Thai Basil Fried Rice (Khao Pad Krapao)

Ingredients

• 400g (approx 2 cups) day-old cooked jasmine rice, refrigerated overnight
• 4 large eggs (2 for the rice, 2 for topping)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3–5 bird's eye chilies, finely minced (adjust to heat tolerance)
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 30g fresh holy basil or Thai basil leaves (stems removed)
• 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) oyster sauce
• 1 tsp (5ml) soy sauce
• 1 tsp (4g) caster sugar
• 3 tbsp (45ml) neutral oil with high smoke point (divided)
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced (whites and greens separated)
• White pepper, to taste
• Lime wedges and cucumber slices, to serve

Smart Substitutions

• ↔Add 200g minced chicken or pork stir-fried before the rice for a more substantial, higher-protein version
• ↔Use cauliflower rice instead of jasmine rice for a low-carb version (reduce calories by approximately 200 per serving)

How to Cook

1. 1

   Combine fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Mix until sugar dissolves. This is your stir-fry sauce — have it ready before you heat the wok, as everything moves fast once cooking begins.

   2 min

   Mise en place is absolutely critical for fried rice. Once the wok is hot, you have 6–8 minutes total — there is no time to measure or mix sauces mid-cook.

2. 2

   Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over the highest heat your burner offers until it begins to smoke. Add 2 tbsp oil. Add garlic, chili, and shallot all at once. Stir-fry for 30–45 seconds — the aromatics should turn golden and fragrant, not burnt.

   1 min

   The wok must be pre-heated until wisps of smoke appear before adding oil. Adding oil to a cold wok results in sticky, greasy fried rice.

3. 3

   Push aromatics to the side of the wok. Crack 2 eggs into the centre. Scramble quickly with a spatula until just set but still glossy. Add the day-old rice, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Toss everything together and stir-fry vigorously, letting the rice sit against the hot wok for 20–30 seconds at a time to develop colour.

   5 min

   Letting the rice sit and catch on the hot wok surface creates wok hei — the characteristic breath-of-the-wok smokiness that defines great fried rice.

4. 4

   Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the rice. Add spring onion whites. Toss to combine and stir-fry for 1 more minute until the sauce is absorbed and rice is evenly coloured. Turn off heat. Add the fresh basil leaves and toss once — the residual heat will wilt the basil perfectly.

   2 min

   Adding basil off-heat is critical. Even 20 seconds of direct high heat turns basil black and bitter. The residual wok heat wilts it gently while keeping it bright green.

5. 5

   In a separate small frying pan, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Fry the remaining 2 eggs until the whites are crispy and frilly at the edges but the yolk is still runny. Plate the fried rice, top each portion with a crispy fried egg, spring onion greens, and white pepper. Serve with lime wedges and cucumber slices.

   3 min

   The crispy fried egg is not optional — the running yolk mixes into the rice and acts as a natural sauce binder. It is as important to the dish as the basil itself.