You can find great street food all over the world, of course, but I think Thai street food is hard to beat. Unfortunately though we can’t all pop over to the streets of Bangkok whenever we get a craving – so I thought I’d try and make this delicious Thai basil pork stir-fry for myself. Absolutely delicious, and ready in just 15 minutes!
What’s pad ga prao and why it’s so great!
Pad ga prao, or Thai basil pork stir fry is apparently a really common day-to-day dish in Thailand – usually eaten with rice, and often topped with a fried egg, which is the way I’ve made it.
Well, to be precise there was an egg for me, and no egg for Mr. Scrummy, who hates eggs on top of anything! 😉
What I love so much about this dish is the amount of intense flavour for the length of time it takes to make – barely 15 minutes once you’ve fished the various sauces out of your cupboard (but I’m sure your food cupboard is better organised than mine!).
Ingredients in Thai basil pork
The main flavour in pad ga prao comes from the mixture of soy sauces, fish sauce and oyster sauce, the Thai basil, and the chilies, of course.
If we were being totally authentic here (which we’re not), we’d be using something called ‘Holy basil’, but this is often difficult to find outside of Thailand. So I decided to use simple Thai basil from an Asian supermarket.
If you can’t find either of these types of basil, just use any basil. The finished dish won’t taste entirely the same, but it will taste just as wonderful.
The version of this that I first tried in a Thai street food restaurant was made with chicken, so if you like you can make it with chicken mince instead of pork. Or even beef.
It’s totally up to you whether you throw a fried egg on the top or keep it ‘au naturel’, of course, but I’d highly recommend going the eggy route! For me, it turns a really great dish into an excellent one. 🙂
More 15-minute meals
- 15-minute Shanghai chicken (Mmmm!)
- 15-minute sticky sesame chicken
- 15-minute creamy pesto chicken with mushrooms and parmesan
More easy Asian meals (better than a takeaway!)
- Perfect Thai chicken and butternut squash curry (On the table in 40 minutes and makes a TON. We ALWAYS have some of this in our freezer!)
- Easy chicken katsu curry with a super simple curry sauce
- Perfect Mee Goreng (spicy Indonesian noodles)
- chicken satay skewers with peanut sauce (delicious!)
- samosa pie
- Or take a look at all my Asian recipes!
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15-minute Thai basil pork stir-fry (Pad Ga Prao)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon kecap manis sweet thick Indonesian soy sauce*
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 4 tablespoons water
- 5.5 ounces fresh green beans chopped into small lengths (1 to 2 inches)
- 3-6 small red chillis** de-seeded and chopped finely
- 4 garlic cloves crushed or chopped finely
- 7 ounces minced pork or chicken, turkey, beef!
- a really large handful of Holy basil or Thai Basil if you can’t find it
to serve
- plain rice
- fried eggs 1 per person – optional
Instructions
- Mix together the fish sauce, soy sauce, kecap manis, oyster sauce and water in a bowl or jug and set aside.
- Heat up a large drizzle of oil in a wok or stir-fry pan, then stir-fry the green beans for a few minutes. Add the chopped chillis and garlic and stir-fry for a couple more minutes.
- Add the pork and stir-fry until cooked (an additional few minutes). Pour in the sauce, stir well, then let bubble for a minute or two more.
- Stir in the basil until wilted, then serve with the rice (and a fried egg, if desired).
Notes
Nutrition
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Jill Dunn says
Lovely recipe, will definitely be using it again.
First Thai dish I’ve cooked and I’ll be looking for some more now 😊
Helen says
Hi Jill! Thanks for the feedback. It’s a good one, isn’t it? If you’re excited about trying more Thai recipes, I can highly recommend this Thai chicken and butternut squash satay curry. I’ve been making it for literally years and it never disappoints. Also definitely try pad Thai. I don’t have a recipe for it on my site yet but try recipetineats.com whose recipes are always amazing 🙂
Lena Priddey says
One of my favourite meals – I have also managed to grow Thai basil from a bunch which I bought from an Asian supermarket. I took a sprig, stripped off most of the lower leaves and put it in a cup of water. After several days, roots began to grow and I planted it in compost and it’s a nice, bushy plant now.
