Thai Beef with Basil

If you like Thai food, this simple dish is a fantastic way to bring the flavors of Thailand into your kitchen without all the work of something complicated like Pad Thai. I tried making Pad Thai at home a few times, but honestly, when I can pick up takeout from a good Thai restaurant for under $10, all the effort made me think, “Why bother?” This spicy (or not) stir fry, on the other hand, is among the simplest of dishes in my summer-to-fall lineup, and it’s packed with flavor. I tried it for the first time last fall when we were still living at Ted and Jen’s, having flagged it in my copy of How to Cook Everything (another cookbook I can’t recommend highly enough), and we were all just wowed. Hint: you’ll probably see it show up in a meal plan soon.

It’s a one-pot meal that comes together super quick, and all it asks is to be served over rice or rice noodles. It only takes about five minutes of actual cooking time, so you can easily have dinner on the table in under an hour, even if you’re serving it with rice. It’s also versatile – you can use venison steak, boneless chicken breast, or even pork shoulder instead of beef.

The one ingredient that can be tricky this time of year, when the farmers’ markets are all but closed, is the fresh basil. You need a good handful, about 1/2 cup, although frozen basil purée (see note below) will also work. I haven’t stopped seeing fresh basil in my local Trader Joe’s, though, so I’m not too worried about the rest of you finding it, either. Welcome to the 21st century supermarket. As much as I like to cook seasonally, there are times I’m grateful for our year-round access to produce.

Note: Frozen Basil Purée is a great way to save extra basil during the summer for use during the remainder of the year. My girlfriend Amanda, who’s one of the most resourceful people I know, taught me this tip, and it’s worth the effort. I don’t know about you, but I buy basil by the bunch from the farmers’ market in summer, and sometimes it’s nearly impossible for me to use it all up. Trim the leaves from their stems, wash and dry them, and purée them in the food processor with just a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Pack them into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight, then remove the basil cubes to a quart-size freezer bag. When you have a recipe that calls for fresh basil in the off-season, thaw a cube or two, and you’re ready to go!

Thai Beef with Basil
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

1-1/2 to 2 pounds flank or sirloin steak (or other meat of your choice)
1 large handful fresh basil, stems removed, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon peanut or olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon soy sauce or fish sauce
Juice of one lime
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Jasmine rice or rice noodles

Cut the meat into bite-size pieces.

In a medium bowl, mix together the meat, chopped basil, and a teaspoon of oil. Set aside to marinate while you get your rice started or get hot water going for your rice noodles.

When your rice is about ten minutes away from being done, or the water is boiling for your noodles, get a wok or skillet going over high heat until it’s smoking hot.

Lower the heat to medium and add the tablespoon of oil. Swirl it around for a few seconds to get it hot, then add the garlic and sauté until it starts to darken in color – this only takes a few seconds.

Return the heat to high and add the beef and basil mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat loses its red color. Turn off the heat, and stir in the lime juice, soy sauce or fish sauce, and red pepper flakes. Taste, and add more pepper flakes and/or salt if needed.

Make-ahead tip: Prep the meat and basil up to a day ahead and leave in the fridge to marinate. When it’s time to make dinner, all you need to do is cook it!

Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Here’s the printable recipe.