Minced turkey stir-fried with basil
	by Madhur Jaffrey

Serves 4

Cooking and preparation
20 minutes preparation, 30 minutes cooking

Ingredients

55g/2oz fresh holy basil leaves, or ordinary basil (weight after removing stems)
vegetable oil for shallow-frying, plus 4 tbsp for stir frying
5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
75g/3oz shallots or onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 fresh hot green cayenne chillies, or to taste, sliced
2 fresh hot red cayenne chillies, or to taste, sliced
2.5cm/1in cube fresh root ginger, finely grated
450g/1lb minced turkey (from boned, skinned breast and/or legs)
5 tsp fish sauce or 1 tsp salt, to taste
1˝ tsp palm sugar or dark brown sugar

Method

1. Wash the basil leaves and pat them dry. Set aside 15g/˝oz of the whole leaves. Chop the rest very coarsely and set aside.

2. Heat 1cm/˝in depth of oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat. Place a plate lined with kitchen paper near the hob. Have ready a splatter screen or an upturned sieve to cover the pan to prevent the oil from splattering.

3. When the oil is hot, add the whole basil leaves. Cover immediately with the screen or sieve. Remove the cover as soon as the intense sizzling has died down (a matter of seconds) and stir the leaves once or twice. They will turn crisp very quickly.

4. Remove with a slotted spoon and spread out on the kitchen paper to drain. Once the oil has cooled sufficiently, strain it and reserve for future use.

5. Heat four tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and fry, stirring, for about two minutes or until the shallots are lightly golden. Do not allow them to burn.

6. Add the chillies and ginger and give a few vigorous stirs.

7. Add the chopped basil and stir.

8. Add the minced turkey, turn up the heat a bit and fry for about 3-4 minutes, stirring to break up the lumps as you do so. The turkey will lose its pink colour once it's cooked.

9. Stir in the fish sauce (or salt), to taste, and the palm sugar (or dark brown sugar) and stir thoroughly to combine. If there is liquid remaining in the bottom of the wok, continue cooking until it boils off, but don't overcook the turkey.

10. Transfer to a serving dish, top with the crisp-fried basil leaves and serve.

Step by Step

Step 1
Wash the basil leaves and pat them dry. Set aside 15g/˝oz of the whole leaves. Chop the rest very coarsely and set aside.

Step 2
Heat 1cm/˝in depth of oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat. Place a plate lined with kitchen paper near the hob. Have ready a splatter screen or an upturned sieve to cover the pan to prevent the oil from splattering.

Step 3
When the oil is hot, add the whole basil leaves. Cover immediately with the screen or sieve. Remove the cover as soon as the intense sizzling has died down (a matter of seconds) and stir the leaves once or twice. They will turn crisp very quickly.

Step 4
Remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and spread out on the kitchen paper to drain. Once the oil has cooled sufficiently, strain it and reserve for future use.

Step 5
Heat four tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and fry, stirring, for about two minutes or until the shallots are lightly golden. Do not allow them to burn.

Step 6
Add the chillies and ginger and give a few vigorous stirs.

Step 7
Add the chopped basil and stir.

Step 8
Add the minced turkey, turn up the heat a bit and fry for about 3-4 minutes, stirring to break up the lumps as you do so. The turkey will lose its pink colour once it's cooked.

Step 9
Stir in the fish sauce, to taste, and the sugar and stir thoroughly to combine. If there is liquid remaining in the bottom of the wok, continue cooking until it boils off, but don't overcook the turkey.

Step 10
Transfer to a serving dish, top with the crisp-fried basil leaves and serve.