Do you like Black Pudding with its signature flavour of basil that we call married-man pork? Do you like Fried Rice? If your answer to both questions is yes, then you’ve got to make this Basil Fried Rice today for Sunday lunch.
There are over 40 varieties of basil, each with its unique flavour, that make every dish and drink to which they are added, distinct. Basil, when used for certain dishes, sauces, salads, or beverages, like tea, gives a signature flavour for which that particular item is well known. The easiest example of this is our Black Pudding. We are not the only people who make Black Pudding, but we are the only people who make Black Pudding heavily flavoured with bush basil (married-man pork) paired with broad-leaf thyme and the fine thyme we use that has notes of fresh oregano, known in other places as Portuguese thyme. Make no mistake, it is the basil that is the star flavour ingredient in the Black Pudding.
I love basil – for the variety in flavour profiles, for how easy it is to grow and for its ability to turn the most mundane of dishes into something fragrant and delicious. Thai basil (so called because of its common use in Thai cuisine) is identified by its purple stems. Another type of basil that is widely used in Thai cuisine is the variety called holy basil; we know it as Tulsi. These varieties, when used in combination with other ingredients to which various cooking techniques have been applied, awaken the palate, and introduce notes with new waves of flavour.
Last week when I went to the market, the stall from which I purchase most of my fresh herbs had a variety of basil that perfumed the area. I did not need basil but sometimes when you see things in such variety and freshness, you are compelled to buy them and make something. The idea of making fried rice with the bush basil hit me as I considered reaching for the Thai basil. I figured that with the Thai basil working so well in fried rice, then the bush basil would too. I felt even more encouraged by the idea because I was familiar with the flavour profile of the bush basil in Black Pudding. Excitement built.
A Guyanese Sunday lunch always consists of rice, whether it is cooked plain to eat with a curry or stew, vegetable rice, Spanish rice or the all-time favourite, fried rice. And let’s be honest, we are always looking for a little variety to the things we make regularly. I made fried rice with the bush basil and shared it with some Guyanese friends who also double as taste testers. It was a revelation. As we ate, there was the familiarity of the flavour of the basil because of black pudding, but this was different, the basil (married-man pork) was now playing other notes, harmonising with ginger, garlic, Chinese five-spice powder, and toasted sesame oil. It was fried rice, yes, but it was a different, very special and delicious fried rice. It’s the kind you want to make for company.
Here are a few things for you to keep in mind when you make this basil fried rice.
Basil is an herb that loses most of its flavour when it has been cooked for a long time, that is why it is often added at the end of the cooking process to get all of its essence and flavour. The same rule applies when making this basil fried rice – add the basil when you have finished cooking the fried rice and shut off the heat.
The use of basil in many dishes is generous, again, the same rule applies here – be very generous with the basil. Remember this is a basil fried rice so you want the flavour of the basil to be present.
Do not chop the basil—that will tear and bruise the leaves and cause them to turn black. Besides, the leaves of bush basil are small compared to those of other varieties of basil so simply remove the leaves with their tender stems.
The leaves will turn dark as you toss them with the hot fried rice; that is normal. What I did also was to reserve some of the basil and tossed it with the rice just before serving. If you like, you can scatter some of the leaves as a garnish just as you would scallions/green onions.
The dish is best served hot but at room temperature it is just as tasty.
Add as much hot peppers as you like to this fried rice, the heat compliments the basil. It’s the same thing with Thai fried rice too.
You can make the fried rice as a vegetable fried rice or add shrimp, pork, chicken, beef, ham whatever you like. The protein profile will work with the basil.
Cynthia
cynthia@tasteslikehome.org
