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Thai Basil Shrimp (Pad Kra Pao Goong)

Thai Basil Shrimp (Pad Kra Pao Goong) reads umami 9.3, salinity 6.8 and marine & briny 5.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 12 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 9.3 · Salinity 6.8 · Marine & Briny 5.9 · Funk & Ferment 5.4 · Richness 5.0 · Herbaceous 3.9 · Allium 3.3 · Sweetness 3.3 · Heat 2.8 · Fruity 1.6 · Floral 1.5 · Citrus 1.4 · Sourness 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.0 · Earthy 1.0 · Bitterness 1.0 · Nutty 0.8

What's in it (14)

Time & effort: about 12 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 113.6 kcal, 7.6 g protein, 4.1 g fat, 11.8 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with a pinch of the salt; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and chicken broth until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack in the eggs, two at a time, season with a pinch of salt, and fry until the whites are crisp and lacy at the edges but the yolks stay runny, 2-3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
  3. Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and heat over high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and chiles and stir-fry until fragrant and just starting to turn golden at the edges, 30-45 seconds — pull it off the heat a beat early if it colors faster, since scorched garlic turns bitter.
  4. Add the shrimp in a single layer; sear undisturbed until pink on the bottom, about 1 minute, then stir-fry until opaque and curled into a loose C shape all the way through, 1-2 minutes more.
  5. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry until just softened but still crisp, about 1 minute.
  6. Pour in the sauce and stir-fry until it thickens slightly and clings glossy to the shrimp, about 1 minute.
  7. Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the basil leaves just until wilted, about 30 seconds — the residual heat is enough, and pulling it off the burner first keeps the basil bright instead of drab.
  8. Divide the rice among four bowls, top each with the basil shrimp, then crown with a crispy fried egg and a few whole basil leaves.

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

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