Pad kra pao is a really good Thai stir fry usually consisting of minced meat, long beans and holy basil. We’ve subbed in smoked pork belly for another level of deliciousness and thai basil because holy basil is MIA.

As with all stir frying make sure you have your mis en place ready. Everything chopped up and ready to go. You heat some oil in a hot wok and it’s all over in a few minutes.

If you don’t have a hot burning hob on your stove top I would suggest cooking with your wok directly onto glowing charcoal or briquettes for optimum hotness.

SMOKED PORK BELLY PAD KRA PAO

(serves 4 or more if part of a banquette)

500 g smoked pork belly, cut into bite sized pieces
300 g green beans, trimmed and cut in half
½ brown onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
4 long red chilli (or up to 8 if you like it hotter), sliced
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 bunch holy basil (sub with thai basil or the normal stuff if you need to), leaves picked
4 eggs
Steamed rice and chilli jam to serve

Heat a splash of oil in a wok over high heat.
Once wok is properly hot add pork, beans and onion and cook out for 2 minutes.
Stir stir.
Add garlic and chilli and stir fry for a minute, keeping it moving so it doesn’t burn.
Add sauces and cook for another minute, stirring and scraping often to avoid burning and sticking.
Remove from heat and toss through holy basil leaves.
Have a taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Fry eggs in a pan.
Portion rice into bowls, spoon pad kra pao next to rice, place a fried egg on top and chilli jam to the side.