Thai Name: Pad Kra Pao (ผัดกระเพรา)
Origins: Pad Kra Pao is the dish that Thailand runs on. If there is a single meal that defines the everyday eating life of Thai people more than any other — more than Pad Thai, more than Green Curry, more than any of the dishes that have become famous internationally — it is this one. Eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner across every province of Thailand, Pad Kra Pao is the dish Thai people make when they are hungry, when they are in a hurry, when they want something that is simultaneously simple and deeply satisfying. The name refers to Kra Pao — holy basil — the aromatic herb that gives the dish its unmistakable character and that cannot be substituted without fundamentally changing what the dish is. Wok-fried at ferocious heat with garlic, chilli, soy sauce and oyster sauce, the meat caramelises and chars at the edges while the basil wilts into the sauce — creating a combination of textures and flavours that is as close to perfection as Thai street food gets.
Our Version: At Sireeya’s Taste of Thailand, Pad Kra Pao is made fresh to order in a screaming hot wok. Ground or chopped chicken, pork, prawns are stir-fried with fresh chilli, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce and holy basil leaves until the sauce is thick, glossy and coating every piece of meat with intense flavour. Served alongside Sireeya’s homemade Prik Nam Pla — a traditional Thai table condiment of fish sauce, fresh garlic and chilli — so every customer can season their own bowl exactly as it is done across Thailand every single day.
What You Get: A freshly wok-fried portion of Pad Kra Pao with chilli, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce and holy basil leaves. Available with ground chicken, pork, prawns or chicken liver. Served with homemade Prik Nam Pla — fish sauce, garlic and chilli condiment.