Chicken Basil

[WujouMao]

i love the Thai breakfast chicken basil, or gai pad gra pow and eatern some serious hot varieties on the streets and at bus stations.

but now back home in England, i can't seem to make it as good as what i had when i was there. i'm in the process of growing thai basil leaves, [which knowing our climate, it won't grow ], but apart that, the meal doesn't taste quite the same.

looked on various websites and the ingredients are similar. light soy sauce instead of sugar. oyster sauce can add if you want. etc

i made it a few times, and it was either very salty or over powered with chili and salt. it never had the proper thai flavour as i had on the streets

can anyone give me a proper way of cooking it, or any thai women who cook for their falang husbands their recipe

james

[vegas]

My missus whacks the chili and garlic on the mortar and pestle, fries it, then adds chicken, soi sauce, chicken stock (no fish sauce), sugar and chopped green beans and water. Cook for a minute or 2 then in goes the basil before almost immediately serving. Gotta get the basil right. I reckon my missus' kapow is the best in Thailand.

[sabaijai]

Perhaps you're not using the right basil. It has to be holy basil, not sweet basil or mint/lemon basil.

[ForeignDevil]

GAI PAD GAPROW

8 ounces boneless chicken thighs cut into small bite-size pieces

3-5 cloves garlic minced

3-4 shallots thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil

3 Tablespoons Nam Pla/Soy Sauce combined

1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce

1/2 Tablespoon Black Soy

1 Cup Thai Basil whole leaves and flowers

2 small kaffir lime leaves shredded

5-15 thai bird chilis chopped

2 Tablespoons chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon sugar

dash white pepper

pinch MSG (optional)

get wok smoking hot with oil

add chicken and stir fry about 15 seconds

add chili, garlic and shallot

stir fry about 30 - 45 seconds till chicken is just about cooked through (time depends on heat of wok)

add soy, nam pla, dark soy, oyster sauce, lime leaf, sugar, pepper and MSG

stir fry just a few seconds to incorporate adding chicen broth to bring sauce together

add basil, toss well and serve

[WujouMao]

GAI PAD GAPROW

8 ounces boneless chicken thighs cut into small bite-size pieces

3-5 cloves garlic minced

3-4 shallots thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil

3 Tablespoons Nam Pla/Soy Sauce combined

1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce

1/2 Tablespoon Black Soy

1 Cup Thai Basil whole leaves and flowers

2 small kaffir lime leaves shredded

5-15 thai bird chilis chopped

2 Tablespoons chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon sugar

dash white pepper

pinch MSG (optional)

get wok smoking hot with oil

add chicken and stir fry about 15 seconds

add chili, garlic and shallot

stir fry about 30 - 45 seconds till chicken is just about cooked through (time depends on heat of wok)

add soy, nam pla, dark soy, oyster sauce, lime leaf, sugar, pepper and MSG

stir fry just a few seconds to incorporate adding chicen broth to bring sauce together

add basil, toss well and serve

i use everything like you do, apart from thai basil as its unlikly to find thai basil in sainsbury's in my town. as for lime leaves and oyster sauce, they are both new ingredients to me, as is pepper. but what the hel_l is MSG? iv seen this on a few yank websites and they use the abb too. if i asked in my local about MSG, they'd look at me with a fazed expression on their faces

so what the heck is MSG and chicken broth please?

[ForeignDevil]

MSG=monosodium glutamate

It is a flavor enhancer common to asian cuisines

It is also marketed under the names Ajinomoto, Vetsin, and Accent

some people can have allergic reactions to MSG

there are also other health concerns that may be associated with it as well

so by all means omit

chicken broth is a liquid in which chicken has been simmered and strained out

broth is similar to stock but generally more flavorful

you can substitite one for the other in this recipe

more important is the garlic, chili, shallot, lime leaf, basil and sauce components

follow my recipe as close as you can and you should get the flavor profile you're looking for

[Aries74]

too much info, I think I'll buy a plate.

[cathyy]

Thai basil is not holy basil. Thai basil has an anise flavor, while kra pao has a spicy flavor. Thai basil has darker green leaves, with smooth edges, while holy basil has jagged edges. The OP could try growing them indoors, in a good-sized pot, since they may not grow well in the UK.