Helen says
It’s incredible, isn’t it? In fact I must make this again soon. That’s so interesting that you managed to grow your own Thai basil. What a great idea! Is it seasonal like ordinary basil?
Julie Dickson says
I love this recipe too – and it is now a firm family favourite. It was always my favourite dish in Thailand so I am excited – particularly as I’m not a gifted cook – to be able to cook it and love the egg on top. Thanks too to Lena for the tip on growing my own Thai Basil, especially as last time Sainsburys didn’t deliver it. They do usually have it in stock for those who do online shopping and rather surprisingly the kecap manis which they spell kicap manis on their search engine. Thanks very much for this recipe
Helen says
Hello Julie! Thank you so much for reporting back! I love this recipe too – there’s something about the simplicity of it but also the classic Thai flavours and comforting egg on top that brings me back to it time and time again! I’m so glad your family have found a new favourite. I also have an absolutely delicious Thai butternut squash satay curry which I make pretty much year-round – you may like that too if your children are old enough to be OK with a bit of spice? Thanks for the tip on the spelling of Kecap manis, too – that can be tricky with ethnic recipes!
[email protected] says
Hi Helen, I think this would be my next breakfast recipe. I don’t have too much time for cooking breakfast. But I still want to try different kinds of recipes. I would come back if I have any question. Thanks.
Helen says
Hi Tiana. Wow, I bet this would be fabulous for breakfast. I really hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much for popping by and please do ask anything at all.
Jen - Eatreadtravel says
I’ve made this one multiple times now, and it just keeps getting better! Last time I added half a shredded cabbage as well, and even grated a carrot (I was feeling like a super serve of veggies that night!). It was delicious. I love how you can add or substitute things so easily, it’s delicious!
Helen says
Hi Jen, thank you once again for leaving lovely feedback! I love this recipe too and it’s a great idea to add extra veggies:-)
steve g says
Wow, looks so tasty, but the problem I run into is all these fishy sauces. I’m not really a fish lover( actually more hate than lover) wondering if this would work with other sauces??? hmmmmm
Helen says
Hi Steve. Believe it or not, you don’t really taste the ‘fish’ in the fish sauce. It’s more salty than anything.
steve g says
hehe, ok, but my girlfriend once told me the reason I don’t like fish is the people cooking it were cooking it wrong, and she bet she could get me to like fish. she then proceed to cook a dish with fish(without my knowledge) then asked me how the dish was. I said fine except for the fish taste hehe. I’m not sure you can get someone who doesn’t like fish to not taste the fish . I guess I’ll experiment with this dish to find other sauces that might work well, cause the dish looks great .
Helen says
Good point Steve! But I still challenge you to add the fish sauce all the same. I promise you it doesn’t taste fishy!!! LOL!
steve g says
😉
Luc says
Leave the fish sauce out….keep the oyster and soy sauce….I also not a huge fan of fish….this was my breakfast every other day in Thailand when I was there….usually less than a dollar
Helen says
Oooh you are making me hungry. I’m not sure about the idea of having this for breakfast, but it’s so delicious I’m sure I could get used to it! 😉
Alvin says
in Thai language, ผัดกะเพรา just means stir fried basil… you need to include หมูสับ (moo saab/ minced pork)… and you also need ไข่ดาว (khai daao/ sunny-side-up)
the name of this dish is: ผัดกระเพราหมูสับลาภข้าวไข่ดาว
Helen says
Thank you so much for this info, Alvin! I think this is the first time I’ve had a message from someone who knows the Thai language. I love Thailand!
Toony L. says
I’m from Thailand! I live in the US and REALLY miss ผัดกะเพรา! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Helen says
Really, you’re from Thailand? Oh that’s so exciting, and thank you so much for sharing the Thai word for this recipe! I hope you enjoy it and that it isn’t too far from what you know and love from your beautiful country.
kristy says
Another wonderful recipe. This looks great! 🙂
Helen says
Hi Kristy. Thank you so much!
