Thai Basil Beef Stir-Fry with Crispy Rice Cake
This explosive Thai stir-fry delivers bold flavors with every bite, featuring fragrant holy basil, spicy chilies, and savory beef that comes together in minutes yet tastes incredibly complex. The dish gets its irresistible texture from the contrast between the tender beef and the crispy rice cake that soaks up the vibrant sauce while maintaining a satisfying crunch. Aromatic garlic and shallots form the flavor base, while fish sauce and palm sugar create the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and umami. Inspired by Bangkok street food stalls, this recipe captures the essence of Thai cooking where simple techniques yield extraordinary results. What makes this version special is the technique of pan-frying cooked rice into golden cakes that add both texture and a neutral base to highlight the punchy flavors.
Ingredients
- •1/2 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- •1 cup cooked jasmine rice, cooled
- •1/2 cup holy basil leaves
- •3 garlic cloves, minced
- •2 shallots, thinly sliced
- •2 Thai chilies, sliced
- •1 bell pepper, julienned
- •2 tbsp fish sauce
- •1 tbsp oyster sauce
- •1 tsp palm sugar
- •1 tbsp vegetable oil
- •1 tbsp butter
- •Optional: lime wedges for serving
- •Optional: fried egg for topping
Dietary Info
Instructions
- 1
Press cooled rice into 1/2-inch thick patties. Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium-high, fry rice cakes until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
- 2
In same pan, increase heat to high. Add beef in single layer and sear 1 minute without stirring. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Add butter to pan, saute shallots, garlic, and chilies until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bell peppers and stir-fry 1 minute.
- 4
Return beef to pan with any juices. Add fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Toss to combine.
- 5
Remove from heat, stir in basil leaves until just wilted. Serve immediately over rice cakes with lime wedges.
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