Thai ground beef with Coconut rice

Even though I love to cook – I don’t really watch that many cooking television shows.  I enjoy several reality food shows – such as Top Chef, Next Food Network Star, Masterchef, etc.  But I really think the best real cooking shows are actually on PBS – they have Americas Test Kitchen, Cooks Country, Lydias Italy, and Everyday Food.  And this is a recipe that I saw on one of the episodes of the Everyday Food tv show – and added it to my weekly menu the next week.   I expected that we would enjoy this – what I didn’t expect was to be completely awed by this dish – it was so unbelievably flavorful and delicious.  My husband loved it so much – that he gobbled up all of the leftovers and I never even got a chance to eat it again for lunch!  

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup jasmine rice
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
• coarse salt
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 dried hot chilies, reconstituted and diced
• 2 small sweet red chiles, seeded and sliced into 2-inch matchsticks
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup loosely packed torn fresh (thai or regular) 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 is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

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

3. Heat a cast-iron skillet or wok over high heat.

4. Add oil and heat; add garlic and the hot chiles. Cook, stirring constantly, 15 seconds.

5. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until completely browned, about 4 minutes.

6. Add soy mixture and cook 30 seconds.

7. Add basil and sweet chiles and stir to combine.

8. Serve beef over coconut rice with lime wedges.

Source: adapted from Everyday Food TV

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