Pad Krapao

1. 1

   Prepare ingredients

   Slice shallots thinly. Slice or crush garlic cloves (crushing in a mortar and pestle releases more flavor). Slice Thai chilies (deseed if you prefer less heat). Strip holy basil leaves from stems and wash. Have all sauce ingredients measured and ready.

   10m

   Tips:

   • • Crushing garlic and chilies in a mortar and pestle instead of mincing releases more aromatic oils
   • • Holy basil wilts very quickly, so have it ready to add at the end
2. 2

   Start the stir-fry

   Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes until fragrant and golden. Add chilies and cook for 1 minute longer.

   4m

   Tips:

   • • Don't let the garlic burn or it will become bitter
   • • Keep the heat high enough for a good sear but not so high that aromatics burn
3. 3

   Cook the meat

   Increase heat to high. Add ground pork, breaking it into small pieces with your spatula. Stir-fry continuously for 2-3 minutes until the meat is fully cooked and starting to get slightly crispy at the edges.

   3m

   Tips:

   • • High heat is essential for getting that characteristic wok hei (breath of wok) flavor
   • • Break up the meat well so it cooks evenly and gets crispy edges
4. 4

   Season the dish

   Add sugar, fish sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce to the wok. Stir-fry for another minute, mixing well. Deglaze the pan with chicken broth or water. The liquid should cook off quickly on high heat, about 30 seconds.

   1.5m

   Tips:

   • • The dark soy sauce adds a beautiful caramel color to the dish
   • • The broth helps distribute the seasonings evenly
5. 5

   Add holy basil

   Add the holy basil leaves and stir-fry just until wilted, about 5 seconds. Immediately remove from heat. The basil will continue to wilt from residual heat.

   0.5m

   Tips:

   • • This is crucial: holy basil should only cook for 5 seconds maximum
   • • Overcooking the basil makes it lose its peppery flavor and become chewy
   • • The basil should still be bright and vibrant, not dark and shriveled
6. 6

   Fry the eggs

   While the stir-fry is cooking or just after, heat 2 tablespoons oil per egg in a separate pan until very hot and shimmering. Crack egg into the oil - it should sizzle immediately. Spoon hot oil over the top of the egg white and yolk until the edges are crispy and lacy but the yolk is still runny, about 2 minutes.

   2m

   Tips:

   • • Use plenty of oil for crispy, lacy edges - this is the Thai style
   • • The egg yolk should be runny to mix with the rice and meat
   • • You can fry all eggs at once if your pan is large enough
7. 7

   Serve

   Serve the pad krapao immediately over steaming jasmine rice. Top each portion with a crispy fried egg. Serve with cucumber slices on the side and prik nam pla (fish sauce with chilies) if desired.

   1m

   Tips:

   • • The dish is best served immediately while the basil is still fragrant
   • • The runny yolk should mix with the rice and meat when broken

• •Holy basil (krapao) is essential for authentic pad krapao - it has a peppery, almost licorice-like flavor that's completely different from Thai sweet basil
• •If you can't find holy basil, Italian basil is actually closer in flavor than Thai sweet basil (though still not the same)
• •Cook on high heat throughout for authentic wok flavor and to keep ingredients crisp
• •The dish should be quite spicy - don't be shy with the chilies! Adjust to your tolerance
• •Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking - the actual cooking time is only 5 minutes
• •Use a good quality fish sauce - it's the primary seasoning and makes a big difference
• •Don't skip the fried egg - it's an essential part of the dish and the runny yolk adds richness
• •Jasmine rice is the traditional accompaniment and its fragrance complements the holy basil perfectly

• •
  som-tam
• •
  tom-yum-goong
• •
  gaeng-keow-wan
• •
  khao-niao-mamuang
• •
  thai-iced-tea

Pad Krapao is considered by many to be Thailand's unofficial national dish. While its exact origins are unclear, it exemplifies the central Thai approach to quick, flavorful street food that can be prepared in minutes over high heat. The dish likely evolved from Chinese stir-fry techniques brought to Thailand and adapted with local ingredients, particularly the indigenous holy basil. The name 'krapao' specifically refers to holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), which grows abundantly in Thailand and has been used in Thai cooking for centuries. The dish became a staple of street food vendors because it could be made quickly to order, required minimal ingredients, and was affordable for working-class Thais. Today, pad krapao is found everywhere from street carts to food courts to restaurants, and many Thais eat it several times a week. It's often called 'the dish that every Thai person knows how to make' and is typically one of the first dishes Thai children learn to cook.

True authenticity in Pad Krapao comes down to a few key elements: First and most important is the use of actual holy basil (krapao), not Thai sweet basil (horapa) - these are completely different plants with distinct flavors. Holy basil has a peppery, slightly spicy, almost licorice-like taste that defines the dish. Second, the cooking must be done over very high heat for a short time - this is essential for developing 'wok hei' (the breath of the wok), that slightly smoky, seared flavor characteristic of proper stir-frying. Third, the holy basil should be added only at the very end and cooked for no more than 5 seconds - overcooking destroys its volatile aromatic compounds. Fourth, the dish must be quite spicy - Thai people typically use 4-7 Thai bird chilies per serving. Finally, it must be served with a crispy fried egg with lacy edges and runny yolk, cooked in abundant oil Thai-style, over jasmine rice. Some restaurants in Thailand will ask 'regular or extra holy basil?' - locals often request extra. The seasonings should be balanced but not timid - fish sauce is the dominant flavor, not soy sauce. In Thailand, this dish is rarely made with vegetables added (like bell peppers), though green beans are an acceptable traditional addition.