Spicy Basil Beef - Yep! The smoke detector works!

Mine Vs Jet's

Tonights dish:  Spicy Basil Beef

Why?  Well, we had hamburger and I was working late.  Besides, it was one of the first four dishes I chose to make out of the cookbook.  

I had all the ingredients and I was ready to go!  I'm still not convinced we had the right chili paste, but that's what the nice man in the store said would work.  Also, I didn't buy "sweet soy sauce."  I don't know what that is; I just used the regular soy sauce I always do.... which could be why the dish was a little salty, but I'm not sure (more on that later). 

My burnt Thai chilies!

We started by cutting up the Thai chilies, the onions, and the red pepper.  Again, my son put together the sauce mixture.  I heated a skillet on high heat with a little bit of oil in it.  Distracted by the cutting, the "wisps of white smoke" was more like rolling smoke by the time I added the garlic and chilies.  Instantly, the air filled with smoke and everyone was coughing and choking from the "pepper spray" filling the air.  Quickly, my husband carried the pan out the door and we opened every window and door and quieted the smoke detector.  After about 5 minutes the smoke cleared and we started heating the oil in the pan again.  Of course, this time, I had not chilies to add to the pan because I only bought enough to make the recipe once.  It was probably a good thing though because once again, the garlic burned almost instantly as it hit the pan.  Unsure of what to do next, I washed the pan again and we started over one more time.  

Third time is the charm!

Now, in Jet's directions, it clearly said to heat my skillet over high heat, but that just wasn't working for us.  So, we turned down the heat to about 6 and waited for the wisps again before adding the garlic.  This time, we were successful and we added the beef.  We wonder if our garlic burnt faster than usual because we were using pre-cut garlic in a jar (I know, but we we work a lot).  Maybe there is something different about that garlic that causes it to burn instead of cook.  I have no clue!  I just know that the second time around, it should have worked.  Oh well, tonight, third time was the charm. 

While cooking the hamburger I added salt.... Cause that's what you do.... right?  Anyway, I don't think you should do that.  Like the dish the night before, everything took longer than mentioned in the cookbook (other than the garlic).  Overall, most parts of the directions took 3 to 4 times longer than suggested.  That could be because we used twice as much meat again, I'm not sure, but I'd like to blame it on the wok again.... seriously, I'm going to need one of those!  ;-)

In the end, the dish was delicious!  So flavorful, just like the previous dish.  I did add salt at various points throughout cooking and I will definitely NOT do that next time.  The dish was overpowered with salt.  I had mine wrapped in lettuce and it was good, but the salt was too strong and the lettuce didn't counter balance that at all.  My husband and son had theirs on rice (left over from last night) and they said it wasn't as salty.  Still, I'm super happy with the flavors in this dish.  

On the lettuce wraps.

I've got to stop doubling the meat though, I'm already out of oyster sauce and I don't know that I'm ready to take another trip to the Asian market!  I'd also like to try it again with the chilies! 

**We froze the leftovers and think we'll add it to chili or something.