Thai Food: Pad Ga-Prao, Spicy Fried Basil

This dish is one that is found in nearly every restaurant in Thailand, is simple and filling. It’s called ผัดกะเพรา (pad ga-prao), and literally means stir fried basil. It’s made with any variety of available meat – usually chicken or pork – but I’ve personally had it made with tofu and fried egg as well.

The basil is not your ordinary Western basil, but rather, Thai holy basil. There are quite a few varieties of basil in Thailand (holy basil, hairy basil, sweet basil), and Thai holy basil can be kind of difficult to find outside of Thailand, so sometimes Thai sweet basil is substituted instead, but it doesn’t quite have the same flavor. Click inside to learn how to make your own ผัดกะเพรา.

First things first, if you aren’t in Thailand and just have rice ready and waiting for you sitting in the rice cooker, get some rice cooking.

Second, most Thai food is cooked in a wok. If you don’t have one, consider getting one as they are one of the most versatile stove-top items out there. If you don’t have one, a frying pan will do.

Ingredients

• • About 200 grams or so of a protein (chicken, pork, tofu, flash fried scrambled egg, whatever!)
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 4 small Thai chilies (I’m pretty sure they are bird peppers) or less to taste
  • 1 T oil
  • 1 t oyster or fish sauce
  • 1/2 t light soy sauce
  • 1/2 t sugar
  • splash of dark soy sauce
  • a handful of Thai holy basil leaves
  • 1 egg (optional)
  • 2 T oil (for frying the optional egg)

(all measurements are approximate)

Instructions

1. If you want your dish topped with a fried egg, fry that up first. Thai style is to heat up the 2 T of oil until hot and sizzling. Drop in the egg and splash some oil on top, but don’t flip. Cook to your liking. It should be kind of crispy on the outside.
2. Take the egg out, put it on a plate to cool and drain to remove the oil.
3. Chop up your protein into bite sized pieces.
4. Crush up the garlic and chilies using a mortar and pestle. Alternatively, loosely chop them if you don’t have a mortar and pestle.
5. Heat up the wok and add 1 T of oil.
6. Once the oil is hot throw in the garlic and chilies and stir fry until fragrant (about 20 seconds).
7. Throw in your protein and stir fry until cooked, should be about 2-3 minutes. Most Thai cooking is flash frying. If your meat starts to dry out, you can add a little water.
8. Add in the sugar, soy sauces and oyster sauces for about 30 seconds.
9. Fold the basil into the mixture and immediately turn off the burner (remove if it’s electric). The basil should only be very slightly cooked and wilted – too much and it’s not so delicious anymore.
10. Spoon the ga-prao on top of the rice, put the egg on top and enjoy!

This is a pretty basic recipe. If you are feeling fancy, you can add in some onions, some bell peppers and/or lime juice. Remember, Thai food is all about the interplay of flavors, so have some fun and find the combination that you like.