Pad Krapow

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

there’s one dish that’s quintessential Thai, it’s pad krapow. Pad Thai may be the country’s national dish, but ask a Thai person their go-to meal and it’s likely this herby, spicy, garlicky stir-fry of ground meat. Holy basil is crucial to the dish’s peppery, herby flavor, and even a small amount makes it especially fragrant and delicious. It comes together in less than 15 minutes, is served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and is my absolute-favorite thing to make (and eat!).

In fact, pad krapow was one of the first Thai dishes my grandmother taught me to make. It’s simple and uses foundational techniques, such as a mortar and pestle and stir-frying, that were easy to pick up but are essential to the recipe. These days, I make it when I miss home or need an easy, flavorful dish.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
4 red Thai or bird's-eye chilies, trimmed and coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola, divided
1 pound ground chicken, pork, or beef
1/2 cup holy basil leaves
4 large eggs
4 cups warm cooked jasmine rice

Instructions

Stir 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar together in a small bowl.
Smash 3 coarsely chopped red Thai chiles and 6 coarsely chopped garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle until a coarse paste forms. (Alternatively, pulse in a mini food processor or spice grinder.)
Heat 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the chili-garlic paste and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 pound ground chicken and stir-fry until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sauce mixture and cook until the sauce is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with more fish sauce as needed.
Transfer to a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup holy basil leaves and toss to combine.
Wipe out the wok with paper towels. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons neutral oil in the wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook 4 large eggs one at a time in a wok or 2 at a time in a skillet: Crack the egg(s) into the oil. Cook, continually spooning the oil over the egg(s), until the white is cooked through with crispy edges but the yolk is still runny, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to a plate.
To serve, divide 4 cups warm cooked jasmine rice between 4 plates. Divide the meat mixture between the plates, and top each with a fried egg.