198. [BME] ผัดกะเพรา Pad Kra Pao (Thai basil stir-fry)
A couple of years ago, my brother and my dad went on a trip with just the two of them to Thailand. They love eating different things during their trip. It's a foodie heaven after all. My dad told me that they went to a restaurant where they literally throw noodles to each other.
My dad also informed me that when they went out to eat, my brother would often order the same thing, which is ผัดกะเพรา (pad kra pao), or thai basil stir-fry. He would order it so much at the restaurant, that the waiter would speak Thai to him because he knew how to say his order perfectly. It was funny because my brother didn't know much Thai other than สวัสดีครับ (sawatdee khrap, hello), ขอบคุณครับ (khawp khun khrap, thank you) and ผัดกะเพรา (pad kra pao).
The translation of ผัดกะเพรา (“pad kra pao,”) is apparently “holy basil stir-fry,” so you can’t (technically) make the dish without this key ingredient.
Pad Kra Pao
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Serving size: 2+ people
Ingredients
Protein:
- Ground pork or ground chicken (I prefer the pork)
Vegetables:
1 onion (or 2 shallots) (thinly sliced)
1 pepper (de-seeded if you want, and thinly sliced)
5+ garlic cloves (sliced)
Flavoring:
1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of oyster sauce
1/2 cup of water
1 cup of basil leaves
In this household, we use the Three Crabs Brand fish sauce
Make the sauce. Combine fish sauce, soy sauces, brown sugar, oyster sauce, some water. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Prepare the proteins. Heat a non-stick skillet/pot in medium-high heat. Add the oil, shallots, garlic, and fry it for 3-5 minutes until it's toasty. Add the proteins. Brown the ground pork. Turn the heat to high, breaking up the meat into smaller bits. Add just a bit of water so that the food doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan/pot
Add the flavoring sauce. Stir fry for another minute and add the basil. Stir-fry until the basil is wilted.
Serve with rice. Share and enjoy.
~ holy basil b@man,
<3 K