Thai Pork and Basil Stir-Fry (Pad Gra Prow)

 

Pad Gra Prow (Thai Basil Stir-Fry)... has my stomach a-growl 🇹🇭🍛🤤 

Semi-fresh from my travels, you bet I have Thai food on the tip of my tongue and now fingers, finally making this super simple quintessential stir-fry dish in Thailand with ground pork. It's a budget-friendly, comfort food dish that is temptuous whenever I sit down at a Thai restaurant and crack open their menu. But need not to go to a restaurant for this no more when it's unbelievably easy to whip up at home. Each spoonful explodes with flavour and aroma from the garlic-shallot aromatics and fresh basil, complimented by the deep-fried egg on top with a runny yolk making the rice oh-so creamy 🍳! The mixture of oyster, thin and sweet soy, and fish sauce flavours the dish darn achingly scrumptious! And you gotta have some of 'em fresh Thai bird's eye chilies for kick 🌶💥

Thai Pork and Basil Stir-Fry (Pad Gra Prow) (adapted from Kiin by Nuit Regular)

Serves 4

1/3 cup neutral oil

4 eggs, cracked individually into small bowls

2 Tbsp. oyster sauce

2 Tbsp. thin/light soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sweet soy sauce (kepas manis)

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

3 shallots or 1 small onion, thinly sliced

7 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 Thai bird chilies, thinly sliced
2 lbs. ground pork (use medium for a bit of fat)

4 long green beans, cut into 1-1/2 inches

2 long red chilies, or 1/2 red pepper, cut into thin strips

Ground white or black pepper, to taste
holy basil leaves (about 2-1/2 cups packed)

To fry the eggs: heat a small pan over high heat for two mins. Add 1/4 cup oil. Slowly slide one egg into the oil, reduce the heat to medium and fry until outer edges turn crispy and brown about one minute, and cooked to desired doneness. Remove onto plate with slotted spatula (to drain excess oil). Repeat with remaining adding more oil as needed.

In a small bowl, stir together oyster, soy and fish sauces. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet/wok over medium-high heat for two mins; add 2 Tbsp. oil, shallots, garlic and Thai chilies and fry for two mins. Add the green beans and red pepper/chilies and cook for another minute. Crank up the heat to high, and add the ground pork, spread around skillet breaking it up into small bits and allowing it to crisp up for about three mins.

Add the sauce mixture. Stir-fry for two mins. until pork is cooked. Tear the basil into the skillet, and stir-fry until wilted. Add ground pepper.

To serve, divide the steamed rice between four plates; spread the rice. Top with pork and basil mixture and deep fried egg. Serve with fish sauce at the table.

To jazz it up, I added slices of crispy cucumber and tomatoes, plus bonus- 🇹🇭 Manora shrimp chips, home fried as a crunchy accompaniment 🤤!

My kids' foodie classmate was coming here to hangout and mentioned his favourite Thai dish was tom yum going, so... but of course. Dinner on me a la Thai- pad Thai, tom yum goong soup, mango salad, fried Thai shrimp chips and some homemade roasted pork belly.

And to cap it off a refreshing new Asian dessert I created- mango coconut pudding soup 🥭🥣 with prepared coconut pudding, fresh mangoes, coconut strips and crushed ice swimming in coconut milk. Love the refreshing textures! It's becoming a fave in this household! Perfect for beating the heat this summer!

FULL RECIPE:

Thai Pork and Basil Stir-Fry (Pad Gra Prow) (adapted from Kiin by Nuit Regular)

Serves 4

1/3 cup neutral oil

4 eggs, cracked individually into small bowls

2 Tbsp. oyster sauce

2 Tbsp. thin/light soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sweet soy sauce (kepas manis)

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

3 shallots or 1 small onion, thinly sliced

7 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 Thai bird chilies, thinly sliced
2 lbs. ground pork (use medium for a bit of fat)

4 long green beans, cut into 1-1/2 inches

2 long red chilies, or 1/2 red pepper, cut into thin strips

Ground white or black pepper, to taste
holy basil leaves (about 2-1/2 cups packed)

To fry the eggs: heat a small pan over high heat for two mins. Add 1/4 cup oil. Slowly slide one egg into the oil, reduce the heat to medium and fry until outer edges turn crispy and brown about one minute, and cooked to desired doneness. Remove onto plate with slotted spatula (to drain excess oil). Repeat with remaining adding more oil as needed.

In a small bowl, stir together oyster, soy and fish sauces. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet/wok over medium-high heat for two mins; add 2 Tbsp. oil, shallots, garlic and Thai chilies and fry for two mins. Add the green beans and red pepper/chilies and cook for another minute. Crank up the heat to high, and add the ground pork, spread around skillet breaking it up into small bits and allowing it to crisp up for about three mins.

Add the sauce mixture. Stir-fry for two mins. until pork is cooked. Tear the basil into the skillet, and stir-fry until wilted. Add ground pepper.

To serve, divide the steamed rice between four plates; spread the rice. Top with pork and basil mixture and deep fried egg. Serve with fish sauce at the table.

Bang For Your Buck in Bustling Bangkok

 

Cheap Eats Alert! We can't talk about Bangkok, without 📢 proclaiming our love for Terminal 21, high-end mall at Asok BTS station, namely their super affordable and delicious food court on the 5th floor Pier 21. 

