Thai Basil Pork
It’s a wonder I haven’t posted this recipe for you before because Oliver and I eat it about as often as we can get our hands on large quantities of fresh basil. We typically call it by its Thai name, but for the purposes of this blog post, let’s just call it Thai Basil Pork. Here’s why…
I actually sent out a text to Oliver’s family and asked them to vote for how I should spell it. They all gave me different answers for spellings, some of them even suggesting spellings I hadn’t originally asked about (though my father-in-law said he doesn’t care how we spell it, as long as we eat it over rice with a fried egg on top).
The problem is that Thai characters and pronunciations just don’t always translate well into English characters and pronunciations.
If you visit a Thai restaurant, this dish is likely on the menu, but it could be spelled “pad krapow” or “pad kra pao” or “pad gra pow” or “pad kaprow.” See? Aren’t you glad we’re just calling it Thai basil pork for now?
This Thai basil pork requires very few ingredients. The only two that might be a little tricky to come by are the oyster sauce and the fish sauce. I’ve found both of these in the Asian section at Kroger before, but if you don’t have luck there, check Amazon or a local Asian market.
And the basil… You’ll need a lot of that. Thai basil is perfect if you can find it, but if you can only find one variety of basil at your grocery store (or in your backyard), just go with it! Chances are, you won’t notice a huge difference. Sometimes I grab the 4 0z. box of basil at Kroger for this, and that has worked just fine. Here’s a picture to give you an idea of how much you’ll need. (Just pull the leaves off the stems and throw them in whole.)
This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes, which is perfect because that’s just enough time to cook the jasmine rice to serve it with! And speaking of serving, don’t forget the fresh lime juice and the fried runny egg on top. That might sound strange, but I promise–it’s just right!
You might also like: Green Thai Curry with Chicken
If you try Thai Basil Pork at home, I’d love to hear what you think! Share pictures with me on social media by tagging @thesavvyplate on Instagram or Twitter or by mentioning my page The Savvy Plate Blog on Facebook!
Thai Basil Pork
A Thai stir fry of ground pork and basil, with as much or as little spice as you'd like!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp crushed red pepper (Adjust according to your spice tolerance.)
- 2 lbs ground pork
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 4 oz. box fresh basil (Or Thai basil if you can find it.)
for serving
- jasmine rice
- lime wedges
- fried eggs
Instructions
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Melt coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Mince shallots and garlic. Add shallots to pan and cook until translucent. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for another minute.
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Add ground pork to the pan, break it up into small pieces, and cook until browned.
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Whisk together oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar, then add to the pan. Stir, and cook for 5 more minutes.
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Pull basil leaves from the stems, and throw the whole leaves into the pan. Stir, and cook until wilted.
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Serve with jasmine rice, lime wedges, and fried eggs.
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9 Comments
Hannah
This looks soooo good. I love all Thai food so I’m definitely going to make this! We have a vegan in the family so I tend to make things that I can have a serving of meat on the side for the meat people and not have to make two separate dishes, but I definitely want to make this anyway!
Savannah
I hope you enjoy it! I do have a Thai recipe on here for Red Curry with Veggies, and that one is vegan (if you take out the fish sauce) in case you’re looking for inspiration!
Lindsay
I cannot wait to try this recipe! I’m always looking for Thai dishes to make at home, and I think this one will be a winner. Perfect for summer, too! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Savannah
Enjoy! I love making Thai food at home too. We eat it all the time!
Becky @ Disney in your Day
This looks and sounds so delicious! I just saved it so I can hopefully try making it soon 🙂
Savannah
Yay! I’d love to hear how it turns out!
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Teresa Aaron
I have made this at least 4 times since I stumbled across the recipe 2-3 months ago. It has quickly become a favorite here. When I handed my 5 year old his bowl tonight, he handed it right back and said ‘more, please.’ Thanks for this amazing, flavorful and super quick recipe!!