Fragrant Thai-style ground pork stir-fry with holy basil and chilies - this authentic 5-ingredient dish delivers bold Southeast Asian flavors in just 10 minutes of cooking.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 500g ground pork
- 60g fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3-5 pieces Thai bird's eye chilies, minced (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
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Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until smoking hot.
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Add 500g ground pork and stir-fry, breaking it up with a spatula, for 4-5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
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Add 3-5 pieces Thai bird's eye chilies and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant and the chilies start to release their heat.
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Add 3 tbsp fish sauce and stir to coat the pork evenly. The sauce should sizzle and reduce slightly.
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Remove from heat and immediately stir in 60g fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil) leaves. The residual heat will wilt the basil perfectly while preserving its aromatic oils.
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Serve immediately over jasmine rice with a fried egg on top for an authentic Thai experience.
Tips
Thai Basil vs Regular: Thai basil has a distinctive anise-like flavor that's ideal, but regular sweet basil works as a substitute with slightly different flavor.
Heat Level: Start with fewer chilies and add more to taste. Thai bird's eye chilies are very hot - remove seeds for less heat.
High Heat Cooking: The key to authentic flavor is cooking over very high heat to get the proper "wok hei" (breath of the wok) smokiness.
Fish Sauce Quality: Use good quality fish sauce as it's the primary seasoning. It should smell oceanic, not overwhelmingly fishy.
Serving Style: Traditionally served over rice with a fried egg and cucumber slices on the side to balance the heat and saltiness.
Fresh Basil: Add basil at the very end to preserve its bright flavor and prevent it from becoming bitter from overcooking.