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Pad Krapow Gai (Thai Basil Chicken)

As dynamic as it is speedy, this ground chicken and green bean recipe from Night + Market (Clarkson Potter, 2017) by Kris Yenbamroong and Garrett Snyder, delivers a wallop of flavor with punchy ingredients that stir-fry in just 15 minutes. While this popular Thai street food can be whipped up using a range of proteins, Mr. Yenbamroong refers to his riff as low-rent because its prepared with ground chicken rather than pricier slices of meat. Its piled with basil; Thai basil or holy basil provide more assertive licorice notes, but sweet basil adds herbal bursts of brightness. Spiked with Thai seasoning (see Tip), the chicken mixture is salty on its own, but its inextricably linked with rice, and imparts the right amount of salinity when dispersed. Alexa Weibel

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

  • cup vegetable oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken (preferably dark meat)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (from 2 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh birds-eye chile or other fresh chile (from 1 chile)
  • 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into -inch pieces (about 1 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Thai seasoning sauce (such as Golden Mountain; see Tip)
  • 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves (preferably Thai basil or holy basil)
  • Ground white pepper, to taste
  • Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
  • 4 crispy fried eggs (optional)

Preparation

  1. Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high, then swirl in the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the ground chicken and cook, actively breaking the chicken up into small pieces, until it is mostly cooked, about 6 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic, sugar and chile until evenly distributed and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then add the green beans, oyster sauce, fish sauce and Thai seasoning, and cook, stirring constantly, until the chicken is fully cooked, the green beans are crisp-tender and the krapow is glossy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat, add the basil and a dash of white pepper and toss to combine. If the sauce seems to cling too tightly to the mixture, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to make it loose and glossy.
  4. Serve over rice, and top with a crispy fried egg, if desired. Serve with additional Thai seasoning to sprinkle on top, according to taste.

Tip

Golden Mountain is made with fermented soybeans, like soy sauce, and imparts sweetness along with its jolt of salinity. It can be purchased in Asian supermarkets or online and lasts indefinitely. A dash of it adds complexity to stir-fries, curries, fried rice and cooked proteins and vegetables.

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Source: NY Times

Recipe category: Entree