Pad Kra Prao

This minced pork and rice à la carte dish is a Thai local's go-to food when he's not sure what to eat on a night out. It may be eaten at any time of day. Pad Kra Prao is traditionally served with steaming jasmine rice and a dish of fatty minced pork stir-fried with Thai holy basil and seasoned with fish sauce and chopped chili. Beef, chicken, or seafood components stir-fried with basil, cowpeas, bamboo shoots, and a fried egg are some of the other variations.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 shallots (thinly sliced), 7 cloves garlic (sliced), 3 Thai bird or holland chilies (de-seeded, if desired, and thinly sliced), 1 pound ground pork (450g), 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon thin/light soy sauce, 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, 2 teaspoons oyster sauce, ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth or water, holy basil leaves (about 1 1/2 cups packed)

Instructions

• In a wok over medium high heat, add the oil, shallots and garlic, and fry for 3 minutes. Add the chilies and cook for another minute. Crank up the heat to high, and add the ground pork, breaking it up into small bits and allowing it to crisp up.
• Add the sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir-fry for another minute and deglaze the pan with the broth or water. Because your pan is over high heat, the liquid should cook off very quickly. Add the basil, and stir-fry until wilted. Serve over rice.