I am totally unfamiliar with oyster sauce, lime leaves, and green beans being used in kra pao. I don't see as they would hurt, especially the oyster sauce. Use bouillon granules or cube dissolved in water for the chicken stock, or open a can of the stuff. Life is too short to boil chicken parts for stock when you only want to use 2 tablespoons of the stuff.

[WujouMao]

well when i said thai basil, i meant basil from thailand. and the basil we get from shops here is just plain basil, or sweet basil.

i have bought some seedlings from a nursery in uk. i bought all thai varietys which they had.

basil holy green

basil thai

herb basil Siam Queen

so currently growing basil holy green inside next to sunlight. i have never heard of oyster sauce, lime and runners either for gra pow. still, you can laugh all you want. i cant even fry an egg properly. it resembles scrambled eggs lol

[cathyy]

Excellent news on the basils! I hope they live long and prosper, providing lots of delicious Thai seasoning for you. There are some great recipes in this forum for curries that will use the Thai basil. Based on the leaves, is the Siam Queen a type of kra pao, Thai basil, or is it the other one? There IS another one, you know.

[sabaijai]

ka-phrao กะเพรา Ocimum tenuiflorum = holy basil (there is no substitute; it's not phat ka-phrao without this type of basil); used for phat ka-phrao only.

horapha โหระพา Ocimum basilicum = sweet basil (Italian basil will work, although Thai varieties are a bit different); used in stir-fried curries like khiaw-waan, and phat phet.

meng lak แมงลัก Ocimum citriodorum = lemon basil or mint basil (sometimes called 'Thai basil'); used for garnishing some curries, particularly phanaeng, also eaten fresh on the side with some northern and northeastern Thai dishes.

As you can see, these are three different species of basil. Siam Queen or Queen of Siam is an American-born variety of sweet basil, stronger in flavour than the typical Italian sweet basils.

[jaiyenjohn]

You can watch my wife cook it online here:

Thai Basil Chicken

Let me know if you like it!

[WujouMao]

ka-phrao กะเพรา Ocimum tenuiflorum = holy basil (there is no substitute; it's not phat ka-phrao without this type of basil); used for phat ka-phrao only.

horapha โหระพา Ocimum basilicum = sweet basil (Italian basil will work, although Thai varieties are a bit different); used in stir-fried curries like khiaw-waan, and phat phet.

meng lak แมงลัก Ocimum citriodorum = lemon basil or mint basil (sometimes called 'Thai basil'); used for garnishing some curries, particularly phanaeng, also eaten fresh on the side with some northern and northeastern Thai dishes.

As you can see, these are three different species of basil. Siam Queen or Queen of Siam is an American-born variety of sweet basil, stronger in flavour than the typical Italian sweet basils.

i didnt know Siam Queen was american sweet basil. the website never showed the latin name of anything. i might as well throw that out in the rubbish or chuck it in my garden and hope the frost kills it

seriously though i just thought basil was basil and use it in everything. never thought about differant varieties in differant thai foods

You can watch my wife cook it online here:

Thai Basil Chicken

Let me know if you like it!

i was suprised to see there wasn't any nam pla used in making it, but 2 differant types of soy sauce used instead. i can see though i have to buy a sharper knife to cut the chicken like that. my chicken is cut into chunks with a not so shart knife

apart from that, looks same same as what i have eat on the streets of thailand in and around bus stations etc

Edited September 24, 2008 by WujouMao

[vegas]

Yep, I forgot that black, sticky stuff that the missus adds.

[jaiyenjohn]

Glad you found it useful. My wife and I moved from Thailand to the USA about two years ago, and she's become quite the chef as now she has to cook everything that we used to just go out on the street and buy for 20 baht.

Still I eat like a king

Luckily in California, we can have a pretty productive Thai vegetable garden. We get Thai Basil, Holy Basil, Thai Eggplant, and Chillies through spring and fall, but it all still dies out in the winter.

I like this recipe because it's so quick to make, and I can pull all the ingredients out and be eating 15 minutes later.

