Pad Kra Pao (Pad Gaprao) Chicken Stir-Fry with Holy Basil

Method10 steps · about 25 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Pound Thai chilies (5–10) into a fine paste.

   Uses 5–10 Thai chilies

2. 2

   Step 2: Add garlic (5 cloves) and spur chilies and pound into a rough paste.

   Uses 5 cloves garlic · 1 spur chilies or another mild, red pepper, chopped · Thai chillies pounded fine

3. 3

   Step 3: Combine oyster sauce (1 Tbsp), soy sauce (1 Tbsp), fish sauce (2 tsp), black soy sauce (1.5 tsp), water (2 Tbsp) and sugar (1.5 tsp); stir to dissolve the sugar.

   Uses 1 Tbsp oyster sauce · 1 Tbsp soy sauce · 2 tsp fish sauce · 1.5 tsp black soy sauce · 2 Tbsp water · 1.5 tsp sugar

4. 4

   Step 4: In a wok or a large saute pan, saute the garlic-chili paste in a little vegetable oil over medium high heat until the garlic starts to turn golden.

   Uses a little vegetable oil for chicken stir-fry · garlic and mild red chilli roughly pounded with Thai chillies

5. 5

   Step 5: Add chicken (300 g) and toss until they're no longer in big clumps. Add the sauce and continue tossing until the chicken is almost done.

   Uses 300 g ground chicken · garlic-chilli paste fried until garlic begins turning golden · oyster, regular soy, fish and black soy sauces with water and sugar

6. 6

   Step 6: Add onions (½) and long beans (½ cup); toss until the chicken is done.

   Uses ½ cup long beans, cut into short pieces · ½ small onion, diced · ground chicken broken up and tossed with sauce

7. 7

   Step 7: Remove from heat and stir in the holy basil.

   Uses 1.5 cup holy basil leaves · chicken fully cooked with onion and long beans

8. 8

   Step 8: Taste the chicken stir-fry and adjust seasoning if needed. If using prik nam pla, separately mix the optional extra fish sauce, lime juice, chopped Thai chillies and chopped garlic in a small bowl.

   Uses extra fish sauce for optional prik nam pla · a squeeze of lime for optional prik nam pla · chopped Thai chillies for optional prik nam pla · chopped garlic for optional prik nam pla · cooked chicken stir-fry with holy basil stirred in off heat

9. 9

   Step 9: Heat about 1 cm of vegetable oil in a small non-stick pan or a wok over medium high heat.

   Uses enough vegetable oil for 1 cm depth to fry eggs

10. 10

    Step 10: Fry the eggs (2–3) one at a time in the hot oil until the edges are browned and bubbly and the yolks are as cooked as you like. Repeat for one egg per person. Serve the holy-basil chicken with cooked jasmine rice, the fried eggs and optional prik nam pla.

    Uses 2–3 eggs · Jasmine rice for serving · vegetable oil heated over medium-high heat for crisp egg edges · finished holy-basil chicken stir-fry · optional extra fish sauce, lime juice, chopped chillies and garlic mixed separately