Thai · main

Thai Basil Pork (Pad Kra Pao Moo)

Thai Basil Pork (Pad Kra Pao Moo) reads umami 8.6, salinity 6.3 and funk & ferment 6.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 14 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.6 · Salinity 6.3 · Funk & Ferment 6.1 · Marine & Briny 4.8 · Richness 4.6 · Sweetness 4.0 · Allium 3.7 · Herbaceous 3.6 · Heat 2.7 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Floral 1.5 · Sourness 1.1 · Nutty 1.1 · Bitterness 1.0 · Earthy 0.9

What's in it (12)

Time & effort: about 14 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 154.3 kcal, 7.8 g protein, 7.7 g fat, 13.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Warm 4 cups cooked jasmine rice and keep it covered while you prep: mince the garlic, thinly slice the chiles, and pick the basil leaves off their stems so everything is ready to move fast once the pan is hot.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and water until the sugar dissolves; set the sauce aside.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering, then add the garlic and chiles and stir-fry until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the ground pork, breaking it into small crumbles with a spatula; let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute to crisp at the edges, then continue stir-frying until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F, 4-5 minutes total.
  5. Pour in the sauce and stir-fry until it reduces to a glossy coating with almost no pooling liquid, about 2 minutes.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat, add the basil leaves, and toss just until wilted, about 30 seconds; transfer the pork to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
  7. Wipe out the pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high, and fry the eggs one or two at a time until the whites are fully set and crisp-lacy at the edges but the yolks are still runny, 2-3 minutes per batch.
  8. Divide the rice among four bowls, top each with the basil pork, finish with a fried egg, and serve immediately while the pork is hot and the yolk is runny.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.