Every trip to Bangkok has one non-negotiable meal for me: a plate of pad kra pao, minced pork fried hard with chilies and holy basil, crowned with a lacy fried egg, and served with rice and a little bowl of chili fish sauce. It is the fastest, loudest, most satisfying street food in Thailand, and this xiachufang recipe is the closest home version I have found, written by a Chinese home cook who reverse-engineered it after her own trip.
The dish comes together in about ten minutes: fry an egg, set it aside, stir-fry garlic and chilies, add the pork and seasonings, toss in the basil until it wilts, and pile it over rice. The chili fish sauce, made with fish sauce, lime, sugar, and minced aromatics, is what lifts the whole bowl, so do not skip it.
What Is Thai Basil Pork Rice (泰式打抛饭)?
Pad kra pao, called 打抛饭 in Chinese, is Thailand’s most famous quick rice dish: minced pork or chicken stir-fried with garlic, chilies, and holy basil, seasoned with fish sauce, soy, and a touch of sugar, and served over rice with a fried egg. The name comes from the basil, kra pao, which gives the dish its unmistakable peppery, minty aroma.
The recipe here keeps the authentic seasoning set, including a splash of dark soy for color, and pairs it with a Thai-style chili fish sauce (prik nam pla) that you drizzle over the rice and egg. Holy basil is traditional; Thai basil is the usual substitute, and the recipe uses 20 g of leaves, which is generous.
If you love fast, fiery stir-fries, my Hunan pork and egg stir-fry with peppers is another ten-minute favorite from the same school of cooking.
1Hunan Pork and Egg Stir Fry with Peppers (La Jiao Chao Rou)This authentic Hunan-style stir-fry combines tender pork loin, rich pork belly, fluffy eggs, and blistered peppers in a savory, slightly spicy sauce. It is known as a ‘rice killer’ because it pairs perfectly with steamed rice.Check out this recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- High heat and constant motion. Minced meat cooks in a minute or two over a screaming-hot wok, which is what gives the dish its seared, savory character.
- Fish sauce brings umami without salt. One tablespoon seasons the whole pan and tastes unmistakably Thai.
- Dark soy gives the classic color. Just a little turns the pork a deep, rich brown.
- Basil goes in last. Adding the leaves at the end keeps their aroma fresh instead of bitter.
- The chili fish sauce balances everything. Lime, sugar, chilies, and fish sauce cut through the rich pork and egg.
Equipment Needed
- Wok or large skillet
- Small bowl for the sauce
- Small pan for the fried eggs
Ingredients
For the Stir-Fry
- 7 oz (200 g) minced pork or beef
- 20 g (1 cup loosely packed) holy basil or Thai basil leaves
- 5 to 8 bird’s eye chilies, to taste
- 3 to 5 dried chilies, to taste
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- A dash of dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- A little water
For the Chili Fish Sauce (Prik Nam Pla)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- A pinch of MSG, optional
- 3 to 5 bird’s eye chilies
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot
To Serve
- Oil for frying
- 2 eggs (ideally pasteurized or fresh)
- 2 bowls steamed rice
Ingredient Notes
Holy basil. The authentic leaf has a sharper, peppery flavor. Thai basil is the common substitute and works well; do not use Italian basil, which tastes sweet.
Fish sauce. Use a good Thai brand (such as Squid or Red Boat). It is the backbone of both the stir-fry and the dipping sauce.
Chilies. The amounts in this recipe are hot; reduce them freely and seed them for a milder bowl.
Prep & Mise en Place
Pick the basil leaves and set them aside, mince the garlic and chilies, and mix the chili fish sauce in a small bowl. Measure the stir-fry sauces together so they can go in quickly, and get the rice hot and the frying pan ready for the eggs.
Cooking Process
Step 1 — Make the Chili Fish Sauce
In a small bowl, combine the minced chilies, garlic, and shallot with the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and optional MSG, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Step 2 — Fry the Eggs
Heat a generous layer of oil in a small pan and fry the eggs until the whites are crisp and lacy at the edges and the yolks are still soft. Set them aside.
Step 3 — Fry the Aromatics
In a hot wok, fry the minced garlic and chilies briefly until fragrant, taking care not to burn them.
Step 4 — Add the Pork and Seasonings
Add the minced pork and stir-fry over high heat, breaking it up, then add the fish sauce, light soy, oyster sauce, a dash of dark soy, sugar, and a little water. Toss until the meat is cooked and glossy.
