Pad Krapow with Minced Pork
Fiery basil pork over rice with a crisp fried egg. Thailand's favourite fast lunch, ready in twenty minutes.
At a glance: Pad krapow takes about 20 minutes and serves 2. Garlic and Thai chillies are pounded to a coarse paste and fried until fragrant, then the minced pork goes in over high heat to brown. Soy sauce, fish sauce and a little sugar make it glossy, holy basil wilts in off the heat, and each plate gets a crisp-edged fried egg.
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 2
- Level
- Easy
By Noi @lemongrass.lane · Cookt Kitchen · 21 October 2026
Ingredients
Quantities for 2. Tick things off as you go.
Method
Cook the rice
Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs mostly clear. Cook it according to the packet directions, usually 12 to 15 minutes at a gentle simmer, until tender, then keep covered.
Pound the aromatics
Crush the garlic and chillies with the salt in a mortar, or finely chop them, for about 1 minute until they form a coarse paste.
Fry the aromatics
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium-high heat for 30 seconds until shimmering. Add the garlic, chilli and shallot and stir for 10 to 15 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
Brown the pork
Add the pork and raise the heat to high. Stir-fry for 4 to 6 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and its centre reaches 71°C (160°F).
Season the pork
Stir in the light soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and water over high heat for 1 minute, until the sauce coats the pork and looks glossy.
Wilt the basil
Remove the wok from the heat, add the basil and stir for 20 to 30 seconds until just wilted.
Fry the eggs
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute until shimmering. Fry the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp-edged whites are set and yolks remain runny.
Serve
Divide the hot rice and pork between two plates and top each with a fried egg, serving immediately.
Tips
- Prepare the aromatics and measure the sauces before heating the wok.
- Use a wide wok or frying pan and avoid crowding so the pork browns instead of steaming.
- If the aromatics begin to brown before the pork is added, lower the heat and add the pork promptly.
Swaps
- Use minced chicken or turkey instead of pork, cooking it to 74°C (165°F).
- Use fewer Thai chillies for less heat, or substitute a milder red chilli.
Storing
Refrigerate leftover pork and rice separately in airtight containers within 2 hours, and use within 3 days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout; cook fresh eggs to serve.
Kitchen notes
- Pound the aromatics and measure the sauces before the wok goes on; the cooking takes only minutes.
- Use a wide wok or frying pan so the pork browns instead of steaming.
- If the garlic and chilli start to brown before the pork goes in, lower the heat and add the pork straight away.
- Holy basil gives the classic peppery aroma. Thai basil works too, with a sweeter, anise-like flavour.
Pad Krapow with Minced Pork FAQ
Is pad krapow made with minced pork or ground pork?
They are the same thing: minced pork is the UK name for ground pork. This recipe uses 300 g for two people.
Can you make pad krapow with chicken or turkey?
Yes. Minced chicken or turkey can replace the pork; cook it until it reaches 74°C (165°F).
What do you serve with pad krapow?
Jasmine rice and a fried egg with crisp edges and a runny yolk, one per plate.
Nutrition per serving
780 kcal · protein 35 g · carbs 78 g · fat 36 g · fibre 2 g. This is an estimate, not a lab measurement.
Allergens
Read the label on every ingredient you buy. We can't account for how a product was made or packed.
How this page was made
Written by the Cookt team for the Cookt app, following our recipe standards. AI tools help us draft, check and illustrate recipes. No star ratings until enough people have rated this recipe in Cookt.
Sources
- Safe internal temperatures in the method: Safe minimum internal temperature chart, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
