Hey guys.
About to get real serious about basil right now.
We’ve published several recipes on this blog that involve Thai basil, like this 10-Minute Chicken & Basil Stir-fry and this Thai Basil Beef. In said recipes, we used what our local Asian grocery store labels as, “Thai Basil,” which is actually a variety of cinnamon basil. This is also the kind of basil most commonly used in Thai restaurants here in the States, I believe.
That said, a few commenters on those recipes felt very passionately about our basil usage, suggesting––demanding––that we use holy basil in our recipes. The translation of “Pad Kra Pao,” is apparently “holy basil stir-fry,” so you can’t (technically) make the dish without this key ingredient.
It’s elusive, though. We scoured the Asian markets in our area for holy basil, but could never find it. Finally, we decided to take our only remaining course of action, just to see what all the fuss was about. We bought a packet of seeds on the Internet, stuck ’em in our backyard garden, and waited.
After a few weeks, the little holy basil plants started popping out of the ground:
As the summer wore on, our holy basil crop grew and grew––and we now have a pretty serious holy basil patch in our yard––enough to make endless plates of pad kra pao (Thai holy basil) stir-fry. The picture below is a bit old––we now probably have quadruple the amount you see there).
When I started cooking with it, I finally knew why people had such strong feelings about using it in this Pork Pad Kra Pao stir fry dish––it has a very particular flavor. It’s almost licorice-like, or perhaps fennel-like. In any case, I was a fan. That said, if you’re not into the idea of growing this uncommon (here in ‘Murica, anyway) variety of basil in order to get your hands on some, I maintain that using cinnamon basil or even regular sweet basil is better than having no stir-fry at all!
Ok, on to the pad kra pao stir fry recipe. :)
You’ll need:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 7 cloves garlic, sliced
- 3 Thai bird or holland chilies, de-seeded (if desired) and thinly sliced
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon thin/light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth or water
- holy basil leaves (about 1 1/2 cups packed)
In a wok over medium high heat, add the oil, shallots and garlic, and fry for 3 minutes.
Add the chilies and cook for another minute.
Crank up the heat to high, and add the ground pork, breaking it up into small bits and allowing it to crisp up.
Add the sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir-fry for another minute and deglaze the pan with the broth or water. Because your pan is over high heat, the liquid should cook off very quickly. Add the basil, and stir-fry until wilted.
Serve this Pork Pad Kra Pao(Holy Basil Stir-fry) over rice!
I think we could have named this Pork & Holy Basil Stir-fry a 10 minute Pork Pad Kra Pao stir fry because it was that quick and easy!
Pork & Holy Basil Stir-fry (Pad Kra Pao)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 shallots (thinly sliced)
- 7 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 3 Thai bird or holland chilies (de-seeded, if desired, and thinly sliced)
- 1 pound ground pork (450g)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon thin/light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth or water
- holy basil leaves (about 1 1/2 cups packed)
Instructions
- In a wok over medium high heat, add the oil, shallots and garlic, and fry for 3 minutes. Add the chilies and cook for another minute. Crank up the heat to high, and add the ground pork, breaking it up into small bits and allowing it to crisp up.
- Add the sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir-fry for another minute and deglaze the pan with the broth or water. Because your pan is over high heat, the liquid should cook off very quickly. Add the basil, and stir-fry until wilted. Serve over rice.
Nutrition
ky says
Been looking for something like this. Thank you so very much for sharing this gem. Love your site! Cheers!
Sarah says
You’re welcome!
Ning says
Just passing by this recipe. I haven’t tried it, but want to point out that in Thailand, we don’t put dark soy sauce in Pad-Kaprao. Only oyster sauce+either fish sauce or soy sauce and maybe little bit of sugar. Also not using shallot, but round onion or no onion at all. Finally, the Kaprao leaves and Thai Holy Basil leaves are different. Kaprao leaves give spicy favor while holy basil leaves (Hoe-ra-pah) give sweet favor.
Sarah says
Thanks for sharing, Ning!
Dan says
Tried this recipe…But I just pound the garlic and chili together before frying…The taste is the same as Bangkok street or probably better than some Thai restaurant,no kidding…
Sarah says
Love that, Dan! I also love the idea of pounding the chili and garlic together to get those flavors flowin’!
Gracie says
This recipe is the best! Have made this countless times but it never crisp up despite cranking it high :(
Any idea why?
Sarah says
Hi Gracie, make sure the wok or pan is SUPER hot before adding the meat, and spread it all out in one layer in the wok so that the meat crisps and fries rather than steams. It also helps to cook in smaller batches––are you doubling the recipe or using more pork at all?
Gracie says
Hi Sarah,
Im using the same amount of pork and have tried to spread it all out, flat on the wok but it never crisp. Pretty sure the wok is very hot. Could it be because the surface area is small? Its only a 28cm wok
Sarah says
Hi Gracie, that could definitely be it––the wok could be too small to crisp it up. Could also be related to the stove not being hot enough. The pork should really sizzle quite violently when it’s added to the wok, and if a lot of moisture pools at the bottom, that’s how you can tell the wok isn’t quite hot enough. Best remedy for that is to cook in smaller batches!
Gracie says
Hi again,
That makes sense. The pork does sizzle but there is alot of water that pools at the bottom like you said. I guess it really wasnt hot enough. But i realised my shallots and garlic starts to burn (turn black) so theres no way i can let it heat longer :(
So end up, my dish becomes basil braised pork rice :)
Maybe will try a smaller portion next time but definitely not enough to eat! Heh
Laura says
I have been making this recipe regularly for nearly 3 years now. It is one of my favorite go-to weeknight recipes and I love it so much. I just start the rice cooker and get to cooking. By the time I’m done cooking, my rice is ready. Thank you so much!
Sarah says
Wow, love that, Laura! Thank you so much for sharing that!