Spicy chilies, basil, and lots of garlic – this recipe is the real deal. In her new cookbook “Sabai”, Pailin Chongchitnant brings us simple and flavourful Thai recipes, including this one for her ‘Old-School Pad Gaprao’. Chongchitnant refers to this as old-school in that it doesn’t have all the adaptations this recipe has acquired over time, relying on simple ingredients like fish sauce, basil, garlic and chilies for flavour. Looking for a vegan version? Chongchitnant’s Mushroom and Tofu Stir Fry With Holy Basil is the answer. As for the spiciness? The recipe calls for as many chilies as you can handle – so push your boundaries, it should be hot! – Kristen Eppich

A dish with pad gaprao, a fork and spoon on a grey wooden tablecloth with blue linens and lettuce seen in the background.

Old-School Pad Gaprao

A traditional recipe for a beloved Thai street food dish.

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Ingredients

2 to 3 Thai chilies or as many as you can handle
⅓ cup chopped mild red peppers
7 cloves garlic
4 eggs optional – see note #1
oil for frying eggs optional – see note #1
2 to 3 tbsp neutral oil
1 pound lean ground pork
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp granulated sugar
1½ cups holy basil or Italian basil leaves see note #2
jasmine rice for serving

Instructions

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the Thai chilies until fine, then add the mild red peppers and garlic and pound into a rough paste.
If you’re making fried eggs, make them now. In a small nonstick frying pan, heat about ⅓ inch (8 mm) of oil over medium-high heat. Test the temperature of the oil by adding a little piece of vegetable scrap, like the garlic or pepper, and it should bubble excitedly right away. Once the oil is hot, add 1 egg. The white should bubble up right away. Using a spoon to occasionally baste the top of the egg with oil to help it cook faster, cook for about 1 minute for a runny yolk, or 2 minutes for a set yolk. You want the white crispy and browned, so if it’s not browning, turn up the heat. Remove the egg from the pan and drain on paper towel; repeat with the remaining eggs.
Place a wok on medium heat, then add the oil and garlic-chili paste. Stir for about 2 minutes, until the smallest bits of garlic start to turn golden.
Turn the heat up to high, add the ground pork, then quickly toss to mix with the garlic-chili paste. Add the fish sauce and sugar, and keep tossing and breaking up the pork until it is fully cooked.
Turn off the heat, then add the holy basil and cook just until wilted. Taste and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce and sugar as needed.
Plate and serve with jasmine rice. If serving as a one-dish meal, place the rice on a plate, spoon the pork over it, and top everything with the fried egg.

Notes

Pad gaprao is typically paired with a fried egg when served as a one-dish meal. If serving as part of a multi-dish Thai meal, you can omit the egg.

Don't have holy basil?

Use Italian basil is the best substitute.

Use pork shoulder for stir-fries.

Most people in North America use pork shoulder (aka pork butt ) for braising and stewing. But I’m advocating for this cut to be used for stir-frying because it is so much more flavorful than the leaner cuts people are generally tempted to use. It’s got a bit more chew, but when sliced thinly against the grain and not overcooked, it’s such a satisfying texture, and the abundance of fat ensures that it’s never dry.