About the Recipe
Pad Kra Pao is a popular Thai stir-fry dish known for its bold flavors and simplicity. The name translates to "holy basil stir-fry," which highlights the key ingredient: aromatic holy basil leaves.
Ingredients
500g ground pork
3 tbsp 50g vegetable oil
100g 2 shallots
3 Thai bird chilies
50g 9 cloves garlic
2 tsp 10g sugar
1 tbsp 20g fish sauce
1 tbsp 20g soy sauce
1 tbsp 20g dark soy sauce
1 tbsp 30g oyster sauce
1/2 cup 100g chicken stock
1 cups 80g Thai basil leaves
Method
1. Prepare your basil by removing from the stem and layering from largest to smallest roll into a tube type cylinder and this will allow you to cut into ribbons.
2. Thinly slice your garlic or use a garlic crusher to mince into large pellets.
3. Dice or thinly slice the shallots either way is fine.
4. Either use a mortar and pestle to crush the chili's or cut down the center and the thinly slice leaving the seeds in as they aren’t hot.
If you would like to reduce the heat remove the placenta (white part on the inside wall) this is the source of the heat.
5. Now all the chopping is complete you can now place a wok or fry pan on a medium high heat and pour in the vegetable oil.
6. Throw in the shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes or until translucent.
7. Then you can add in your chilies, have these in with the shallots for approximately 1 minute.
8. Now time to add the garlic, sauté the garlic along with the rest of the contents for 1 minute and reduce to a medium low heat.
9. Clear some space then add the pork mince, push the mince down to begin cooking. Add a further drizzle of vegetable oil if there isn’t enough to coat the meat.
NOTE: Cook the meat until it’s 50% of the way don’t then mix in the shallots, chili and garlic. You should start the see the pink from the meat disappear after about 10 minutes total cooking time.
10. Time to sprinkle over the sugar and mix into the meat. We can now add the fish, dark soy, soy and hoisin sauces and stir well to ensure the meat is fully coated with the entire contents of the pan. You will know when you have reduced the mixture down enough when you start the see the sauces stick to the pan or wok.
11. Pour in the chicken stock and immediately after that and while the steam is still pluming throw the Thai (holy) basil over the top. Stir on a low heat until the basil has completely wilted.
Spoon the Pad Kra Pao over some steamed rice and enjoy!