Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Stir-fry)
Ground meat stir-fried hot with garlic and Thai chilies, then tossed with a big handful of basil — Thailand's go-to street-food rice plate. Spooned over rice and crowned with a crispy fried egg, it's a full meal in minutes.
Ingredients
- Ground chicken · or pork300 g
- Holy basil · or Thai sweet basil1 handful
- Garlic4 cloves
- Thai chilies · prik kee noo, or other hot chili4
- Cooking oil2 tbsp
- Cooked rice · warm2 bowls
- Eggs · for frying2
- Sauce
- Oyster sauce1 tbsp
- Fish sauce1 tbsp
- Soy sauce1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Water2 tbsp
Steps
- ⏲ 2 min
Coarsely chop the garlic and chilies; pounding them briefly in a mortar deepens the aroma.
- ⏲ 1 min
Stir the sauce ingredients (oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, water) together in a small bowl.
- ⏲ 1 min
Heat the oil in a pan over high heat, then fry the garlic and chilies until fragrant.
- ⏲ 3 min
Add the ground meat, breaking up the clumps, and stir-fry over high heat.
- ⏲ 2 min
When the meat is almost cooked, add the sauce and stir-fry until just a little liquid remains.
- ⏲ 1 min
Turn off the heat, add a big handful of basil, and toss so it just wilts in the residual heat.
- ⏲ 2 min
In another pan, fry an egg in plenty of oil until the edges are crisp (khai dao).
Spoon the basil stir-fry over warm rice and top with the fried egg.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Pad kra pao moo sap: The classic made with ground pork.
- Seafood kra pao: Add shrimp and squid.
- Gapao rice: The milder Japanese-style take with less chili.
- Vegetarian kra pao: Use crumbled tofu or mushrooms.
Tips
- Stir-fry over high heat and fast to get that smoky wok flavor.
- Add the basil at the very end — overcooking dulls the aroma and blackens it.
- No fish sauce? Soy sauce plus a little salt works, though the aroma is milder.
- A crispy fried egg (khai dao) on top is traditional — break the yolk and mix it in.
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