Image Credit to: Bee
Pad Krapow translated in English basically means Basil Stir Fry. It is a very popular Thai dish and it is usually eaten with rice. Unlike our everyday stir fry, the Pad Krapow has a distinct salty taste that can only be achieved in Thai cooking, plus the basil leaves addition to the dish gives it a fresh lift.
Traditionally, the basil leaves serves as an aid to balance out the spiciness from the bird eye chilli often used in Thai cooking. Pad Krapow can be cooked with any type of protein but the Pad Krapow Squid in particular is definitely a comfort dish that will satisfy your taste buds.
You don’t necessarily have to go to a Thai restaurant to enjoy this dish as it is very easy to make as long as you have the essential Thai ingredients.
Ingredients (serves 2):
- ½ green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup of basil leaves, stems removed
- 1/8 cup of green beans, finely chopped
- 1/8 cup of baby corn, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 4 red bird eye chillies, finely chopped (use 1 chilli for a less spicy option)
- 300g of squid
- 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons of oyster sauce
- ½ cup of jasmine or long grain rice
Preparation Method:
- Using a rice cooker, cook your jasmine rice and keep it warm.
- Heat some vegetable oil in a wok on medium heat and sauté the garlic and green onion until fragrant. Then, add the green beans and baby corns. Stir for about 30 seconds
- Add in the squid along with the soy sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes on low heat. Be careful not to overcook your squid as it will make the squid rubbery.
- Add in the fish sauce, oyster sauce and the bird eye chilli. Cook for another 2 minutes and make sure to constantly stir the ingredients to avoid any food sticking to the wok.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the basil leaves. Stir until the leaves are evenly combined.
- To serve, add the jasmine rice into a bowl and put the Pad Krapow on the side or in a separate bowl. Eat immediately on its own or serve it with a side of sunny-side up eggs and pair with with a cold brew of Thai coffee.