serves 4
I have a hard time categorizing this savory, zesty, garlicky dish. It’s a bit like a sloppy joe without the tomatoes or bread, or maybe vaguely like an aromatic, beanless, thinner-sauced turkey chili. It’s as quick to make as a stir-fry and employs the same technique, but I don’t usually associate stir-fries with nubby ground meat. Call it what you will, it’s one of my favorite easy dinners to throw together when I’m in the mood for a punchy, Thai-inflected meal but want something more wholesome and homemade than takeout.
And it really is easy, which is what you want when August’s heat has rendered you unable to do much other than sit languorously in front of the computer. The hardest thing about this dish is assembling the ingredients—not that they are difficult to find, it’s just that there are a lot of them. But once you’ve got everything lined up on the counter, your dinner will come together in minutes, without having the stove on very long when the last thing you want is to heat up the kitchen even more than Mother Nature (or is it the god of climate change?) has seen fit to do for you.
Of course, even if you made this in the winter, its flavors would be utterly mouth-watering. It’s a craveable mix of fragrant lime, funky fish sauce, and plenty of ginger and garlic that livens up the blank canvas that is ground turkey in an entirely new way.
1 tablespoon soy sauce
About 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce, such as nam pla or nuoc mam, or to taste
¼ teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 fat scallion, white and light green parts finely chopped, greens sliced and reserved for garnish
1 pound ground turkey
½ cup chopped fresh Thai or regular basil
Coconut Rice (here—omit the peas) or cooked regular rice, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, fish sauce, lime zest, lime juice, and sugar. (If you think your fish sauce is very salty, start with 2 teaspoons; you can add more at the end if the dish needs it.)
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the ginger, garlic, jalapeño, and chopped scallion white and light green parts. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about a minute. Stir in the turkey. Cook the meat, breaking it up with a fork, until it is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and cook for a minute or so, until the flavors come together. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Scatter with the sliced scallion greens. Serve, over warm coconut or regular rice, with lime wedges on the side.