More than just a wok dish
Every country has a dish that simply always works. In Thailand, that's clearly Pad Kra Pao (ผัดกะเพรา).
Whether at street stalls in Bangkok, in small restaurants, at universities, or at home – Pad Kra Pao is part of people's everyday lives. If you ask in Thailand:
“What are we eating today?”
the answer is often:
“Pad Kra Pao!”
The name comes from Bai Kra Pao, the Holy Basil, whose spicy aroma gives the dish its unmistakable character. Together with garlic, fresh chilies, and a rich sauce, it creates one of the country's most popular dishes.
For many Thais, Pad Kra Pao is more than just food. It reminds them of lunch breaks with colleagues, their favorite street food stall around the corner, or dinner with family.
Sometimes the simplest dishes tell the most beautiful stories.
Authentic Pad Kra Pao Moo
Spicy Minced Pork with Holy Basil
Servings: 2 people
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
🌶️ Adjust spice level to your liking
In Thailand, Pad Kra Pao is traditionally prepared quite spicy. However, the amount of chilies can easily be adjusted to personal taste.
Whether mild, medium, or extra spicy – whatever tastes good is allowed. The most important thing is to enjoy the balanced taste and aroma of the Holy Basil.
Our tip: Start with a few chilies and slowly increase to your preferred spice level.
Preparation
1. Prepare garlic and chilies
Roughly crush garlic and chilies in a mortar. In Thailand, they are traditionally not finely chopped but lightly crushed to allow their aromas to develop better.
2. Sauté everything in a hot wok
Heat some oil in a wok or frying pan. Sauté garlic and chilies briefly until fragrant.
Then add the minced pork and fry over high heat.
3. Season
Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar, and mix everything well.
The meat should caramelize slightly – just as it is prepared at street stalls in Thailand.
4. The secret of the dish
Finally, stir in the Holy Basil.
Cook for only a few seconds so that the leaves retain their intense aroma. It is precisely this basil that transforms a simple wok dish into a true Pad Kra Pao.
5. The perfect fried egg
Fry an egg in plenty of hot oil until the edges are golden brown and crispy.
For many Thais, a crispy Kai Dao is simply a must.
Serve like in Thailand
Pad Kra Pao is traditionally served with steaming jasmine rice and a crispy fried egg.
A few cucumber slices provide freshness and temper the heat of the chilies.
Common mistakes with Pad Kra Pao outside Thailand 🇹🇭
❌ Using sweet Thai basil or Italian basil instead of Holy Basil
❌ Adding too many vegetables, such as carrots, green beans, broccoli, or onions
❌ Using too much soy sauce or other seasoning sauces, which causes the typical flavor to be lost
❌ Making the dish too sweet
❌ Cooking at too low heat, resulting in the absence of the characteristic aroma of the hot wok (Wok Hei)
A piece of Thailand on your plate
Pad Kra Pao is not an elaborate feast.
It's the food students order after class.
The quick lunch for many office workers.
And the dish families cook when they want something simple, hearty, and familiar.
With every bite, you taste a little piece of Thailand.
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