Authentic Pad Kra Pao Recipe
Bring the intense flavors of a Bangkok night market to your kitchen with this deeply savory, spicy, and glossy Pad Kra Pao recipe. Finished with a crispy fried egg for the ultimate comfort meal.
Equipment
- Wok or wide pan
- Mortar and pestle
Ingredients
- 7 cloves garlic
- 3 Thai chilies
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 mild chilies (or bell pepper), for color
- 2 tbsp neutral-tasting oil, plus more if needed
- 16 oz (450g) ground beef (or ground pork, chicken, etc.)
- 1.5 cups holy basil leaves (or Italian basil, Thai basil)
- Black pepper, to taste
- 4 fried eggs, to serve
Sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp black soy sauce (or dark soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1.5 tsp sugar
Condiment (optional)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 sliced Thai chili
- Small pinch of sugar
- 0.5 lime
Instructions
Prep your aromatics and sauces
- In a mortar and pestle, crush the 7 cloves of garlic first until they look juicy and rough. Add the 3 Thai chilies and 1 roughly chopped shallot, then pound again until everything becomes a coarse paste that smells sharp and fragrant.
- Thinly slice the 2 mild chilies (or bell pepper) for color, keeping them separate so they stay crisp at the end.
- Stir the Sauce ingredients together in one small container until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks glossy and dark. Mix the optional Condiment in a separate bowl, and squeeze in the juice from half a lime.
Sear the meat for real wok flavor
- Set a wok or wide pan over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons of neutral-tasting oil and let it shimmer. Add the 16 oz of ground beef, spread it out into a thin layer, and leave it completely undisturbed for 2 minutes so the bottom can brown.
- Flip and stir-fry for 3 minutes, breaking up big clumps while letting moisture cook off until browned bits cling to the pan.
Build the glaze, then wilt the basil off-heat
- Add the chili-garlic-shallot paste to the meat and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the raw bite disappears.
- Pour the sauce around the hot edges of the wok so it sizzles on contact, then immediately splash in about 2 tablespoons of chicken or bone broth to deglaze. Stir hard for 1 minute as the liquid reduces into a glossy coating.
- Turn the heat completely off, then toss in the holy basil leaves, sliced mild chilies, and black pepper to taste. The residual heat will wilt the basil gently.
Fry Kai Dao the Thai way, then assemble
- In a separate pan, pour in a generous amount of oil and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Spoon a little of the rendered spiced fat from the wok into the oil, crack in the eggs, and tilt the pan so hot oil bathes the whites until crispy and lacy.
- Plate the hot rice, spoon the basil stir-fry over the top, and crown each serving with a crispy fried egg. Serve the Prik Nam Pla on the side.
Notes
Aromatics Tip: Using a mortar and pestle breaks down the cell walls of the garlic and chilies, releasing bright, aromatic oils that a knife simply cannot achieve.
Searing Tip: Spread the ground meat into a thin layer and leave it completely undisturbed for 2 full minutes. This builds a rich, savory crust and prevents the meat from steaming in its own juices.
Sauce Technique: Pour the sauce around the edges of the hot wok rather than directly on the meat. It caramelizes instantly upon contact with the hot metal, delivering an authentic wok-kissed flavor.
Basil Handling: Always add the holy basil after turning the heat completely off. Residual heat wilts the leaves perfectly while keeping them fragrant and preventing bitterness.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 32gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 250mgSodium: 950mgPotassium: 400mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 800IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!