Spicy Thai Jasmine Rice with Pork and Basil Recipe
A quick skillet dish: aromatic pork with garlic, chili, and plenty of basil, served over jasmine rice. In Thailand it’s a typical “office lunch” – ordered from small eateries because it’s made in a flash. At home you can have it ready in under half an hour.
Pad kra pao is one of the most popular lunch dishes in Thailand, often ordered “on the go” by office workers along with a fried egg and a serving of jasmine rice.
This dish is a Thai classic from office-district street stalls – fast, spicy and incredibly aromatic. The combination of garlic, chili, salty fish sauce and fresh basil creates an intense, herb-and-garlic sauce that soaks into fluffy jasmine rice. Another key element is the light caramelization of the ground pork over high heat, which boosts the umami flavor.
Why this version works
- Hard searing of the ground pork creates caramelized notes and a deeper umami flavor.
- Mixing the sauce separately guarantees a consistent balance of salty, sweet and fishy flavors.
- Adding the basil at the end preserves its fresh, herbal aroma and green color.
- Cooking the rice separately keeps it fluffy so it soaks up the sauce instead of turning mushy.
Chef's tips
If the meat starts releasing a lot of liquid instead of browning, turn up the heat and stop stirring for a moment until the bottom lightly browns and you get a deep, meaty aroma. A common mistake is a sauce that’s too watery – reduce it over fairly high heat until it’s thick and glossy rather than soupy. When cooking for several people with different spice tolerances, fry part of the chili at the beginning and serve the rest fresh in slices for sprinkling on top.
How to serve
Serve in deep bowls so the sauce can soak into the rice, with an extra handful of fresh basil or chili slices for those who like it hot. A classic side is a fried egg, ideally with crispy edges. For a get-together with friends, serve quick cucumber pickles on the side to add a refreshing contrast.
Watch out for
- Do not cover the pan – the meat will start to braise and release water instead of browning.
- It’s easy to oversalt with fish sauce and soy sauce, so only add extra salt after tasting.
- Don’t fry the basil for too long, or it will darken and develop a slightly bitter taste.
Substitutions
- Instead of ground pork you can use ground turkey or chicken – the dish will be lighter.
- Thai basil can be replaced with regular basil, or in a pinch, a mix of basil and mint.
- Jasmine rice can be swapped for long-grain basmati rice, cooked so the grains stay separate.
- If you don’t use fish sauce, add a little oyster sauce and more soy sauce.
Ingredients
- rice jaśminowy - 200 g
- ground pork - 300 g
- garlic - 3 clove
- red chili pepper - 1 piece
- onion dymka - 2 piece
- fresh Thai basil or regular basil - 1 handful
- soy sauce sojowy - 2 tablespoon
- fish sauce rybny - 1.5 tablespoon
- sugar trzcinowy - 1 teaspoon
- water - 3 tablespoon
- oil roślinny - 1.5 tablespoon
Preparation
- Rinse the jasmine rice in a sieve under cold water until the water is almost clear. Cook according to the package instructions (usually 1 part rice to 1.5 parts water) until tender but not mushy.
- Finely chop the garlic and chili. Slice the spring onion into thin rounds. Strip the basil leaves from the stems, rinse, and pat dry.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and water until the sugar dissolves.
- Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chili and fry for 30–40 seconds, stirring constantly, until very fragrant but not browned.
- Add the ground pork. Fry for 6–8 minutes, stirring often and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it changes color completely and starts to brown lightly.
- Add the sliced spring onion and fry for another minute.
- Pour in the prepared sauce from the bowl. Stir for 2–3 minutes over medium heat until the liquid reduces slightly and the meat is glossy and coated in the sauce.
- Finally, add the basil leaves. Stir for another 30–60 seconds, just until the leaves wilt but stay green and aromatic.
- Serve the hot pork over portions of cooked jasmine rice.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
When I make this dish for myself, I always throw in one extra chili and absolutely have to top it with a fried egg – then it tastes exactly like the bowl I had at a little bar by the BTS in Bangkok.
