Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 5 bird's eye chilis
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups fresh Thai Holy Basil, packed
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups steamed jasmine rice

Instructions:

  1. Place the garlic and bird's eye chilis in a mortar and pestle. Pound until they form a coarse, chunky paste to release the essential volatile oils.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, coconut sugar, and water to create the stir-fry sauce.
  3. Heat a wok or heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat with a tablespoon of high-smoke point oil. Fry the eggs until the edges are crispy and brown (Kai Dao style), then remove and set aside.
  4. In the same hot wok, add the sliced shallot and the garlic-chili paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until intensely fragrant.
  5. Add the ground chicken to the wok. Use a spatula to break it into small pieces. Sear over high heat without moving for 1 minute to develop a caramelized crust, then toss and cook until fully browned.
  6. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken. Stir-fry for another 1 minute until the sauce thickens and glazes the meat in a rich mahogany color.
  7. Turn off the heat. Immediately add the fresh Thai Holy Basil leaves. Toss gently using the residual heat until the leaves are just wilted.
  8. Serve immediately over a bed of steamed jasmine rice and top with the crispy fried egg.