Some Like It Hot(ter).
Pad Gai Krapao is a traditional spicy Thai dish that literally means “stir-fried holy basil chicken.” (Pad means stir-fried, gai means chicken, and krapao is holy basil.) It is very simple and takes maybe 10 minutes to cook. The hardest part is remembering to start the rice early enough so that it’s ready when dinner is.
The quality of the ingredients is what make this dish. It can be made from pre-ground supermarket chicken, but the taste and texture will suffer. Freshly ground chicken thighs is really what taste best, whether you grind them yourself or you ask the butcher to do it. It helps if they have been air dried a bit to keep excess liquid from the stir fry.
For me, the main flavor component of Pad Gai Krapao is the basil. A student’s mother gave us a holy basil plant — Ocimum tenuiflorum to botanists — but told us that, in their culture, it is a medicinal and ceremonial herb, not for culinary use. Thus, I don’t cook from that plant; I use Thai basil — which is very aromatic and wonderfully spicy. And it really makes the dish.
The spice comes from Thai red chiles — small, but super hot. You might be tempted to say, “Only three?” But I would definitely make it once first to test the heat and see if you think it needs more … or less. Three is just perfect for us, especially when I include the seeds of the chile when slicing it. But, some like it hotter. (And any leftover chiles can be dried and crumbled for future use.)
~ David
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Carolyne
July 22, 2023 at 5:24 amWe love it hotter! But I was expecting a recipe from Morocco.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 22, 2023 at 8:09 amPatience, Grasshopper…. Moroccan cuisine will be coming soon! 🙂
Mimi Rippee
July 22, 2023 at 8:47 amI could eat this every day! I’ve got Thai chiles coming out of my ears, and I love ‘em!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 22, 2023 at 9:17 amSame here, Mimi! We don’t grow the chiles — we buy them from the Asian market, and get 2 cups at a time. Way too many. So I dry them, and pulverize then in the spice grinder — the powder is awesome for adding to stir fries!
Mad Dog
July 22, 2023 at 9:44 amHow delicious, especially with extra heat!
Have you tasted the holy basil plant?
Cocoa & Lavender
July 22, 2023 at 10:11 amI have tasted the holy basil plant but I promised our friend (who gave us the plant) that I wouldn’t use it in culinary preparations, as it is a sacred plant in her culture. Glad you like rye recipe!
Inger
July 22, 2023 at 10:37 amLooks tasty and fun and even my picky daughter might eat it! I need to grow Thai Chiles again—worth it just to look at!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 22, 2023 at 2:56 pmI need to talk to my gardener (Markipedia) about growing Thai chiles !
Karen (Back Road Journal)
July 22, 2023 at 11:37 amThree of those little chilies would be plenty spicy for me. Hot dish during the hot weather, you can be warm inside and out.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 22, 2023 at 2:56 pmMy mother used to say that if you eat hot foods on a hot day, it will cool you off. Hmmm.
2pots2cook
August 10, 2023 at 5:15 amSo agree to you mom! Tropical climate countries prefer spicy meals since it’s hot and it kills bad bacteria, so I was told. Ice creams are made for cold days, on dit….
Eha
July 22, 2023 at 4:49 pmHave not prepared this delightful quick stirfry for ages! Must follow your recipe when I can access Thai basil as other types will not do in my book and I do not grow it at present! I tend to use pork mince here instead of chicken but shall try your way next time. I prepare my ‘curries’ Asian medium-hot and with as much ‘body’ as I can . . . actually of all the favourites find the Thai ones most difficult to balance1! For ‘hot curries’ usually turn to Sri Lankan . . . thank you!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2023 at 8:39 amI so agree about the other kinds of basil — Thai basil is it! The nice thing is that you can make this exactly as hot as you wish!
angiesrecipes
July 22, 2023 at 8:30 pmThat looks delightful! And I would enjoy it hotter 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2023 at 8:39 amHotter is better for us, too!
velva
July 23, 2023 at 9:03 amDavid, I’ve eaten similar dishes and love this style. I love a spicy Asian meat and veggie, Thai basil, served over good rice. It’s never occurred to me to bring boneless chicken thighs-no doubt, it has a fresher taste.
This can easily be an everyday dish too!
Velva
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2023 at 8:41 amGrinding chicken at home is so much safer than pre-ground, Velva. In our youth, we worried about pink pork, which is okay now. Chicken is probably the pork if this generation. I also love how it doesn’t club when sautéed!
sherry
July 23, 2023 at 8:03 pmwe like it hot in this house 🙂 this sounds very tasty David. I love the freshness of Thai food. Hot food makes you sweat which makes you cooler …
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2023 at 8:42 amI agree — hot food does make us feel cooler. My mother taught me that when we were young.
Gerlinde de Broekert
July 25, 2023 at 7:40 amI love Thai food and we have a wonderful restaurant nearby . They always ask us how hot we want the dish. I will try your dish , it looks so good.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2023 at 8:43 amOur Thai place asks the same question. And then, if you answer “medium hot,” they ask, “White guy medium or Thai medium?”
Valentina
July 29, 2023 at 9:34 pmMorocco to Thai food. I love it. What delicious dish, and the Thai red chiles are like little (hot) jewels. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2023 at 12:04 pmThey are little hot jewels, Valentina! We dried the rest and made powder — it is seriously hot! Yes, I am all over the place with food. So many cuisines, so little time!
Raymund
July 30, 2023 at 4:38 pmIt’s fascinating to hear about the holy basil plant and its significance in different cultures. Thai basil certainly brings its unique spiciness to the dish, and I can see why it’s the main flavor component in Pad Gai Krapao.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2023 at 12:05 pmI do love Thai basil, Raymund — have you ever tasted the holy basil
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
August 3, 2023 at 3:40 pmI’m not a huge fan of spicy food (3 Thai chilies sounds like A LOT to me), but I must admit the dish looks utterly delicious and comforting. It’s packed with some simple yet wonderful flavours!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2023 at 12:06 pmThree was just plenty for me, too, Ben. But that is what is nice about cooking it at home — we can decide how hot we like it!