Basil Fried Rice With Quail Eggs Green Papaya Slaw And Thai Sausage Recipes

WHOLE QUAIL WITH STICKY RICE WITH CHINESE SAUSAGE

Steps:

• To make the quail with rice:
• Rinse the rice 2 times in a bowl of cold water and drain. In a large ovenproof pot, combine the rice, sausages, chestnuts, sugar, soy sauce, dried scallops, gingko nuts, ham, dates, wine, and dried shrimp. Add a scant 3 cups of water, put in a steam oven, and cook until cooked through and soft, 30 to 45 minutes. Fold in the edamame. Taste and adjust the sugar, soy sauce, and salt. Let cool and then fold in the scallions. Stuff about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture into each quail.
• To make the scallion oil:
• Put the scallions in a bowl, cover with the oil, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Puree in a blender and strain through a very fine-mesh sieve, gently pressing to extract the pulp. Add the ginger, to taste.
• To make the garlic chives:
• In a small skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic chives, seasoning with salt, until slightly caramelized. You can add a bit of water to help cook the chives through before burning, if needed.
• To serve:
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet with a little oil. Sear the birds breast side down and then put in the oven until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Then turn the birds and repeat the process on the other side, cooking until the birds are cooked and the rice is heated through.
• Serve the whole quail on a bed of chive buds with a few dots of scallion oil to garnish the plate.

THAI SPICY BASIL FRIED RICE

Steps:

• Whisk together oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
• Spray a wok or large frying pan with olive oil spray and heat over medium-high heat.
• Add the garlic and chili (or serrano) peppers and stir fry for 30 seconds.
• Add the red pepper and onion and stir fry until the onion is translucent. If using chicken or beef, add it with the the onion and red pepper. Cook until chicken is done, or beef is about medium.
• Push ingredients in the wok/pan aside and quickly scramble the egg.
• Add the oyster sauce mixture and stir everything together.
• Raise the heat to high and add the chilled rice. Stir until blended with the sauce and other ingredients, breaking up clumps of rice with the back of a spoon.
• Add more soy, oyster, or fish sauce, if necessary (or to taste).
• When everything is blended together and rice is hot, remove from heat and stir in the basil.
• Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

GREEN PAPAYA SLAW

Steps:

• Whisk together 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce such as nam pla, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon palm sugar, and 2 tablespoons tiny dried shrimp in a large bowl. Add 1 peeled and very thinly sliced shallot and 1 fresh Thai chile, thinly sliced crosswise, and let stand for 15 minutes, then add 1/2 green papaya, peeled, seeded, and julienned, and 1 peeled and julienned medium carrot and let stand for 15 minutes to 30 minutes longer. Tear 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves and 1/4 cup cilantro leaves; crush 1/4 cup peanuts. Stir herbs and nuts into salad. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chile so there is a proper balance of hot, sour, salty, and sweet. Serve immediately.
• Green papaya can be found in most Asian markets. The flesh should be pale green and the seeds should be white. If the flesh is not green and the seeds are gray or black, the papaya is too ripe and will be too sweet. As a substitute, try a combination of julienned carrot, jícama, and Belgian endive.
• Palm sugar, from the Palmyra palm or the date palm, is golden brown in color and sold in many guises (most often in blocks or tins or as a paste in tubes). It is available at Asian markets. Light brown sugar can be substituted.
• Dried shrimp are used in Asian and Latin American cooking. Look for them in Asian markets.