have one of Bill's top 10 favorite dinners for you.  This recipe is requested about once a month since i discover it 2 years ago in Martha Stewart's Every Day Food magazine.  This magazine was a great little guide for me in my early years of cooking - it gave me great meal ideas with minimal ingredients and great flavors.  I recommend it to any new cook!

Spicy Thai Beef with Coconut Rice
Modified from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food
This recipe is easy and impressive you will feel like you just ordered take out in your kitchen.


Prep time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Servings - 4

Ingredient List: 
Rice-

  • 1 1/2 cup dry jasmine rice
  • 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk ( light or regular)
  • Coarse salt
  • Beef-
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2-3 dry chili peppers or serrano peppers 
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 long hot peppers or red jalapeno chiles, seeded and sliced into 2-inch matchsticks  ( you can use red bell peppers if you want low spice) 
  • 1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
  • 1 cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves
  • Lime wedges, for serving
Directions:
1. In a rice cooker or sauce pan, combine rice, coconut milk, 3/4 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cookuntil rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.


Please enjoy the picture of Bill playing with the cat and giant bag of jasmine rice - 
 

2.  When rice is almost done, combine
fish sauce, soy sauce,hot peppers, 2 cloves of garlic and sugar in a
small bowl; set aside. 


3. Heat a cast-iron
skillet or wok over high. Add oil and
heat; add garlic and half the chiles. Cook,
stirring constantly, 15 seconds. Add
beef and cook, breaking up meat with
a wooden spoon, until completely
browned, about 4 minutes. Add soy
mixture and cook 30 seconds. Add
basil and remaining chiles and stir to
combine. 


Serve beef over coconut
rice with lime wedges.


p.s. I used dried basil because I forgot fresh.  Still amazing!