Thai Basil Pork Recipe

Back when I was doing shift work in Emergency, and getting off work in the wee hours, one of my favourite supper spots was a Thai restaurant from around my house. Pad kra pao, or Thai Basil Pork, was one of my go-to dish. It's a bowl of white rice served alongside a crisp fried egg with lacy edges and a small mountain of stir-fry minced pork. 

My family discovered fish sauce only recently. It's not a common ingredient in Cantonese or Hokkein cuisines, though after a successful rendition of Vietnamese Caramelised Chicken last year, fish sauce is now a staple in my house. It's commonly called for in Hakka, Vietnamese and Thai cuisines. It's used rather sparingly, but each use imparts a dish a complex, heady hit of unami. Back when I had a surplus of canned tuna and maple syrup on hand, I would use this Caramelised Fish Sauce Tuna recipe as a quick dish served along rice. 

My recent acquired Thai Holy Basil plant is proving itself to be hardier than its Italian cousin and had provided an ample supply of leaves for this dish. This has become one of my go-to for a quick Sunday stir-fry for the whole family. 

Thai Basil Pork (Pad kra pao)

Adapted from Woks of Life

This recipe is fuss-free and can be done on any cookware. I use my stainless steel skillet, though I'm eyeing a carbon steel wok for future stir-fry recipes. While I'm still saving up for a wok (and also convincing my parents to use one; they do not fancy the maintenance required to keep the wok rust-free), this recipe already is plenty delicious with a regular home burner and stainless steel skillet.    

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon thin/light soy sauce

2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

2 shallots, thinly sliced

7 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 Thai bird or holland chilies, thinly sliced

450g ground pork, unseasoned 

⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth or water

Holy basil leaves (about 1 1/2 cups packed)

STEPS

In a small bowl, combine sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and chicken broth/water. Set aside.

In a wok or large saucepan set over medium high heat, add 3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chilies and cook for another minute. Increase heat to high and add the ground pork. Stir well, breaking the pork up into smaller bits and allowing it to crisp up. 

Stir-fry for another minute and deglaze the pan with the broth or water. Let some of the liquid evaporate, but not avoid completely letting all the water cook away, as the sauce would make a good accompaniment drizzled over rice. Add the basil leaves and stir-fry until wilted. Serve over rice and a fried egg.