After I received a call from Amy’s mom, JK, l immediately flashback a plate of warm jasmine rice sweet-salty caramelized ground meat, burnt chili, peppery smell, and an over-easy fried egg on top. I couldn’t stop thinking to be home right now, and my stomach started rumbling even though I’ve just eaten. While I was driving home, I tried to recall how to make the best of stir-fried hot Thai basil, and that how I came up with this 6 tips to share with you.

I might be overexcited, and that’s because an authentic Thai hot holy basil was a mission impossible to seek in my neighborhood area(Seattle, WA)

But, now it’s here waiting for me at home!

Why do you need an authentic Thai hot holy basil and where to find it?

A dish of “Pad Grapow (choice of meats) Kai Dow” is a regular dish you can find at every corner on the street in Thailand. These vendors are also called Arharn Tam Sung” or made-to-order food which means you can customize your dish to meet your expectation.

When the vendor cooks this, you can recognize it from far away, so smelling is their marketing on the open street.

The savor of this herb is not similar from regular basil you found in Pho restaurants. The hot holy basil has a stronger peppery scent with a touch of bitterness. And, I think it makes my tongue slightly numb(maybe because of the spiciness)

Note: kids under 13 might react to it. Please let them try not too much.

JK found this from her favorite local south-east Asia store—Pacific Asian Grocery—in Everett, WA, USA. She was also excited to eat this as she said my stir-fried Thai basil was similar to those street food vendors.

Unfortunately, there is none of this sold on the internet, so you may need to look for it at your nearest grocery, and ask them “Grapow” or “Real Thai basil” or “hot holy basil.”

If you’re a fan of stir-fried Thai basil and you can’t find one, you can substitute it with the regular basil, follow these 6 tips to make your stir-fried Thai basil striking and everyone will love.

Tip 1: Use lean ground meat

Amy prefers some percents of fat to cook stir-fried Thai basil, but the heat will melt down the fat, and you will have nothing left but fatty mushy ground pork with overseasoned meat.

I use pork to cook in this recipe with 90% lean. As your preference, pick any ground meat such as beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, etc. Or, you can use seafood, vegetables, or tofu instead.

Tip 2: Begin with fresh chili and garlic

I recommend adding chopped fresh chili and chopped fresh garlic at the beginning to infuse the fragrant to the heated oil.

I’ve tried many kinds of chili to do in stir-fried Thai basil, for example, dry chili, bell pepper but they don’t work best like fresh bird’s eye chili.

But if you’re not a part of the spicy-eating fan club, you can substitute with jalapenos and clear out the seed inside them.

Tip 3: Add no ginger

Ginger or basil?

You got to pick one. It sounds like pushy but there are so many recipes out there contains ginger as a sauce ingredient. I’ve tasted it. Hmm…

Ginger is a herb also to give you an intense heat. If you’re trying to conflict each other, the result is you’ll not get the best of a single one.

So, do ginger as stir-fried ginger, and do basil as stir-fried Thai basil

Tip 4: Be patient and let the sauce sipped

One of the stupid mistakes, when you stir-fry, is you are lazy to wait.

I usually use a wok to cook in most Thai restaurants, it’s a lot faster to cook with an intense stormy flame, but there’s a period of waiting and letting the sauce re-absorb into the meat particles.

This result of woky burny pungent smell you can create it your own at home without a wok!

When you stir-fry something with meat, there’ll be 3 phases:

• Getting the meat heated

After you fry garlic and chili, you will add meat to cook. This phase will create jus from the meat itself. So, spread it out and let it be.

You might come across to splash a little of water to help the meat not stuck to the surface of the pan.

• Adding the sauce

After the meat is done or 90% doneness, it’s time to add the sauce. This will give extra time to heat it to boiling temperature again. Add seasoning with a small amount at this time. You can always add some later.

• Braising to sticky

This is a lazy waiting time. After sauces added, you will see excess jus and sauce hanging out, but don’t worry, be patient, and let it simmer.

I spend this time clean up prepare rice, egg, table set-up, and other things else. All I need is to check if the bottom doesn’t dry out and burn, flip it if needed.

Tip 5: Add a kiss of white pepper powder

I tell you a secret of the Asian stir-frying cuisine, ADD a PINCH of WHITE PEPPER POWDER.

That’s it.

All ingredients will gear up and show the best of them. Not only stir-fried Thai basil you can add it, but all recipes with stir-frying techniques you do to power up. It won’t make your dishes spicier or hotter, but the smell and flavor will enhance.

As I’ve tried this on crab fried rice, the result is the same fabulous.

All right? Add it at the end.

Tip 6: Finish it with the basil

One of the big mistakes when stir-frying is adding the herbs too early. 

I did that before as I thought I could squeeze the fragrant out longer but I was wrong because it’s easy to lose flavor on the continuing heat.

Basil and all leaf herbs will get wilted and overcooked easily. If you cook it too long, the aroma of the basil will be gone.

You might want to turn off the heat source, then add the basil, and mix it using the excess heat.

Let’s see our short video on how to sizzle with sassy basil 😉

Conclusion

Stir-fried Thai basil is the number one Thailand’s street food which everyone will love to have it every day. It’s easy to make when you have a high-efficient wok but this recipe I’ve walked you through the tips of making it the same.

Using lean ground pork, fresh bird’s eye chili, adding no ginger, being patient, adding a hint of white pepper powder, and finishing with the basil last are the tricks I would like to introduce you to the home-stir-frying. I even use a picnic stovetop with butane gas I can nail it.

To enjoy, you should eat with rice and a fried egg as a Thai tradition. But it will be complete if you can fulfill your meal with the sourness of the 3-flavor Thai style condiment, PRIK NUM PLA.