Fish sauce subs for soy sauce, galangal is the aromatic root, and basil is the aromatic herb here. Galangal is sort of like ginger, it's a rooty thing like ginger but it tastes more peppery. I bought a big root at Joong Boo Market and whacked it into chunks for the freezer; when I've used it up, I'll probably just sub in ginger. Fish sauce and galangal, and for that matter basil, is a lot going on, so just olive oil and just sugar in this recipe. Basil usually comes in packages at the Jewel, I just use the whole package.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground chicken
a chunk of galangal
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 c fish sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
a bunch of basil
Heat oil over medium high heat in a saute pan. Brown the ground chicken in the oil, about ten minutes.
Meanwhile mince the galangal and add it toward the end of browning the meat.
Add red pepper, fish sauce, and sugar, stir and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile pick the basil leaves off their stems, wash gently in a salad spinner and spin dry. Stir the leaves into the meat at the end of cooking, until they wilt.
