Gai Pad Gra Pow

Chicken Basil, or Gai Pad Gra Pow, is one of the classics of Thai food and is surprising easy to make. You know you've made Chicken Basil right when the heat from the chili peppers plays just under the flavor of the gra pow and the fish sauce. Don't be afraid to use what seems like an excessive amount of gra pow leaves - they make the dish.

Yield:

Serves 2

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2. 4-7 Thai chili pepper, minced
3. 1 tablespoon sugar
4. 1-2 bunches holy basil
5. 1/2 lb ground chicken
6. 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
7. 3 tablespoons fish sauce

Directions

1. Mince garlic and chili pepper together. Clean and pick gra-pow leaves from their stem. It may appear like a lot of leaves, but the leaves will shrink when cooked and this dish's flavor comes from the leaves.
2. Fry the garlic and chili pepper in oil over high heat. When garlic starts to turn brown, drop the ground chicken in. Stir constantly. The juice will start to come out. Keep stirring until all the juice is gone. It might take a couple of minutes. Add sugar and fish sauce. Then add Thai basil. Quickly turn it over a few times to mix the leaves with the meat and then remove from the fire and put the gai pad gra pow in the serving plate or dishes. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

Normally in Thailand, gai pad gra pow is served with a small bowl of chili pepper in fish sauce.You can substitute ground turkey or pork for ground chicken. Some people like the meat cut up in bite size piecesrather than ground.