Careme

Instructions

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1. 1.

   Rinse 1/2 cup jasmine rice until the water is mostly clear. Combine it in a small saucepan with 3/4 cup water and 1/3 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

2. 2.

   Place 16 ounces ground chicken in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and mix gently. Let it presalt for 10 minutes while preparing the vegetables and sauce; the fish sauce added later supplies the rest of the seasoning.

3. 3.

   Dice 12 ounces eggplant into 1/2-inch cubes. Thinly slice 2 green onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Pick the leaves from 0.75 ounce Thai basil.

4. 4.

   Juice 1 lime to yield about 1 tablespoon juice. Stir the juice together with 2 teaspoons fish sauce and 2 teaspoons light brown sugar to make the lime-fish sauce glaze.

5. 5.

   Heat 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Toss the diced eggplant with 2/3 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, add it to the hot skillet, and stir-fry for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and tender. Transfer the cooked eggplant to a plate.

6. 6.

   Add 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil to the skillet. Add the presalted chicken and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it into bite-size crumbles, until lightly browned and it reaches 165°F. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, the sliced green-onion whites, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; stir-fry for 30 seconds.

7. 7.

   Return the cooked eggplant to the skillet and pour in the lime-fish sauce glaze. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy, then remove from the heat and fold in the Thai basil leaves and sliced green-onion greens.

8. 8.

   Fluff the rested rice and divide it between two shallow bowls. Spoon the chicken and eggplant stir-fry over the rice and serve immediately.

Want more detail? See the temperature guide.