In my time cooking in Ae’s kitchen in Chiang Mai, I came to bond with the rest of the kitchen staff- even despite quite a big language barrier! Luhr, the head chef, became my BKF- “best kitchen friend.” He taught me to cook many Thai recipes- including pad kra pao, one of my favorite dishes. A key dish in Thailand, it is spicy, salty, and full of aromatic Thai holy basil- an ingredient integral to the cuisine. And much like Luhr, it is full of character and spice!

If you want to learn more about Thai cuisine, you must take Ae’s cooking class in Chiang Mai. To this day, it is one of the best experiences I have had traveling- and led me to find my Thai family in this very special kitchen.

Luhr’s Pad Kra Pao

(serves 2)

Note: Pad kra pao should always be adjusted to your taste- feel free to change the amount of chilis and garlic to your liking. Thai dishes are also always made intuitively and without exact measurements- so this recipe is approximated, but you can always change things up.

For the pad kra pao:

• 300 grams ground meat of choice (beef and pork are most typical in Thailand)
• 2 fresh bird’s eye chilis (I like to use a combination of red and green for more complex flavors)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• A dash of soy sauce
• A dash of mushroom sauce
• A dash of dark molasses
• A pinch of unrefined sugar
• 1 cups of Thai Holy Basil, leaves only (not Italian basil, this ingredient is essential and cannot be substituted)
• Additional onions, bell peppers, or vegetables of your choice, diced (optional)
• 75 milliliters canola oil

For serving:

• Cooked jasmine rice
• 2 eggs
• Canola oil, for frying

For the pad kra pao:

Using a mortar and pestle, pound together the garlic and chili. This will release all of their flavors!

In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, mushroom sauce, sugar, and a dash of water together in a small bowl and set aside.

Add the canola oil to a deep wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is nice and hot, add in your garlic and chili and quickly fry until the garlic is fragrant and golden.

Add the ground meat and continue to quickly stir, ensuring that everything is evenly cooked. Once the liquids in the pan evaporate and the mixture dries out a bit, add the soy sauce mixture, and then any vegetables, if using.

In the final moments of cooking, add in the Thai holy basil, leaving it to wilt just a bit, and remove from the heat.

For the star eggs:

Star eggs are the Thai version of sunny side up, in which the fried eggs become crisp and bubbly, forming into a sort of “star.” 

In a new pan, add a good amount of canola oil- no matter how much oil I would put, Luhr would always say “little more”- so be generous here! Heat over medium- high heat until nice and hot.

Once the oil is ready, crack in one egg- it will cook very quickly. Cook both of your eggs until the yolk seems a bit soft.

For the assembly:

Divide your cooked rice into two serving dishes and top with plenty of pad kra pao and your star eggs. Like the locals, you can also add some fish sauce and more chili, for that signature umami flavor! When you eat, make sure to thank Luhr- a lot of love goes into these types of dishes!