Thai chicken stir-fry with holy basil (Pad kra pao gai) is one of the most popular and beloved street food in Thailand. It is traditionally served with steamed jasmine rice and fried egg. The creaminess of the slightly runny egg yolk balances the strong, spicy flavour of the stir-fry.
It should be noted that holy basil (ocimum tenuiflorum) and Thai basil (ocimum basilicum) are two different herbs. Holy basil is spicy and peppery whereas Thai basil has a sweet and anise taste. They also look differently. Holy basil has larger green leaves with an oval shape and a toothed edge, and its stem is green and hairy. On the other hand, Thai basil leaves have a dark green colour with reddish-purple veins. It has a more narrow and tapered shape with a smooth edge. The stem is dark purple in colour.
Holy basil should be used for pad kra pao gai (and also authentic versions of Thai green and red curries), but it is not easy to find holy basil in the UK or outside Asia. You may substitute it with Thai basil although the taste will be different. But do not substitute it with sweet basil which is used for cooking European dishes. Thai basil is used in Taiwanese three cup chicken (san bei ji) and many Vietnamese dishes such as pho.
Although chicken is most commonly used for this dish, you may also use pork, beef, seafood, tofu or mushroom.
Ingredients
- 5 Thai bird eye chilies
- 7 cloves garlic
- 4 organic or free range eggs (one egg per person)
- 3 tbsp groundnut oil
- 450g chicken breast, coarsely chopped
- 20g holy basil leaves
- 4 organic or free range eggs (one egg per person)
For the sauce:
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp Thai dark sweet soy sauce (or kecap manis)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
- Pound the bird eye chillies and garlic in a mortar and pestle to form a coarse paste.
- Fry the eggs over high-medium heat. Use a generous amount of oil so that they bubble up and the edges are browned. The egg yolk should be half cooked and slightly runny. Remove and drain any excess oil. Set aside.
- Heat a wok or frying pan over high heat. Add the groundnut oil and chilli paste. Stir fry for about half a min until fragrant.
- Toss in your chicken and keep stir frying until it is almost cooked.
- Add the sauce which has been prepared, and stir fry for another half min until the sauce thickens a little bit.
- Turn off the heat. Add the holy basil leaves and toss until they wilt. Serve with the fried eggs and cooked jasmine rice.
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