Pad Krapao - a classic Thai wok dish

Pad Krapao – The Thai Classic

Holy basil from Thailand meets aromatic meat from Bavaria.

A perfect match.

Pad Kaprao, or Pad Krapao, is a favorite dish of many Thais, often enjoyed for lunch. Whether at the office, at home, or simply as a snack in between meals. Pad Kaprao always fits, no matter the occasion. It's Thailand's street food classic and for us tourists, a culinary highlight on the menu. This quick lunch dish is often topped with a crispy fried egg with a slightly runny yolk.

Pad Krapao translates to "basil stir-fry" and is prepared with Thailand's most famous spices: deep red chilies and Kaprao, holy basil. Holy basil has a strong aroma and tastes of allspice and cloves when gently heated.

You can either prepare the Pad Krapao sauce yourself, or use our authentic Thai Pad Krapao Sauce. This makes things a bit simpler.

Ingredients for 3–4 servings of Pad Krapao

Preparing Pad Krapao is quite fast; 25 minutes should be enough for you.

Just follow our cooking instructions.

Preparation of Pad Kaprao:

1. Slice the sausage diagonally into thin pieces.

2. Grind the garlic with the chili in a mortar.

3. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan over low heat.

4. Add the sausage slices and increase the heat to medium. Depending on your preference, you can fry the Gun Chiang more or less crisply.

5. Then add the garlic-chili mixture and fry it briefly (for about half a minute).

6. In a separate bowl, mix the light soy sauce with the fish sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves. Pour this mixture over the sausage slices and continue frying for another half a minute.

7. Add the Thai basil leaves at the very end, and then the Pat Kaprao Gun Chiang can be served.

8. Alternatively, cook the sliced meat 70% through, add Pad Krapao Sauce, and finish cooking briefly.

Did you know…?

Popularity: Pad Krapao is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand and is often referred to as the "burger and fries" of Thailand. It is a quick, simple, and relatively healthy dish that can be eaten at any time of day.

First choice after rescue: Some of the first survivors of the Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand asked for Pad Krapao as their first meal after being rescued.

Versatility: Pad Krapao can be prepared with various proteins, including pork, chicken, beef, seafood, or tofu. This versatility makes it a dish that can be easily adapted to different preferences.

Holy Basil: The dish is prepared with Thai basil, also known as holy basil. This type of basil gives the dish its characteristic spicy and peppery flavor.

Traditional Preparation: Traditionally, Pad Krapao is served with a crispy fried egg, often with a slightly runny yolk. This perfectly complements the spicy flavors of the dish.

Yak-Thai wishes you bon appétit.