High-heat pork stir-fry with freshly pounded chili and garlic, savory seasoning, holy basil, and a crisp-edged fried egg
Pad kra pao takes its name from kra pao—Thai holy basil—so that peppery, clove-scented herb is central rather than decorative. Pork is cooked over fierce heat with a fresh chili-garlic paste, balanced individual seasonings, and no bottled stir-fry sauce. The basil is added at the end so its aroma remains vivid.
- Prep
- 10 mins
- Cook
- 15 mins
- Total
- 25 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- Thai
The recipe
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Before you start
Pound the garlic, bird’s-eye chilies, and long chili in a mortar to a coarse, moist paste. Mix the oyster sauce, fish sauce, light soy, dark soy, palm sugar, and water in a small bowl. Pick the holy basil leaves from the thick stems. Keep the pork cold until the wok is ready.
Ingredients
For the chili-garlic paste
For the pork
For the fried eggs
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Granite mortar and pestle paid link
- Seasoned wok paid link
- Wok spatula paid link
- Small mixing bowl paid link
- Slotted spoon paid link
- Digital kitchen scale paid link
Method
Heat 80 ml oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Fry the eggs one at a time, spooning hot oil over the whites, until the edges are crisp and the yolks remain soft. Drain and reserve.
Carefully pour away the frying oil, leaving 30 ml in the wok.
Heat the wok over high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the chili-garlic paste and stir-fry for 20–30 seconds until intensely aromatic.
Add the pork and spread it across the wok. Leave it for 30 seconds, then stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, breaking it into small uneven pieces and allowing some edges to brown.
Add the mixed seasonings. Toss over high heat for 1–2 minutes until the liquid clings to the pork rather than pooling.
Turn off the heat. Add the holy basil leaves and toss for 20 seconds, just until wilted.
Divide the pork among four plates and place one crisp-edged egg on each. Serve immediately.
Chef’s notes
Holy basil is distinct from Italian sweet basil and Thai sweet basil. Seek out leaves labeled holy basil or kra pao.
Pound the aromatics coarsely rather than blending them into a smooth wet purée.
A crowded, lukewarm wok steams pork. Use the widest pan available and keep the heat high.
Add basil after turning off the heat; prolonged cooking weakens its fragrance.
Tips and variations
Adjust the bird’s-eye chili quantity for heat, but retain the mild red chili for color and aroma.
Coarsely hand-chopped pork gives a more irregular, succulent texture than finely processed mince.
Fish sauce and oyster sauce are traditional pantry seasonings here, not a premixed stir-fry sauce.
For pad kra pao gai, replace pork with coarsely chopped boneless chicken thigh and cook to 74°C.
Serve with
Spoon over hot jasmine rice and place the fried egg to one side so its yolk can run into the pork. Keep the garnish minimal; holy basil belongs inside the stir-fry.
Storage
Refrigerate the pork separately from the eggs for up to 2 days. Reheat the pork rapidly in a hot wok with 15 ml water. Fry fresh eggs for serving. Freezing the cooked pork is possible for up to 1 month, although the basil aroma fades.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
- 590 kcal
- Calories
- 39 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 43 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 1,180 mg
- Sodium
Allergens
Contains eggs, fish, mollusks, and soy. Oyster and soy sauces may contain wheat; use properly labeled alternatives when required.
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Questions
Can Thai sweet basil replace holy basil?
It can make a pleasant stir-fry, but it will not have the peppery aroma that defines pad kra pao.
Why is the stir-fry watery?
The wok was not hot enough, the pork was crowded, or too much water was added.
Is the fried egg essential?
It is a very common accompaniment, especially for a full rice meal, but the stir-fry can be served without it.
Can ground chicken be used?
Yes. Choose chicken thigh mince and cook it completely while keeping the heat high.