After sweltering in the heat and humidity (one of the hottest days reached 41C 🥵) commuting from one region to another, we decided to stay put in Bangkok and escape daily into the AC relief malls. First off, the shopping centre is impressive- the concept is like arriving in an airport, each floor is themed with a destination- Tokyo second floor, Istanbul next, San Francisco on the 5th, and the artistic displays and store fronts express this. 

Pier 21 known for its street-food-style dishes sold at incredibly low prices 😍. Many meals cost as little as 30-50 baht (Cdn$1-3) — a fraction of what you’d pay at nearby restaurants. No inflated tourist prices! Unlike food courts in other high-end malls, Terminal 21 is Bangkok’s best-value dining spot. And the quality is excellent, the variety is incredible! 

Pier 21 lunch and dinner over a few days (top left clockwise): 

1. Khao soi curry noodles with dim sum buns and siu mai

2. Choice of three and rice- bamboo shoots, stir fried pork, veg vermicelli and egg add-on

3. Seafood noodles and gravy, papaya salad with fried chicken 

4. Fish maw soup with pork blood and quail egg

5. Rice with meat and veg mix

6. Crispy oyster omelet

7. Pad Thai with shrimps

8. Wontons and crab noodle soup

9. Shaved Ice dessert with 5 mix- my fave 😍 

The vision behind Pier 21's affordability was that of Anant Asavabhokin, the businessman for Land & Houses, one of Thailand’s leading real estate companies. Anant wanted Terminal 21 to be a place where everyone- students, office workers and low-budget travellers can enjoy a good meal at a fair price. The mall charges food vendors low rents, allowing them to keep prices low while maintaining quality. This approach aligns with the founder’s belief that a shopping mall should be more than just a place for high-end spending — it should also serve the community by offering accessible dining options. 💓 it ... Aye aye to that 🤗! 

Back a week, and missing the cafe culture, affordable eats and the electric Asia vibes! Thailand, we will see you again Khap Kun Ka 🇹🇭💕🙏 But...

Next sharing about vibrant and exciting Hong Kong as our initial two day stopover and 1 overnight return to wrap up our travels, and boy do I have lots to show and tell!

Taste of Thailand Part Two: Enchanting Chanthaburi

 

Enchanting 🔮💫 Chanthaburi 🇹🇭 is the best word to describe this picturesque historic riverside town on the eastern coast of Thailand, bordering Cambodia. Of the Thai regions we've been to so far, it is here for me, that resonates profoundly and the reason to return 💓 #preservingthepast #oldworldcharm 

So absolutely picturesque 😍

Located 2-1/2 hours southeast Bangkok, we just extended our stay in Baan Luang Rajamaitri, the 150-year old Historic Inn perched on the Bank of Chantabun river amongst the waterfront community. The inn boasts an ancient architectural structure with British colonial styled guestrooms charmed with the original lifestyle of the locals in this historic neighborhood with well-preserved traditional Thai houses, cafes and restaurants.  

Amazing congee plus extras breakfast every morning

Extraordinary daily desserts and kumquat juice

Chanthaburi is called "Orchard of Thailand" renowned for its diverse tropical fruits, particularly durian 😍 and gemstone industry- it is the centre for gemstone mining and trading, especially rubies and sapphires. 

Golden pomegranates

It is also home to the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception- the largest church in Thailand for Christians beaming through over 40,000 Buddhist temples. 

Oh how we love thee 💓... All of us, loves all of you, all your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections--  Yes, durian is such a star, it should have its own love song 🎵🎶! 

The durian is Southeast Asia's most highly prized fruit-- the King, and the most controversial because of its overpowering odour. In Thailand, Chanthaburi is the main production, and it is said there are about 100 types. We had a splendid experience in a nearby shop across our stay learning about and trying the different types of durian sold in baskets, which their men had recently cut and discovering salak- an Indonesian palm fruit (aka snake fruit)- juicy, flavour reminiscent of jackfruit.

Have you tried Indonesian palm fruit salak?

Monthong is Thailand's most popular export and the one we enjoy in Toronto (bought whole frozen, eaten thawed). I got to try their Musang King and Kan Yao- which is $ but preferred by Thais for its creaminess and balanced sweetness. Both the flesh and seed (after boiling) can be consumed. Those who love it, are lifelong aficionados... those who don't, loathe it with a ten-foot pole. No food out there have I heard such extreme polarizing reactions-- some merely can't get pass the smell let alone attempt to eat it. I've heard people describe the odour as sweet floral fragrance 👋 and luscious fine wine and cheese to the complete opposite such as sewage socks, horse manure, rotten onions etc., 

From small to jumbo... I wanted them all 😍

This last weekend in Bangkok, Siam Paragon Tropical Fruit Parade is back, with the star of the show-  the legendary Durian Buffet. For $35 Cdn, and 60 minutes, you can enjoy an all-you-can-eat experience featuring Monthong, Puangmanee, and Chanee Kai, as well as rare finds like Musang King and Black Thorn. Outside the buffet tent, 40+ rare durian varieties from orchards across the country are ripe for the tasting 🤤.

There are also creative durian dishes like durian lasagna, pizza and French fries. On my trip, I've had warmed durian sticky rice with coconut milk, durian chips and toffee candy. But the best is fresh 😋

Durian chips taste like sweet potato after fried

We relish in these durian moments, because they bring us together, transports us to heaven and lets us stay in bliss with each other for a while... Yes my twins are durian lovers!

Chanthaburi... "Where you can check-in back into the past... that travels to present" 

We were in bustling Bangkok the last leg of our Thai trip... Stay Tuned next post.