🌿 Thai Basil Beef
The week after I got home from Thailand, I couldn’t stop thinking about Thai basil beef, so I had to recreate it. I needed my family to taste it too, because I refuse to walk around haunted by this flavor by myself. Here’s the version I made. The ingredients are easy to find in the Philippines, and somehow it tastes authentic and restaurant-level… at least if my taste buds aren’t lying, hahah.
Ingredients
400g ground beef or thinly sliced beef sirloin
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 siling labuyo, chopped (or 2 tsp chili oil)
1 red bell pepper, thin strips (optional)
1 cup fresh basil (loose)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1½ tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp water
Lime or calamansi for finishing (just a squeeze)
Instructions
- Mix sauce in a small bowl. Combine, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and water. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Add garlic, onion, and chilies.
- Sauté until fragrant and the onion starts softening.
- Add ground beef or sliced beef.
- Cook on high heat until it browns and caramelizes a bit. If there’s excess fat, you can drain a little.
- Add bell pepper (optional). Cook for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Pour in the prepared sauce.
- Stir and let it cook for 2–3 minutes until the beef absorbs everything and becomes glossy.
- Turn off heat. Toss in the basil leaves until they wilt.
Serve it over hot rice + a fried egg on top. You may also squeeze a bit of calamansi too. Its soooo addicting. 🍳🔥