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Pad Kaphrao Moo (Stir-fried Pork With Holy Basil)

Pad Kaphrao Moo (Stir-fried Pork With Holy Basil)

Sometimes transliterated to Gaphrao, this dish is ubiquitous in Thailand and is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

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Ingredients

  • 5-10 Thai (i.e. bird’s eye) chilis, to taste
  • 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled
  • 2 dried chilis
  • 1 cup long beans, cut into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • ½ cup carrot, diced, optional
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil or other oil of choice (e.g. avocado, grapeseed, etc.)
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Thai Seasoning Sauce (i.e. Golden Mountain)
  • 2 teaspoons black soy sauce
  • 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup holy basil leaves, loosely packed

Steps

  1. Add garlic, Thai chilis, and dried chilis to a mortar and pound into a rough paste.
  2. Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, black soy sauce, Thai seasoning sauce, soup powder, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
  3. Heat a wok over medium-high. When the wok is hot, add the oil. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic-chili paste.
  4. Sauté the garlic-chili paste until the garlic turns golden (~1-2 mins).
  5. Add the pork and stir-fry breaking up the large chunks with a spatula.
  6. When the pork is almost done, add the onion and carrots.
  7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the carrots are tender (~3 mins).
  8. Add the sauce, season with black pepper, and stir to combine.
  9. Add the long beans and cook until just tender (~1-3 mins).
  10. Remove from heat and stir in the holy basil.
  11. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

To Serve

  • Serve with jasmine rice
  • Top the rice with a crispy fried egg (optional)
  • Let folks add their own Prik Nam Pla
  • Garnish with cold, sliced cucumbers (peeled)

Pro Tips

  • Holy basil (ใบกะเพรา) has a distinct character that makes this dish what it is. Substituting other basil varieties (including Thai basil) will alter this dish to become something very different than intended. Your best bet to find holy basil is your local Asian grocer.
  • Pork is the most popular protein for pad kaphrao, but beef (เนื้อ) and chicken (ไก่) work well here too. Use ground dark meat if cooking this dish with chicken.
  • While we do like a crispy, fried egg, poached eggs work well here and avoid a lot of oil.

Relevant Products

Recipe Tags

Jum's Red Door
Street Food

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