The other evening I wanted to make a quick dinner that I could finish in less than 30 minutes. I had just purchased some thinly sliced beef at the market that day and was thinking Thai. I came up with this very tasty and easy meal.

Prepare your ingredients and place in individual bowls (misen place) before heating up your wok.

Sirloin & Asparagus with Basil

This dish is made with thin sliced beef sirloin and Thai Basil, but you could substitute the sirloin with chicken, pork, lamb, squid, shrimp, scallops, or mixed seafood.

Ingredients
1 lb. boneless thinly sliced beef sirloin cut into 2” X 1” strips
1/2# young asparagus cut into 2” diagonal pieces
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6-8 shallots, thinly sliced
2-3 Tbs. peanut oil for stir-frying
1-2 Tbs. fish sauce (nam bplah), to taste
1 - 2 cups fresh Thai holy basil (bai gka-prow), or a combination of
sweet basil (bai horapa ) and Thai holy basil (bai gka-prow
2 small kaffir lime leaves (bai ma-gkrood), very finely slivered
5-10 Thai chiles (prik khee nneu), minced
Generous Dash of ground white pepper

Prepare the ingredients as indicated. Leave the fresh basil leaves
whole or if quite large cut into thirds; the flowers may also be used.

Heat a wok until the surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to
coat the wok surface. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat, then
stir in the asparagus followed a few seconds later with shallots.

Stir another few seconds before adding the beef. Add the minced or sliced garlic. Stir-fry a minute or two, or until most of the lamb has started to change color on the outside. Toss in the chiles, slivered kaffir-lime leaves. Sprinkle fish sauce over the mixture and stir-fry another 15-20 seconds.

Then add fresh basil leaves and. Stir and mix well. Stir-fry another half a minute, or until the basil is wilted. Sprinkle with white pepper. Toss and transfer to a serving dish, or spoon directly over individual plates of plain steamed rice.

Notes and Pointers:
This is a good and easy stir-fried dish and one of the favorites tastes
among Thai people. It is served over Thai Jasmine steamed rice as a
one-dish meal.

Copyright Global Access, ltd 2005