Easy Thai Holy Basil Stir Fry (Pad Kra Pao)

Ingredients

• 6 clovesgarlic, minced
• ½ smallpurple onion, or 3 shallots
• 5Thai bird’s eye chillies, adjusted to taste
• 30 ml, plus more for frying the eggsoil
• 450 glean minced pork
• 30 ml, plus more to tastefish sauce
• 5 mlsugar
• About 60 gfresh holy basil leaves
• 4eggs

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry the eggs

   For the crispiest result, fry the eggs one at a time rather than crowding the pan. Use a small 15–20 cm skillet and add enough oil to cover the bottom generously, about 6 mm deep. Heat over medium-high until shimmering and just beginning to smoke. Crack an egg into a small bowl, then gently slide it into the oil; it should bubble straight away. Tilt the pan so the oil gathers to one side and spoon hot oil over the white, avoiding the yolk, for about 30–45 seconds, until the white puffs. Cook until the edges are deeply golden and lacy and the yolk is still jiggly, or to your preferred doneness. Lift the egg out with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate; repeat with the remaining eggs.

2. 2

   Prepare aromatics

   Mince the garlic, slice the onion or shallots, and chop or crush the chillies. A mortar and pestle can also be used to crush the chillies.

3. 3

   Stir-fry the base

   Heat the oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the garlic, onion and chillies for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.

4. 4

   Cook the pork

   Add the minced pork and break it up as it cooks. Stir-fry for about 4–5 minutes, until no longer pink and slightly browned.

5. 5

   Season the pork

   Add the fish sauce and sugar, then stir well. Taste and add more fish sauce if needed.

6. 6

   Wilt the basil

   Turn off the heat and stir in the holy basil. Let the residual heat wilt the leaves without cooking them for too long.

7. 7

   Serve straight away

   Serve immediately over hot jasmine rice, topped with a crispy fried egg.

What is pad kra pao?

Pad kra pao is a Thai stir-fry named for holy basil, its distinctive aromatic ingredient. It is commonly made with minced meat, garlic, chillies and a savoury seasoning, then served with rice and often a fried egg.

This version uses lean minced pork and keeps the cooking quick: the meat is seasoned in the pan, while the basil goes in after the heat is switched off. That helps preserve its fragrance.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 466 calories, 27g protein, 10g carbs, 35g fat.

The pork and eggs provide most of the protein and fat, while the small amount of sugar and the jasmine rice served alongside contribute carbohydrates. For a more balanced plate, serve with a generous portion of vegetables alongside the stir-fry.

Choose the aromatics

Garlic and onion: Mince the garlic and slice the onion or shallots before heating the pan so they are ready to go in together. The recipe allows either onion or shallots.

Chillies: Chopping or crushing the bird’s eye chillies releases their heat into the stir-fry. Adjust the number to suit your preference.

Get the fried egg crisp

Hot oil: A small pan helps keep the oil pooled around the egg. Wait until the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke; the egg should sizzle and puff as soon as it goes in.

Baste carefully: Tilt the pan and spoon hot oil over the white, taking care to avoid the yolk. Fry eggs one at a time so they have room to develop crisp, lacy edges.

Brown the pork

Break it up: Add the pork to the fragrant aromatics and separate it into small pieces as it cooks. Give it about 4–5 minutes, until it is no longer pink and has browned slightly.

Season to taste: Fish sauce brings savouriness, while a little sugar rounds out the seasoning. Taste after stirring them in and add more fish sauce if needed.

Keep the basil fragrant

Off the heat: Add the holy basil after turning off the burner, then stir it through the hot pork. The pan’s residual heat is enough to wilt the leaves without prolonged cooking.

Fresh leaves: Add the basil just before serving so its aroma remains prominent in the finished dish.

Serve it hot

Rice: Serve the stir-fry straight away over hot jasmine rice, as directed in the method. The rice makes a simple base for the savoury pork and chilli seasoning.

Egg: Top each serving with a freshly fried egg for crisp edges and a soft yolk, or cook the yolk further if you prefer.

Recipe notes & tips

• Prepare the garlic, onion and chillies before you start cooking so they can go straight into the hot pan.
• Use a small skillet for frying the eggs to keep the oil gathered around them.
• Let the frying oil shimmer and just begin to smoke before adding an egg.
• Fry the eggs one at a time for crisp, lacy edges.
• Taste the pork after adding the fish sauce and sugar, then adjust the fish sauce if needed.
• Stir in the basil only after switching off the heat.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: Use fewer bird’s eye chillies for a milder stir-fry.
• Try shallots: Replace the half onion with 3 shallots as suggested in the recipe.
• Change the meat: The method allows another meat of your choice in place of pork.
• Cook the yolk through: Fry the eggs longer if you prefer a firmer yolk.
• Skip the egg: Serve the pork stir-fry without the fried-egg topping.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pan: Fry eggs individually so each has room to crisp.
• Oil not hot enough: Wait for it to shimmer and just start smoking before adding the egg.
• Overcooking the basil: Turn off the heat before stirring the leaves into the pork.
• Leaving the pork in large clumps: Break it up as it cooks for more even browning.
• Seasoning without tasting: Check the pork after adding fish sauce and sugar, then adjust the fish sauce to taste.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover pork stir-fry in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat it until piping hot; fried eggs are best cooked and eaten fresh, as their edges lose crispness in storage.

Frequently asked questions