Secret Recipe: PAI's Pad Gra Prow
Pad Gra Prow. Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott.
Secret Recipe is an ongoing series where Toronto’s top chefs reveal their closely guarded, drool-inducing restaurant recipes to be recreated by you at home.
🕒 8 min read
Chef Nuit Regular’s northern Thai cuisine has been recognized by the government of Thailand with their prestigious ‘Thai Select Premium’ designation for its authenticity. Thus, it’s no wonder Pad Gra Prow, a popular dish in Thailand, happens to be a best seller at PAI, one of the renowned Thai restaurants she and husband Jeff own and operate.
The fragrant pork stir-fry topped with a crispy egg boasts rich flavours from oyster and soy sauces, delivering an umami depth, while chilies add an exhilarating kick. But it’s the holy basil that make this dish a standout. Also known as tulsi, holy basil* boasts a number of health benefits including boosting your immune system, and delivers a unique flavour profile - strong and peppery, with notes of cloves.
Chef Nuit shares the recipe below. It’s also featured in her new cookbook Kiin: Recipes and Stories from Northern Thailand.
It’s a wonderfully straightforward dish that elevates your usual stir-fry game and can be recreated any time of day, including as a enticing savoury option for breakfast or brunch. With travel plans currently on hold, it brings a bit of northern Thailand home. And on the days you’re not up to making it, place an order for pickup or delivery. Win-win.
Holy Basil Stir-Fry / Pad Gra Prow
Serves 2
This is one of the most popular stir-fry dishes in Thailand. It is so simple to make and can be so satisfying when done right. Each spoonful explodes with flavour and aroma from the holy basil, complemented by the deep-fried egg on top. The runny yolk pours down over the rice, adding a creamy texture and flavour. (I like to cook the eggs one at a time so the edges get crispy and to ensure they do not stick together.) Add in the holy basil aroma, and it is a dish that pleases on many levels.
You can replace the ground pork with beef, chicken, shrimp, or tofu. Adding the sauce before the pork is fully cooked ensures that the meat absorbs more of its flavour. In Thailand, we have access to fresh holy basil year round. Imported basil travels a long way and is often not as fresh. To get the most out of your basil, just before adding it to the wok, hold the bunch in your hand and break the leaves using your fingers to release their oils and fragrance.
¼ cup + 3 tablespoons sunflower oil, divided
2 eggs, cracked individually into 2 small bowls
1 tablespoon Thai oyster sauce 1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce 1½ teaspoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons minced unpeeled Thai garlic or peeled regular garlic
½ teaspoon minced fresh red bird’s eye chili (optional)
1 pound (450 g) regular ground pork (about 2 cups)
1 fresh red spur chili, cut in half crosswise, seeded and julienned
½ white onion, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch strips
1 cup packed fresh holy basil leaves
½ teaspoon white pepper (preferably) or black pepper
For serving
2 cups Steamed Jasmine Rice
1 to 2 tablespoons Chili Fish Sauce (recipe follows)
1. To fry the eggs: Heat a medium wok or small skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the sunflower oil. Slowly drop 1 egg into the oil, decrease the heat to medium, and fry until the outer edges of the egg white turn crispy and brown, about 1 minute. Using a flat, nonstick spatula, slowly slide it under the deep-fried egg and scrape against the bottom of the wok. This will help prevent the egg from sticking to the wok and breaking the yolk. Transfer the fried egg to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat to cook the second egg. Set aside.
2. To make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce, thin soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and fish sauce. Set aside.
3. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. This will allow the wok to expand and help transfer the heat well during cooking and also prevents the food from sticking to the bottom. Remove from the heat so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons sunflower oil, minced garlic, and red bird’s eye chili (if using) and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, 10 to 20 seconds. Add the ground pork, return the wok over high heat, and sauté for 1 minute, spreading the pork out to ensure the meat touches as much of the hot pan as possible.
4. Stir in the sauce. Continue to sauté for 2 minutes. Add the red spur chili and onion, stir, and cook for another minute. Using your hands, tear the holy basil leaves into the wok. Stir and cook for another minute or until the basil starts to soften and turn dark green. Sprinkle in the white pepper. Remove from the heat.
5. To serve, divide the steamed jasmine rice between 2 plates and spread it out. Place the stir-fried holy basil on top of the rice. If there is extra oil in the wok, pour some on top of the rice. It is full of flavour! Place deep-fried egg on top of the rice. Serve with chili fish sauce.
Chili Fish Sauce / Nam Prik Nam Pla
Makes ½ cup
This is a classic Thai condiment that is a staple of Thai meals. It goes with so many dishes, and is frequently found in the middle of the table for adding a bit of spice to our food. It is my favourite accompaniment with almost any Thai dish. The diverse flavour profile is a perfect, yet simple, balance of fish sauce, lime, garlic, and chili. Each bite packs a small punch of flavour and amazing texture.
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Thai cane sugar
½ teaspoon minced unpeeled Thai garlic or peeled regular garlic
¼ cup fresh lime juice
10 to 15 fresh green bird’s eye chilies, thinly sliced crosswise
5 fresh red bird‘s eye chilies, thinly sliced crosswise
1 lime wedge, thinly sliced
1. In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, water, cane sugar, and garlic, until the sugar has fully dissolved. Add the lime juice, chilies, and lime and mix well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
*Holy basil in available in select Asian supermarkets.
PAI Downtown
18 Duncan St.
416-901-4724
PAI Uptown
2335 Yonge St.
416-901-4724
PAI at Kitchenhub - Etobicoke
935 The Queensway
416-551-4500
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Recipe excerpted from Kiin by Nuit Regular. Copyright © 2020 by Nuit Regular. Photography copyright © 2020 by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.