A spicy basil heavy stir fry that warms the soul.
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"Food is our common ground, a universal experience." - Chef Jet Tila
Pad Krapow (also spelled Pad Ka Prao or Pad Kra Pao) is a popular Thai dish known for its bold and spicy flavors. It typically consists of stir-fried ground meat (usually pork, chicken, or beef) with Thai holy basil, garlic, chili, and a savory sauce, served over rice and often topped with a fried egg. This dish is often characterized by its aromatic and spicy nature, and it's a favorite street food and comfort food in Thailand.
Pad Krapow is believed to have originated in Thailand, and it's a part of the country's rich culinary heritage. It's a quick and flavorful dish that's commonly prepared in Thai households and street food stalls.
The name "Krapow" refers to holy basil, which is a key ingredient in this dish. Holy basil, known as "bai krapow" in Thai, has a distinct peppery and spicy flavor that sets Pad Krapow apart from other Thai dishes.
Pad Krapow is considered a classic example of Thai street food and exemplifies the concept of "fast food" in Thai cuisine. It's a quick and satisfying dish often enjoyed by locals for lunch or dinner.
Pad Krapow Recipe
Prep time 25 minutes | Cook time 15 minutes | Serves 4
Ingredients:
400g (14 oz) ground chicken
4 cups Thai holy basil leaves (or sweet basil)
8-12 cloves garlic, minced
4-10 Thai bird's eye chili peppers (adjust to your spice preference), minced
1/2 pound of green beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
4 fried or sunny-side-up eggs, for serving
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Ingredients:
Mince the garlic and Thai chili peppers.
Wash and pat dry the holy basil leaves.
If you'd like the dish spicier, you can keep the seeds in the chili peppers. For milder heat, remove the seeds.
2. Heat the Pan:
Heat a wok or a large skillet over high heat. You want it ripping hot so you can get the special flavor that the wok, or pan gives off.
3. Stir-Fry:
Add the vegetable oil to the hot pan and swirl to coat.
Add the minced garlic and Thai chili peppers. Stir-fry for about 20-30 seconds until fragrant, but be careful not to burn the garlic. Add in green beans. Cook for one more minute.
3. Add Ground Chicken:
Add the ground chicken to the pan and break it apart with a spatula as it cooks. Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink.
4. Sauce and Seasoning:
Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar to the pan. Stir to combine and evenly coat the chicken. Stir fry hard, making the pan jump.
5. Add Basil Leaves:
Kill the heat. Toss in the holy basil leaves and stir-fry until they wilt. Stir the mixture around
6. Taste and Adjust:
Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can add more soy sauce, fish sauce, or sugar to balance the flavors to your liking.
7. Serve:
Serve Pad Krapow hot over cooked jasmine rice.
Top each serving with a fried or sunny-side-up egg. You can also garnish with additional chili peppers if you like it extra spicy. Thai people often have dishes with sugar, dried chili, fresh chili and black pepper on the side, so any of these ad ons would be considered traditional.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. Let's explore international cuisine together!
Are you interested in more flavors from South East Asia? Check out the recipes below
Asia
Burmese Fish Curry - A light and aromatic white fish curry.
Cambodian Lok Lak - A dangerously delicious and peppery stir fry.
Filipino Chicken Adobo - Soy and sugar braised chicken
Laotian Larb - A pork salad accented with tons of fresh herbs
North Korean Naengmyeon - A subtle beef broth with springy, bouncy noodles.
South Korean Galbijjim - A rich soy braised beef short rib
Thai Pad Ka Prow - A spicy ground pork and holy basil dish.
Vietnamese Bahn Cuon - A light pork stuffed rice paper dish typically eaten for breakfast.
Central Asia
Kazakh Manti - Tasty Central Asian Dumplings with a beefy center.
Kyrgyz Beshbarmak - Homemade noodles topped with a stewed beef and onion topping.
Uzbek Plov - A thick rice pilaf dish with stewed lamb.
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