Stir-Fried Spicy Beef with Basil

Once you get this Thai-style dish set up, it’s faster than cooking the rice that goes alongside it. You can use round or chuck meat here, but the best cuts are flank or sirloin, which are more tender and equally tasty. Thai basil is nice here if you can find it, but any fresh basil is fine. Other cuts and meats you can use: pork, preferably from the shoulder or leg (fresh ham); lamb, preferably from the shoulder or leg; boneless chicken.

11/2 pounds flank or sirloin steak

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon peanut oil, plus 1 teaspoon for marinating

11/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 tablespoon soy sauce or nam pla (Thai fish sauce)

Juice of 1/2 lime

• Slice the beef across the grain as thinly as you can; it’s easier if you freeze it for 15 to 30 minutes first. Cut the slices into bite-sized pieces.
• Wash and dry the basil; if the leaves are large, chop them coarsely. If time permits, mix the beef, basil, and the teaspoon of peanut oil in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for an hour or so (this helps the flavor of the basil permeate the meat).
• When you’re ready to cook, have all the ingredients ready (including a serving dish and rice, if you’re making any). If you have not yet done so, mix together the beef and basil. Heat a large skillet over high heat until it smokes, 3 or 4 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium and add the tablespoon of peanut oil. Swirl it around and add the garlic. Stir once or twice. As soon as the garlic begins to color—after about 15 seconds—return the heat to high and add the beef-basil mixture. Stir quickly and add the red pepper. Stir frequently (but not constantly), just until the meat loses its red color, a minute or two longer. Add the soy sauce and lime juice, stir, turn off the heat, and serve immediately, over rice if you wish.

Super-Spicy Beef with Orange Flavor.
• In Step 2, substitute the zest of 1 large orange for the basil. Mince about 1 tablespoon of the zest and leave the rest in larger pieces. Combine all of it with the meat. In Step 4, add 10 to 30 small dried hot red chiles, or to taste, along with the garlic. Continue as directed, adding some of the orange’s juice along with the lime juice at the end. Serve immediately, over rice if you wish.

Stir-Fried Curry Beef.
• Omit the basil and pepper flakes. For Step 2, marinate the meat in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, dry sherry, stock, or water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. In Step 4, add 11/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger and 1 thinly sliced onion along with the garlic and cook until the onion is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons curry powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add the meat and cook until browned, then add 1/4 cup water instead of the soy sauce and lime and cook until the liquid is gone, about 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

TIME: 15 minutes, plus time to freeze or marinate the meat