Cooking Club: Thai Beef with Chiles and Basil Over Coconut Rice

Are you recovering from Thanksgiving yet? Well if you are tired of turkey and looking for something different than this is a great recipe for you. This was submitted by Raelynn this month. And don't forget to write your Ten Things to Smile About Lists for Tuesday!!

Thai Beef with Chiles and Basil Over Coconut Rice

(Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups jasmine rice
1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
Coarse salt

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 long hot peppers or red jalapeno chiles, seeded and sliced into 2-inch matchsticks
1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
1 cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, 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 cook until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.

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

A Few Tips:

• You can also use ground turkey or lamb or anything else.
• Many reviews say they put other veggies in. Possibly some combo of scallions, carrots and red bell peppers too, with the garlic and chiles, since they are okay in Thai dishes. Even peas. Try anything you want.
• Unfortunately this uses fish sauce, which if you don't already have (probably not), then don't buy since you won't use it. It definitely will not be the same, but a lot of people don't like it anyway. There isn't a good substitute, but you could use broth (beef or chicken depending on your meat) to give it more liquid.