Nue Gra Pao: Stir-Fried Beef with Mint

Pad gra pao is Thai street food at its most direct: fiery, salty, sweet, and done in minutes.

The flavor base starts in a mortar (or blender). Serrano chilies, garlic, and onion get pounded into a rough paste, not a smooth puree. You want chunks and texture, not baby food. That paste hits a smoking-hot wok until golden, then thinly sliced flank steak goes in.

The beef should cook just until it loses its raw color. Overcooking turns it chewy and tough. Fish sauce, sugar, and water create a quick, punchy sauce that coats every strip of meat. Fresh basil leaves go in last and wilt from the residual heat.

Fourteen serrano chilies is not a typo. This is meant to be genuinely spicy. Adjust down if you need to, but the heat is the whole point of the dish.

Serve over lettuce leaves with steamed rice alongside.

Chef Tips

• Slice the beef across the grain into thin strips. Cutting with the grain makes the meat stringy and tough to chew.
• Get the wok screaming hot before adding the oil. The paste should sizzle aggressively on contact.
• Don’t overcook the beef. A uniform tan color means done. Any darker and you’ve gone too far.
• Use Thai holy basil if you can find it. Sweet Italian basil works in a pinch but has a different, less peppery flavor.

Variations

• Use ground pork or chicken instead of sliced beef for a more traditional pad kra pao preparation.
• Fry an egg and place it on top for the classic Thai street food presentation.
• Add green beans or Thai eggplant to the stir-fry for extra vegetables.