Pad Kra Pow POW!

This dish was unplanned. On Friday, while picking up some groceries, I spotted Thai Basil. Hah! I want that! Not for cooking but for planting. 

That's what I do. I sometimes buy herbs like mint or daun kesum to plant and not to cook. So on Sunday, I removed the leaves from the Thai Basil before sticking the cuttings into pots and on the ground. I spread them out like that to increase chances of success.

Since I had these basil leaves and I had already defrosted a packet of minced pork (originally meant for baked meatballs), it made sense to cook Thai Basil Pork (Pad Kra Pow).

I did not intend to blog about it because I have already posted some sort of Thai Basil Pork recipe in the past.  But the dish turned out quite good looking in the wok (to my eyes lah) that I did not want to waste an opportunity for a food post heh..heh... Besides, it tasted very good, very powerful flavors especially the aroma from the basil.

So that's how it ended up being plated, photographed and posted. 

Thai Basil Pork

Recipe source : Phong Hong

Ingredients :

- 350g minced pork (or can use chicken or beef)

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- a generous handful of Thai Basil

- one small carrot, diced (optional)

Seasoning (mix together)

- 1 tbsp light soya sauce

- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

- 1 tbsp thick soya sauce

- 1/2 tsp pepper

Thickener (mix together)

- 1 tsp tapioca flour

- 1 tbsp water

Method :

1.Heat oil in wok and saute garlic until aromatic.

2. Add pork and stir fry until it changes color.

3. Add diced carrots (if using) and some water and simmer until meat is cooked and carrots are tender.

4. Add seasoning and stir to mix.

5. Add thickener and continue to stir until mixture is thick.

6. Add basil and stir to mix.

7. Serve with rice.