Tried & Tasted·Thai·December 2025

Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice

Quick, fiery, and the kind of meal that makes you feel like you've got your life together.

ThaiRiceSpicy
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5 min

Prep

🔥

15 min

Cook

🍽

2 people

Serves

📊

Easy

Level

The key to great fried rice: yesterday's rice. Fresh rice is too moist and turns into a mushy mess. Day-old rice from the fridge? Perfect. Every grain separate, ready to get crispy. This is the meal I make when I need comfort but also need to feel a little alive.

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Ingredients

●3 cups day-old rice
●2 tbsp vegetable oil
●4 cloves garlic, minced
●2-3 Thai chilies, sliced
●200g protein of choice
●1 tbsp oyster sauce
●1 tbsp soy sauce
●1 tbsp fish sauce
●1 tsp sugar
●Large handful of Thai basil leaves
●Fried egg on top (mandatory)
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Method

1

High heat. Seriously, the highest your stove goes. The wok should be smoking.

2

Oil in, then garlic and chilies — 30 seconds max.

3

Add protein, cook through.

4

Rice in, press it flat, let it get slightly crispy before stirring.

5

Add all the sauces and sugar. Toss everything together.

6

Kill the heat, throw in Thai basil. The residual heat is enough.

7

Plate it. Top with a crispy fried egg.

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Tips

Day-old rice is non-negotiable. Cook it the night before and leave it uncovered in the fridge — the drier the better.

The wok needs to be screaming hot. If it's not smoking, it's not ready. This is what gives the rice that smoky "wok hei" flavour.

plated & pretty

wok hei magic

crispy egg on top

thai basil finish

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