molecular chilli and basil beef
Chilli and Basil raviolis with coriander, basil and lemon spheres, fried Udon noodles. Yup, no pie for lunch today for me...

Smokey Chilli and Basil Beef

My take on an Asian classic: Chilli and Basil beef with noodles.

molecular chilli and basil beef
Chilli and Basil raviolis with coriander, basil and lemon spheres, fried Udon noodles. Yup, no pie for lunch today for me…

One of my favourite joints to eat is an Asian restaurant around the corner from where I live, and a dish that makes me happy is Beef Chilli and Basil. Somehow they get a smoky-ness to the meat that goes really well with the hot chilli and the basil finishes it off perfectly by soothing and rounding the harshness of the smoke.

To get that smokey chilli flavour I loved so much in the original dish I infused Lapsan Suchong black tea and chilli flakes into a mix of peanut, olive and sunflower oil.

Unfortunately like many great restaurants the house of Asian deliciousness I used to frequent has been taken over by new management – ie. they’ve gone a little to pot.

So here is my version of this classic:

Chilli and Basil raviolis. Had quite a few left over to throw at small children.

First off the large orange things are chilli and basil raviolis that are liquid on the inside with a thin skin. Then the little pea type spheres are basil, coriander and lemon made through cold oil spherification. Lastly, and incredibly easy to overlook are some drops of smokey chilli oil that I made by infusing oil with dried chilli flakes and Lapsan Suchong tea.

Just a cool looking picky-wick. Food should be fun and intriguing and make you at least a little excited. I think I could spend a good few hours in a pool filled with these.

Served with a delicious side of Udon noodles, some sprouts and finely chopped bamboo shoots.

And the best part is that it actually tasted like I wanted it to! On a side note: Udon noodles are the best noodles in the world and if everyone knew that it would be a better world.

I hope you try this out and let me know what you think – as always comments are welcomed and encouraged.