Step 5 — Fold in the Basil
Toss in the basil leaves and stir just until they wilt and release their aroma, about 15 seconds.
Step 6 — Assemble the Bowl
Spoon the pork over hot rice, top with a fried egg, and serve with the chili fish sauce on the side. Break the yolk into the rice and eat immediately.
Common Mistakes When Making Thai Basil Pork Rice
1. A watery pan. Cause: a cool wok or too much water. Fix: heat the wok until it smokes lightly and add water only in a splash. My guide to why stir-fry turns watery explains the full mechanics.
2. Bitter basil. Cause: cooking the leaves too long. Fix: add the basil at the very end and toss it just until wilted.
3. Bland meat. Cause: skimping on fish sauce. Fix: use the full tablespoon, and add the chili fish sauce at the table.
4. Burnt garlic. Cause: adding it to oil that is too hot. Fix: fry the aromatics quickly over medium-high heat and add the pork right away.
5. A tough fried egg. Cause: overcooking. Fix: fry in plenty of hot oil for a crisp edge and a runny yolk, then remove immediately.
Variations
Chicken version. Minced chicken is the other classic; the method is identical. For another spicy minced dish, try my minced pork with chili peppers.
Extra heat and crunch. Add more chilies and a handful of green beans or Thai eggplant, and serve with spicy chicken stir-fry for a fiery table.
Rice and noodle swaps. Serve it over golden egg fried rice or alongside pork and enoki mushroom stir-fry. My tomato egg drop soup also makes a nice cooling side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular basil? Thai or holy basil is much better; Italian basil tastes sweet and loses the peppery character. If you must, use it and add extra chilies.
Is this dish very spicy? It can be. The recipe uses a lot of chilies, so reduce them and seed them for a milder bowl.
Can I make it ahead? The stir-fry is best fresh; the chili fish sauce keeps in the fridge for a week, and the pork reheats in a hot wok in a minute.
What is prik nam pla? It is the Thai condiment of fish sauce, lime, sugar, and chilies, used to season rice and eggs at the table. It is essential to the dish.
Do I need a wok? A large skillet works; the key is to get it very hot before the meat goes in.
How to Serve
Serve the pork over hot jasmine rice with the fried egg on top and the chili fish sauce alongside. It is a complete one-bowl meal, and it is best eaten immediately while the egg yolk is still runny.
Storage & Reheat
Refrigerate the stir-fry for up to 2 days and reheat in a hot wok or the microwave until piping hot. Keep the fried eggs separate if possible and refry them fresh. Cook pork and eggs thoroughly, and do not leave the dish at room temperature more than 2 hours.
Allergen Notice
Contains fish (fish sauce), shellfish (oyster sauce), soy (soy sauces), and egg. Fish sauce also contains anchovies; use a mushroom-based sauce and tamari for a soy-free, shellfish-free version.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
About the Author & Recipe Development
I am Lin, and Bangkok’s street stalls taught me that the best food is often the fastest. This xiachufang version of pad kra pao is the recipe I make at home when I want that same ten-minute thrill, and testing it twice confirmed the two details that matter: a genuinely hot wok, and the basil going in at the very last second. The chili fish sauce is the part people forget, and it is the part that makes the bowl.
Authoritative References
USDA Safe Temperature Chart for pork and egg handling, and USDA Leftovers and Food Safety.
Thai Basil Pork Rice (泰式打抛饭): Fiery Weeknight Bowl
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet
- Small pan
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
For the Stir-Fry
- 7 oz minced pork or beef
- 20 g holy basil or Thai basil leaves about 1 cup loosely packed
- 5 to 8 bird’s eye chilies, to taste
- 3 to 5 dried chilies, to taste
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 dash dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
For the Chili Fish Sauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 pinch MSG, optional
- 3 to 5 bird’s eye chilies, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
To Serve
- 2 eggs fresh or pasteurized
- 2 bowls steamed rice
- 1 for frying oil
Instructions
- Mix the chili fish sauce: minced chilies, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, lime, sugar, and optional MSG.
- Fry the eggs in hot oil until the edges are crisp and the yolks soft, then set aside.
- Fry the minced garlic and chilies briefly in a hot wok.
- Add the minced pork and stir-fry with fish sauce, light soy, oyster sauce, dark soy, sugar, and a splash of water.
- Toss in the basil leaves just until they wilt, about 15 seconds.
- Spoon over rice, top with a fried egg, and serve with the chili fish sauce.
Leave a Reply