A fiery stir-fry of minced meat (chicken, chicken, or beef) with holy basil, garlic, bird's eye chiles, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oyster sauce, served over steamed rice and typically topped with a crispy fried egg (khai dao).
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Vessel: plate with rice
Garnishes: fried egg on top, Thai chili
Accompaniments: jasmine rice, fish sauce with chili
Instructions
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1
Prepare all ingredients before cooking — this dish comes together in under 5 minutes on high heat. Wash and dry the holy basil leaves.
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2
Heat oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add garlic and chiles, stir-fry for 15 seconds until fragrant.
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3
Add the ground meat and break it up with a spatula. Cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes until no longer pink, pressing it against the wok for charring.
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4
Add shallots, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Toss everything together for 1 minute.
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5
Remove from heat and fold in the holy basil leaves. The residual heat will wilt them perfectly without making them bitter.
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6
Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice, topped with a crispy fried egg with runny yolk.
Did You Know?
Pad Krapow must use holy basil (krapao), not sweet Thai basil. Holy basil has a peppery, clove-like flavor and is considered sacred in Thai culture. The dish is Thailand's most popular street food lunch.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- wok
- spatula
- rice cooker
Garnishing
fried egg on top, Thai chili
Accompaniments
jasmine rice, fish sauce with chili
The Story Behind ผัดกระเพรา (Phat Kraphao)
Pad krapow originated around the reign of King Rama VII (1925-1935) when Chinese immigrants in central Thailand began selling it at restaurants, likely adapting the Chinese dish of stir-fried beef with coriander. However, the dish only became widely popular in Thailand after 1957. Like pad thai, pad krapow is a relatively modern creation that synthesized Chinese stir-fry technique with Thai ingredients, particularly the aromatic holy basil (krapow) that gives the dish its name and its distinctly Thai character.
Pad krapow is considered a national dish of Thailand and represents the essence of Thai street food culture: fast, intensely flavored, and deeply satisfying. Its simplicity is deceptive, as the quality depends entirely on wok hei (the breath of the wok), the freshness of the holy basil, and the proper balance of seasoning. The fried egg on top, with its crispy lacy edges and runny yolk, is considered essential. For many Thais, pad krapow is the ultimate comfort food, a daily ritual that connects them to home no matter where they are.
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