Thai Rice with Lemongrass, Basil & Mint

This is the best rice we have ever had! It is delicious and fresh and uses ingredients that harmonize beautifully together. We discovered this rice at a dinner party hosted by our dear friend and fellow foodie Pam Lightfoot Burrell. Pam is an amazing cook and when she served this rice, she blew our taste buds to the moon! We love to serve Thai Rice with our Slow Roasted Pork Wraps.

 

 

As always we highly recommend you have all of your ingredients in place prior to cooking. “Mise en Place” (is a French phrase defined by the Culinary Institute of America as “everything in place”, as in set up).

 

Assemble all ingredients-Mise En Place

 

 

Place rice in a sieve and wash under cold water, stirring rice with your fingers until the water is no longer cloudy, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly and set aside with the currants. Set aside the garlic and lemongrass. In a small bowl combine: stock, coconut milk, sherry, fish sauce, chili sauce, orange zest, and kaffir leaf or zest and salt. Place a 2-1/2 quart saucepan over high heat and add cooking oil. Add garlic and lemon grass. Sauté 15 seconds.

 

 

Add rice and currants. Sauté rice 5 minutes until well heated.

 

 

Add coconut-stock mixture and bring to low simmer.

 

Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes, until all the liquid disappears and the rice is tender.

 

If done up to 2 hours in advance of serving, set aside at room temperature; if done further ahead, cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.

 

Within 2 hours of serving the rice, mince the red pepper and set aside with green onions, basil and mint. Place sesame seeds in a small sauté pan, put over high heat and cook until the sesame seeds turn light golden; then set aside.

 

If reheating the rice, cover the saucepan and warm in a preheated 325° F oven until piping hot approximately 15 minutes.

 

Remove from the oven and stir in green onions, basil, mint, red pepper, and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve at once.

 

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time:25 minutes

• 1 ½ cups jasmine rice (not minute or converted rice)
• 1/3 cup currants
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tbsp. finely minced or grated fresh lemongrass stem (optional but amazing)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp. dry sherry
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. Asian chile sauce
• 2 tsp. orange or tangerine skin, very finely grated
• 1 Kaffir Lime leaf (optional) can substitute 1 tsp. of lime zest
• 3 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup minced green onions
• 1/4 cup minced basil leaves
• 1/4 cup minced mint leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp kosher salt

1. Assemble all ingredients, Mise En Place
2. Place rice in sieve and wash under cold water, stirring rice with your fingers until the water is no longer cloudy, about 2 minutes.
3. Drain thoroughly and set aside with the currants.
4. Set aside the garlic and lemongrass.
5. In a small bowl combine: stock, coconut milk, sherry, fish sauce, chili sauce, orange zest, and kaffir leaf or zest and salt.
6. Place a 2-1/2 quart saucepan over high heat and add cooking oil.
7. Add garlic and lemon grass. Sauté 15 seconds.
8. Add rice and currants. Sauté rice 5 minutes until well heated.
9. Add coconut-stock mixture and bring to low simmer.
10. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes, until all the liquid disappears and the rice is tender.
11. If done up to 2 hours in advance of serving, set aside at room temperature; if done further ahead, cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.
12. Within 2 hours of serving the rice, mince the red pepper and set aside with green onions, basil and mint. Place sesame seeds in a small sauté pan, put over high heat and cook until the sesame seeds turn light golden; then set aside.

1. If reheating the rice, cover saucepan and warm in a preheated 325° F oven until piping hot approximately 15 minutes.
2. Remove from the oven and stir in green onions, basil, mint, red pepper and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve at once.

Adapted From | Fusion Food Cookbook

 

• Serving Size: 6-8