Thai spicy stir-fried mushrooms with basil

I love mushrooms and definitely do not cook them enough. This is a dish that highlights the essential flavors of Thai cuisine, spicy, loaded with basil and absolutely delicious.

This very simple stir-fry is packed with spice, loads of spicy Thai bird's eye chilies, and scented beautifully with Thai basil. The dish is bold and perfect as a side for any Asian meal.

I have started going to this massive volume on Thai cooking more frequently. It is packed full of recipes from a land and culture that prides itself in its cuisine. This book definitely steps out of the ordinary, a must for any cook who wants everything Thai in their kitchen and on their table. Occasionally, in this book I do come across a recipe where the ingredient is hard to find, but with over 500 recipes, there is so much more to cook.

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

10 cloves garlic

3-8 fresh Thai red bird's eye chilies, or to taste

2 tablespoons oil

2 packs, about 8 oz each, mushrooms, well cleaned, and sliced

1 tablespoon oyster sauce, avoid for vegan version

1 teaspoon soy sauce, double for vegan version

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup Thai basil leaves, sliced + a sprig for garnish

Pound the garlic and chilies in a small mortar till a very smooth paste is formed. I do not like putting this into a small blender as you will need to add water and this does not work for the recipe.

Heat the oil in a wide frying pan and add heat on low. Add the chilli-garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute till the oil is red and the paste is aromatic. Add the mushrooms, turn the heat up to high, add a pinch of salt and toss the mix well to coat the mushrooms with the fried paste. The mushrooms will give out water and cook in the liquids.

As the liquids begin to dry out, add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Toss well to mix. Cook the mushrooms, still on high heat till the liquids have completely evaporated and the mushrooms begin to turn golden. Toss so all the sides are evenly browned lightly. Take off the stove and add the basil tossing the mix well to distribute the basil leaves. They will cook in the residual heat and scent the mushrooms.

Serve hot, garnished with the basil sprig.