Edited September 25, 2008 by jaiyenjohn

[ForeignDevil]

unfortunately, for those of us living outside of Thailand

as the OP does

obtaining fresh holy basil is not possible

feel free trying to grow it yourself

otherwise use thai basil as a substitute

like almost every Thai restaurant outside of Thailand does

FD

[sabaijai]

It's very easy to grow but if you live in a cosmopolitan city you'll find it in Thai markets.

[aircut]

It's very easy to grow but if you live in a cosmopolitan city you'll find it in Thai markets.

check out my video "

Stir Fried Pork With Basil - How to Make Authentic Version Recipe" at

simply substitute chicken for pork, and skip the eggplant section. satisfaction guaranteed.

[aircut]

I am not sure where did you get the following recipe. it is NOT how Pad Krapao is traditionally made .

You DONT use shallots, Black Soy and kaffir lime. (never heard of!!) You should use vegetable oil and not peanut oil. (why so many recipes call for peanut oil just to make it asian?)

and your ratio of fish sauce to oyster sauce

you start with frying chilli and garlic. add chicken season with oyster sauce and light soy sauce, and a pich of sugar. add basil leaves and thats all. (white pepper is optional)

check my video for an authentic demonstration:

GAI PAD GAPROW

8 ounces boneless chicken thighs cut into small bite-size pieces

3-5 cloves garlic minced

3-4 shallots thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil

3 Tablespoons Nam Pla/Soy Sauce combined

1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce

1/2 Tablespoon Black Soy

1 Cup Thai Basil whole leaves and flowers

2 small kaffir lime leaves shredded

5-15 thai bird chilis chopped

2 Tablespoons chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon sugar

dash white pepper

pinch MSG (optional)

get wok smoking hot with oil

add chicken and stir fry about 15 seconds

add chili, garlic and shallot

stir fry about 30 - 45 seconds till chicken is just about cooked through (time depends on heat of wok)

add soy, nam pla, dark soy, oyster sauce, lime leaf, sugar, pepper and MSG

stir fry just a few seconds to incorporate adding chicen broth to bring sauce together

add basil, toss well and serve

Edited October 1, 2008 by aircut

[smacko]

I am not sure where did you get the following recipe. it is NOT how Pad Krapao is traditionally made .

You DONT use shallots, Black Soy and kaffir lime. (never heard of!!) You should use vegetable oil and not peanut oil. (why so many recipes call for peanut oil just to make it asian?)

and your ratio of fish sauce to oyster sauce

you start with frying chilli and garlic. add chicken season with oyster sauce and light soy sauce, and a pich of sugar. add basil leaves and thats all. (white pepper is optional)

check my video for an authentic demonstration:

sounds just like my missus makes it... only i with minced pork instead. mmmmmmm

[chiliwasabi]

I am not sure where did you get the following recipe. it is NOT how Pad Krapao is traditionally made .

You DONT use shallots, Black Soy and kaffir lime. (never heard of!!) You should use vegetable oil and not peanut oil. (why so many recipes call for peanut oil just to make it asian?)

and your ratio of fish sauce to oyster sauce

you start with frying chilli and garlic. add chicken season with oyster sauce and light soy sauce, and a pich of sugar. add basil leaves and thats all. (white pepper is optional)

check my video for an authentic demonstration:

sounds just like my missus makes it... only i with minced pork instead. mmmmmmm

Sounds about right to me, but as with every cuisine people add there own little touches. However, while I don't use it myself, peanut oil is often used.

Edited October 2, 2008 by chiliwasabi

[WujouMao]

It's very easy to grow but if you live in a cosmopolitan city you'll find it in Thai markets.

check out my video "

Stir Fried Pork With Basil - How to Make Authentic Version Recipe" at

simply substitute chicken for pork, and skip the eggplant section. satisfaction guaranteed.

i've followed everyones cooking ways but i found yours was the best. simple and not overloaded with ingredients. i didnt know what your long green beans were, so i used runners for mine.

also, thanks to your vid, i know how to get rid of the pesky gralic peel. i always used my finger nails and it took an age. now i use my pestel which shatters the garlic. cheers mate