Pad krapow gai (holy basil stir fry) is the most-ordered dish in Bangkok. Street vendors cook it in enormous carbon steel woks over 100,000 BTU gas flames in 90 seconds. The combination of chopped chicken or pork, garlic, bird's eye chillies, and holy basil wilted at the last second is one of the great quick-cook dishes of any cuisine.
The correct fat for pad krapow is lard. Thai cooking used lard for centuries before vegetable oil became the standard. The lard version produces better wok hei because the saturated fat withstands higher temperatures, produces more Maillard compounds, and doesn't carry the acrid note that oxidised polyunsaturated oils develop at stir-fry temperatures.
Thai Basil Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 600g ground chicken or pork
- 2 tbsp pasture-raised lard
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 bird's eye chillies (adjust to heat preference)
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce (check label — most are seed oil free)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp white sugar
- Large bunch of Thai holy basil (regular basil works as a substitute)
- 4 eggs
- Steamed jasmine rice to serve
Method
- Mince the garlic and bird's eye chillies together with a knife into a rough paste.
- Heat the lard in a wok or large skillet over the highest heat available until smoking.
- Add the garlic-chilli paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground chicken or pork. Break up and stir-fry for 4 minutes until cooked through and beginning to caramelise.
- Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Toss to combine.
- Add the basil leaves. Toss for 30 seconds until just wilted.
- In a separate pan, fry the eggs in a little lard — crispy edges, runny yolk.
- Serve the stir fry over steamed rice with a fried egg on top.
What is holy basil?
Thai holy basil (bai krapow) has a peppery, clove-like flavour different from Italian basil. It is sold at Asian grocery stores. Regular Thai basil or Italian basil produce good results but the flavour is different.
Is this dish seed oil free?
Yes with lard. Most restaurant versions in Thailand and abroad use canola or soybean oil.
Can I make this with beef?
Yes — ground beef works very well and produces a richer, more robust version.
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