Pad Gra Prow Recipe

Measure and prepare all ingredients: mince garlic, slice chilies, slice onion, trim and cut green beans, pick basil leaves from stems. If using tofu, crumble and pat dry; if using shrimp, chop into bite-size pieces; if using crispy pork (moo grob), have pieces warmed and ready.

Cook jasmine rice ahead of time so it is hot when serving (1 cup uncooked rice yields about 2–3 cups cooked; here 1 cup cooked is assumed).

Make stir-fry sauce

In a small bowl combine oyster sauce (1.5 tbs), light soy or tamari (0.5 tbs), fish sauce (1 tbs), dark soy (0.5 tsp) and palm sugar (0.5 tsp). Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust: more fish sauce for saltiness, more oyster sauce for savory sweetness, or tamari for gluten-free option.

Make nam prik nam pla (dipping sauce)

For serving, combine 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sliced fresh chili and 1/2 tsp lime juice in a tiny bowl. Mix and set aside. Adjust heat and lime to taste.

Heat a large wok or heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 2 tbs vegetable oil and swirl to coat. For ground proteins and chicken/beef: add minced garlic and sliced chilies and stir-fry 10–15 seconds until fragrant, careful not to burn. Add the protein and spread to make contact with the pan; stir-fry until mostly cooked through (2–4 minutes for ground pork/chicken/beef; 1–2 minutes for shrimp; 3–4 minutes for crumbled tofu just to heat through).

If using green beans/long beans, add them now and stir-fry 30–45 seconds so they stay crisp-tender. Add sliced onion and stir-fry another 20–30 seconds.

Pour the prepared sauce over the protein and vegetables. Toss vigorously, stir-frying 30–60 seconds until sauce coats everything and is heated through. Taste and adjust with a splash more fish sauce or a pinch of sugar if needed. Sprinkle white pepper (1/4 tsp) and stir.

Turn off the heat and immediately add the holy basil leaves. Toss quickly just until leaves are wilted (10–15 seconds). Remove from heat to prevent overcooking the basil.

In a small frying pan, add 1–2 tbs vegetable oil and heat over medium-high. When hot, crack 1 egg into the pan. Let fry undisturbed until the white is set but the edges are bubbling and crisp; spoon some hot oil over the white near the yolk to help set the top but keep yolk runny. Cook 1.5–3 minutes depending on desired crispness. Drain on paper towel and season lightly with a pinch of salt.

Spoon steamed jasmine rice onto serving plate. Top with a generous portion of Pad Gra Prow (protein and basil mixture). Place the Thai-style fried egg on top or to the side.

Serve with the nam prik nam pla dipping sauce on the side. Offer additional sliced chilies or chili flakes for guests who want more heat. Provide spice choices: No Spice (omit chilies), Mild (1 chili), Medium (2–3 chilies), Farang Spicy (3–4 chilies), Thai Spicy (4+ chilies), adjust with quantity during prep.