Marissa says
What!? Mr. Scrummy doesn’t like an egg on top? I like eggs on top of almost everything! 😉 Thanks for coming up a homemade version of this restaurant recipe – definitely a MUST TRY!
Helen says
Oh I know – what a strange boy! I love eggs on top of things too! 🙂
Lily says
Great recipe, but I’m with Mr Scrummy. I love eggs, but hate them on top of anything.
Mr. Scrummy is not alone😉
Helen says
So glad you like it, Lily! Awwww… what no eggs for you either? 😉
Carol says
I’m with Mr Scrummy. I like eggs, but can’t stand them on top of anything (other than poached on toast for breakfast).
I am wondering how this dish would be with noodles instead of rice?
Helen says
Hi Carol! Shhh, don’t tell him! I think this would be just as tasty with noodles. Let me know how you get on!
mira says
Thai street food is the best and I’m so glad you decided to recreate and share this dish Helen! Looks delicious! Love the fried egg on top! Sharing!
Helen says
Thank you as always, Mira! 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I love the sunny egg on top Helen and it’s good to know that I’m not the only one with an unruly pantry! 🙂
Helen says
Phew – glad to know I’M not the only one, too! 🙂
[email protected] says
So glad to hear you approve of the new Thai restaurant Helen!!! This is one of my faves, made with mince or with chicken pieces – or pork or piece pieces too 🙂 YUM YUM!!! Sharing!! PS 14 months??!!! OMG, that is INSANE!!!
Helen says
Ooh, great idea to make it with chicken or pork pieces instead – I should add that to the recipe. In fact, Mr. Scrummy wasn’t too keen on the idea of the mince meat, so I should definitely try that next time 🙂
And yeah, 14 months potentially. We certainly don’t do things the easy way…
[email protected] says
Thai is one of my favorite cuisines, but I’ve never tried street food. I think this needs to be my first recipe, I’m loving all the flavors.
Helen says
Do give it a go, Janette – I love it!
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says
Intense flavor in 15 minutes?! Sold! Thai flavors are some of my very favorite and I think fish sauce is truly a magical ingredient! And regardless of the cuisine, I think street food is the best food! The fact that it’s Thai street food, just makes it all the better! Thank you for this fabulous recipe, Helen!
Helen says
You’re right Kathleen – fish sauce is a great ‘seasoner’. In fact, I added too much the first time I made this and it was far too salty. 🙂
Eva says
C’est le type de recette que j’adore ! Je pourrais dévorer ce plat même pour un brunch! La sauce des huitres je ne jamais vu, c’est difficile à trouver?
Helen says
Ici en Angleterre on le trouve partout, Eva, mais je dirais qu’on pourrait le trouver n’importe ou dans un supermarche asiatique! 🙂
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
Helen, I am so glad you decided to figure out how to make that delicious Pad Ga Prao you had and share that recipe with us. This mince sounds so delicious -especially with the fried egg on top! I guess Mr. Scrummy not wanting one on his means you get two on yours? YUM!!! In Sri Lanka and India there’s this dish called “keema” that is a very similar dish to this – only instead of all the saues, spices like coriander, cumin, etc are used.
Helen says
Ooh, would love to try ‘keema’ too, Shashi, and I love your idea of having 2 eggs on top as Mr. Scrummy doesn’t want one 😉
ann says
Sounds good and I will be making it soon. Damn the inconvenience of having to go out my back door and pick some Holy Basil. If you were a wee bit closer we could share.
Thanks again for a yum recipe.
Helen says
You have Holy Basil in your backyard???!! Oh my goodness – you just have to try this recipe then Ann! 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I have such happy memories of eating this from a street food stall in Bangkok. One of the best meals I have ever had. I am going to have to try making it myself.
Helen says
You actually had this in Bangkok? Isn’t it amazing? Hope you do try making it yourself – it’s so easy! 🙂