Stir fried pork with holy basil is a very popular Thai recipe
Stir fried pork with holy basil, known as Pad Ga-Prao Muu in Thai, is a common dish eaten throughout the country. It is traditionally eaten with rice.
This dish, although the recipe calls for minced pork, can also be eaten with chicken or beef mince as well as with sliced meats. Tofu can also be used for a vegetarian dish.
Holy basil is a spicy, peppery herb with a zesty fragrance which grows more pronounced once cooked.
Fresh Holy Basil
Holy basil is hard to find outside of Thailand, as it tends to goes bad quickly, it should be eaten on the day of purchase.
If you cannot get hold of holy basil, it can be substituted with Thai basil which is available and easier to find outside of Asia.
Any fresh basil leaves can be used for this recipe. Although it is more special with the holy or Thai basil leaves, the common basil leaves found in the west are a sweet basil with a completely different flavour to Holy or Thai basil.
Ingredients, for 2 people:
1 tbls oil
8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
10 small Thai red chillies, roughly chopped – can add more or less to suit your taste, but it should have a good kick!
200g minced pork (can use chicken or beef mince if you prefer)
2 tbls fish sauce
2 tbls spoon dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
4 tbls water
2 handfuls of holy basil leaves
How to make Pad Ga-Prao Muu:
Roughly chop up the garlic and chillies.
Pick the holy basil leaves and flowers and discard the stem, rinse and set aside.
Heat the oil in a pan on high heat until hot, then add the chilli and garlic, stir until garlic browns.
Add in the minced pork, or your chosen meat and stir until the meat is cooked.
Add in the sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce and stir until it has been absorbed.
Then add the water and basil leaves.
Once the basil leaves have wilted, take off the heat.
Serve on a bed of freshly cooked, steamed rice.
Optional: This dish is sometimes served with a fried egg on top
Enjoy your Pad Ga-Prao Muu!
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