This dish, although the recipe calls for minced pork, can also be eaten with chicken or beef mince as well as with sliced meats. Tofu can also be used for a vegetarian dish.

Holy basil is a spicy, peppery herb with a zesty fragrance which grows more pronounced once cooked.

Holy basil is hard to find outside of Thailand, as it tends to goes bad quickly, it should be eaten on the day of purchase.

If you cannot get hold of holy basil, it can be substituted with Thai basil which is available and easier to find outside of Asia.

Any fresh basil leaves can be used for this recipe. Although it is more special with the holy or Thai basil leaves, the common basil leaves found in the west are a sweet basil with a completely different flavour to Holy or Thai basil.

Ingredients, for 2 people:
1 tbls oil
8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
10 small Thai red chillies, roughly chopped – can add more or less to suit your taste, but it should have a good kick!
200g minced pork (can use chicken or beef mince if you prefer)
2 tbls fish sauce
2 tbls spoon dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
4 tbls water
2 handfuls of holy basil leaves

How to make Pad Ga-Prao Muu:
Roughly chop up the garlic and chillies.
Pick the holy basil leaves and flowers and discard the stem, rinse and set aside.
Heat the oil in a pan on high heat until hot, then add the chilli and garlic, stir until garlic browns.
Add in the minced pork, or your chosen meat and stir until the meat is cooked.
Add in the sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce and stir until it has been absorbed.
Then add the water and basil leaves.
Once the basil leaves have wilted, take off the heat.
Serve on a bed of freshly cooked, steamed rice.
Optional: This dish is sometimes served with a fried egg on top

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
300 grams (10 ounces) chicken breast or thigh
½ cup cashew nuts (can add more, depends on your preference)
½ cup water chestnuts (optional, depends on your preference)
½ cup straw mushrooms, the young unopened mushroom only (optional, depends on your preference)
½ medium-sized onion
3 medium-sized cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 large dried chili, cut into 1.5 cm pieces
2 green onions
¼ cup purpose flour
1 Tbsp chili oil
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
A little bit of black soy sauce (2-3 drops)
½ -1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp chicken broth (or can use plain water)
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:
1. Wash the chicken thoroughly. Cut off all the skin (will use the meat only), then cut the chicken into the bite-sized pieces, and set aside.

2. Wash the straw mushrooms with water thoroughly. Then prepare them by cutting in half. In case you are using water chestnuts; Peel their skin off and wash them with water thoroughly. Then cut in half or quarters, depends on the sizes.

3. Cut off the green onion root and peel off the onion skin, then rinse them thoroughly. Chop the onion into dice pieces, and cut the green onions into pieces approximately 1 inch long. Set them aside.

4. Add water into the pot and place it over medium heat. When water is boiling, put the water chestnuts in to boil until done (about 3-5 minutes). When they are done, set them aside to drain. (If using canned and cooked water chestnuts or not putting any in this dish please skip this step).

5. Add a little bit of soy sauce to the chicken, and let it sit for a few minutes until soy sauce permeates the chicken. Then take the chicken and mix with the all purpose flour to lightly coat, not too thick.

6. Heat oil in the pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, then start to fry the prepared chicken. Fry until the chicken turns light brown and crispy. Then take the chicken out and put it on the paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Reduce the heat down to low heat. Use the same pan to fry the cashew nuts. Fry until the nuts turn light brown and then scoop them up, set aside (if using high heat you will burn the cashew nuts and the inside will remain uncooked). Last, put the prepared dried chili to fry. Fry the chili for a few minutes then scoop them out, try not to burn the chili.

7. Mix the seasoning ingredients before stir frying, it will be easy and convenient when it’s time to cook without having to stir and then season and then stir…(some people may wait to season while cooking and that is okay to do too). Start by finding a small bowl and then adding chili oil, oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce, black soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, and chicken broth together and stir. (Taste to the flavor as you like).

8. Use the same pan, but take some of the oil out and use only about 2 Tbsp of the remaining oil. Place the pan on the burner on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add garlic to fry until fragrant and yellow. Then add onion to fry until it starts to turn clear. Pour the fried chicken and the prepared mushrooms into it. Follow with the mixed seasoning ingredients. Stir well until the seasoning sauce coats the chicken evenly. Then follow by putting the cooked water chestnuts in and stir. Finally, add the fried cashew nuts, fried chili and green onion. Stir well for another 1-2 minutes and then turn off the heat. Scoop stir fried to the plate and serve with steamed rice.

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