My brain works in two ways when it comes to Youtube channels; I am either obsessed or I am bored. There is no middle ground for me. The first time I saw Marion’s Kitchen on Youtube, the obsession kicked in. I knew I was going to make some of her recipes. I finally followed through and made this Thai Basil Fried Rice.
My obsession with Marion’s Kitchen can be traced back to my homesickness for Quincy. I used to live in Quincy Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. In Quincy, there is a little Thai restaurant called Little Duck that serves the most amazing Thai dishes at an affordable price. I ordered so much and so regularly from Little Duck that they knew my name.
Now I live about a 40-minute drive from Quincy. Too far away to call for a plate of Thai Basil Fried Rice. I have not found a Thai place I like. Maybe I am picky but every time I try a new place, something feels off. The seasoning is too aggressive and everything tastes distinctively salty or the rice is overcooked. I miss the balance of Little Duck.
Learning to cook Thai food at home may be the next best thing to eating at Little Duck. When I watch Marion cook Thai food on her channel, it seems so easy and yet so rich. I knew that I had to try cooking her recipe. The Thai Basil Fried Rice is the perfect first recipe. The ingredients are staples in my pantry. The only thing I needed to get was the oyster sauce.
I made the Thai Basil Fried Rice with Basmati Rice. Marion recommends using day-old rice. Since I cook impulsively, I did not have day-old rice on hand. But I hacked it. I simply made rice, spread it out on a baking tray and set it in front of a blowing fan. The brisk air dried out the rice quickly giving it the feel of old rice. Viola, I was ready to make fried rice in a couple of hours.
Marion’s recipe for Thai Basil Fried Rice is super easy. It goes by really quickly. It took me about 5 minutes to cook. The only thing advice I have is to be prepared before commencing the stir fry process. The heat is on high and everything is supposed to move quickly. Slowing down the process by prepping ingredients midway would ruin the rice. That would be an absolute shame.
I hope you do try cooking Thai Basil Fried Rice from Marion’s Kitchen. I highly recommend it.