Pad Krapow Thai Basil Stir Fry

Published 2/5/2022 • Updated 10/31/2024 This Pad Krapow recipe is a family recipe of our video producer, Pachee. We’re grateful to be able to learn authentic Hmong/Thai cooking from one of our very own!

Pachee’s Pad Krapow AKA Thai Basil Stir Fry

From Pachee: This recipe is dedicated to my mother who came to the United States as a refugee to escape the Vietnam War. As the oldest of 5, she taught herself how to cook and looked after her younger siblings. To this day, she takes care of her family, cooking Southeast Asian staples all from memory. One of my favorites is my mother’s Pad Krapow. It’s so comforting. While Pad Thai is the “official” national dish of Thailand, Pad Krapow is my family’s favorite Thai dish; and I think it deserves a moment in the spotlight!

Is this Thai basil stir fry spicy?

Thai basil stir fry is a spicier stir fry. It features Thai chili peppers, which are very spicy. Pad Krapow is traditionally served on a bed of jasmine rice and topped with a runny egg.

Pad Krapow Translation

The literal English translation of Pad Krapow is “Stir-Fried Holy Basil.”

Simple Ingredients

Sauce

Fish sauce: fish sauce is savory and earthy and a great add to this sauce. Soy sauce: soy sauce adds a nice amount of salt to this stir fry. Oyster sauce: oyster sauce is sweet and salty at the same time. Sugar: we used white sugar as the sweetener. Lime juice: the stir fry is finished off with fresh lime juice and it really balances out all of the flavors. Thai chili peppers: Thai chili peppers are a spicy pepper. You can make them less spicy by removing their seeds or choosing a different pepper.

Stir Fry

Ground chicken: we chose to use ground chicken, but pork works too. Shallots: shallots add a nice savory base to this recipe. Garlic: use fresh garlic! Thai basil: Traditional Pad Krapow uses holy basil, but in America Thai basil is easier to find. It can be found at your local Asian grocery store.

Ingredient Swaps

Ground chicken –> we’ve made this recipe with ground pork and it’s delicious. You can also use ground turkey or plant-based ground, too. Fresh Lemongrass –> grocery store out of fresh lemongrass? We love keeping a tube of fresh lemongrass paste in the fridge at all times. Thai Chili Peppers –> Thai chili peppers are a spicier pepper, so you could always swap them for green/red jalapeños or even a Serano.

How to Make Pad Krapow

Serving Suggestions

You’ll notice that we turned our Thai basil chicken stir fry into a bowl by serving it with homemade sticky rice, sliced cucumbers, and a fried egg. Here are some other serving options.