pad kra pao

I haven't been to Southeast Asia in a couple of years, and I honestly feel like my body is missing it. Since our Asia trip is on hold until next year, I've been recreating some of my favourite street food at home instead. This Pad Kra Pao is made with Beyond Meat mince, and honestly, it turned out so good. Lately I've also been gravitating towards more plant-based meals, so expect plenty more recipes like this.

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ingredients:

serves 2

• 250 g Beyond Meat mince (or any minced meat of your choice)

• 5 red chilies

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled

• 10 snap peas, chopped into bite-sized pieces

• 2 eggs

• neutral oil, for frying

sauce

• 1½ tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp sugar

• pinch of MSG (optional)

instructions:

prepare the chili mince

In a morter, add chopped red chilis and peeled garlic cloves, pound and mix until you get a minced chili paste.

build the sauce

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and a pinch of MSG (if using). Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is well combined.

fry the eggs

Heat a generous splash of oil in a wok over high heat. Crack in the egg and fry until the edges are deeply golden and crispy while the yolk remains cooked to your liking. Remove the egg from the wok and pour off any excess oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind.

cook the mince

Add the chili-garlic paste to the hot wok and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the minced meat and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and lightly caramelized. Stir in the chopped snap peas, then pour in the prepared sauce. Toss everything together until the meat is evenly coated and the snap peas are just tender.

Add a generous handful of Thai basil leaves and stir until they have just wilted.

serve

Spoon the chili basil mince over cooked rice and top with the crispy fried egg. Serve immediately.

*For the full experience, pair it with “SUDPANG!” by MILLI and enjoy the moment.