SHE HAS CRAVINGS

EASY BEEF PAD KRA PAO

When I was in Bangkok recently, one dish completely stole my heart – pad kra pao, the classic Thai basil stir-fry. It’s bold, fiery, garlicky, and somehow so comforting all at once. The moment I got home, I knew I had to try recreating it in my own kitchen. This beef pad kra pao is ridiculously easy to make, full of flavour, and honestly just as satisfying as the ones I had in Thailand.

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g Minced Beef (softened)
  • 10 cloves of garlic
  • 4-5 pieces birds eye chili
  • 3 Tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
  • 1 Bunch Fresh Holy Basil Leaves
  • 4-5 Tsp Brown Sugar
  • Salt to taste

HOW TO MAKE IT

  1. Blend together garlic cloves and birds eye chilli until roughly minced.
  2. Heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil in a wok and sauté the minced garlic and chilli until fragrant. Be careful to not burn the garlic and chilli.
  3. Toss in minced beef and stir-fry until all liquid has evaporated and the beef starts to sizzle and brown.
  4. Pour in fish sauce, dark soy sauce and oyster sauce and season with sugar and salt (not too much as the fish sauce and soy sauce are already salty). Mix until well incorporated
  5. Toss in fresh holy basil leaves and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes or until leaves have wilted.
  6. Serve immediately on a bed of white rice and a fried sunny side up egg with a runny yolk (optional).

FAQ

  1. Can I use other proteins besides beef? Yes! This is a base recipe for Pad Kra Pao in general. You can use other proteins like chicken and seafood too.
  2. I can’t find holy basil in my local supermarket, what can I replace it with? Holy basil is generally tougher to find unless you’re in Thailand/SEA region. You can replace it with fresh Thai Basil or Italian Basil. Do not use dry basil as it won’t yield the same result, flavour wise.
  3. I can’t tolerate spice – can I use normal red chilies or omit chili altogether? You can definitely use fresh chilies or omit chilis altogether especially if you’re making this for kids. Chilli flakes work as well if you don’t have fresh chilli. Just put in around 1/2 Tsp – 1 Tsp depending on how spicy your chili flakes are.
  4. Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar? Yes you can! I just find brown sugar/palm sugar gives the dish a more caramelized flavour.
  5. Can I use normal soy sauce instead of dark soy sauce? Yes you can!

Watch recipe video HERE.