This Thai basil pork belly (Kra Pao Moo Krob) is a delicious Thai dish with crispy pork belly, fragrant Thai holy basil, and a perfect blend of sweet and spicy sauce. The best part? It's super quick to make, ready in less than 15 minutes!
For more Thai basil dishes, try Thai spicy basil & ground pork, chicken basil stir fry, eggplants stir fry with basil, green mussels stir fry with Thai sweet basil, and spicy Thai basil stir fry with catfish.
Try these fantastic Thai pork belly recipes, Kana Moo Grob, Thai crispy pork belly, Thai pork belly with yellow curry, and Pad Prik Khing with pork belly.
Jump to:
- What is Thai Basil Pork Belly
- How to Serve Crispy Pork Belly Stir Fry
- Ingredients for Kra Pao Moo Krob Recipe
- Thai Holy Basil vs. Thai Basil
- How to Make Thai Basil Pork Belly
- What is Thai Holy Basil?
- How to Serve Pad Kra Pao Moo Krob
- Tips for the Best Krapow Moo Krob
- Storage
- Variations & Substitutes
- Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Thai Basil Pork Belly (Kra Pao Moo Krob)
- More Thai Food You'll Love
What is Thai Basil Pork Belly
This delicious dish has the same flavor profile as the famous Thai Pad Kra Pao, but instead of ground meat, this one uses the homestyle version of the crispy pork recipe.
How to Serve Crispy Pork Belly Stir Fry
Serve this delightful dish over steamed jasmine rice for a satisfying meal. The crispy, deep-fried pork belly stir fry will make every bite a crunchy adventure.
It is a tasty side dish to serve alongside Thai basil fried rice, vegetarian fried rice, Khao Tom, or a heartier dish like Kuay Tiew Kua Gai.
Ingredients for Kra Pao Moo Krob Recipe
- Thai bird's eye chilies. More or less as preferred. This is where the heat is.
- Thai long pepper. Use Serrano or red jalapenos peppers. Seeds removed for less heat. Small, sweet bell peppers work, too, if you can't handle any spicy flavors.
- Garlic cloves. This recipe uses lots of garlic for extra flavors.
- Shallot. Julienned for sautéing lightly in the wok.
- Holy basil. Lots of this leafy aromatic herb! You'll want to use only the leafy parts. Wash it well first, pat dry with a paper towel, and pick the leaves and have them ready rather than picking them while stir-frying.
- Oyster sauce. The umami sauce for stir-fries. More about Thai sauces here.
- Sugar, palm, white, or brown will work.
- Fish sauce. Adds a well-rounded saltiness.
- Ground white pepper. Black pepper will work as a substitute. More about Thai spices here.
- Water or stock. Unsalted or low salt stock.
- Pork belly slices. Make your Thai crispy pork or buy pre-cooked pork belly, which is available at many Asian grocery stores.
- Oil. For best results, Use neutral and high smoke point oil like avocado, canola and vegetable oil
- Egg. Use one egg per serving. Fry the egg in enough oil to get crispy edges, but the egg yolk is still running. Add the pork belly stir fry to the top.
Thai Holy Basil vs. Thai Basil
Thai holy basil is what sets this recipe apart from others. I understand it may not always be easy to find at Asian grocery stores. The flavors of holy basil are unique compared to other types of basil.
If you can't find it, Thai basil is a decent alternative, even though some purists may not approve. But hey, we're not in Thailand with access to all the fresh ingredients, right?
And I know not everyone has an Asian grocery store nearby. So here's my suggestion. Use whatever substitute you have available, or simply leave out the basil altogether. I trust you to be the chef in your kitchen.
Use this image below to help you identify holy basil from Thai and lemon basil. The holy basil has smaller and lighter leaves with fuzzy stems.
Thai basil has larger leaves with purple stems. Remember those two things, and you'll be all set!
Read this helpful blog post about the fresh Thai herbs used in Thai cuisine.
How to Make Thai Basil Pork Belly
Like many stir-fried dishes in Thai cuisine, this Thai spicy basil & pork come together very quickly. Best to have all the ingredients ready to go and the sauce mixed in a bowl.
1. In a small bowl, make the sauce ingredients by combining oyster sauce, fish sauce, water, sugar and white pepper
2. add oil, garlic, and chilis on high heat, and fry until fragrant for about 20-30 seconds. Then add the red long chilis and shallot and cook for about 1 minute.
3. Add the sweet and spicy sauce for that perfect balance
4. Place pork belly in the wok and toss with a spatula.
5. Add the holy basil and turn the heat off. Place your Kra pao on a serving plate with steamed jasmine rice and enjoy it hot!
6. Fry the egg until the edges are crispy. Use one egg per serving. This step is optional.
What is Thai Holy Basil?
Thai Basil, a key player in this dish, brings a unique aromatic flavor to Thai cuisine. Its sweet and spicy notes add depth to Kra Pao Moo Krob.
How to Serve Pad Kra Pao Moo Krob
Enhance the presentation with garnishing options - maybe a sprinkle of fresh basil leaves for that extra pop.
Tips for the Best Krapow Moo Krob
- Achieve crispy perfection by making sure the pork belly is deep-fried until golden brown. Use this crispy pork belly recipe.
- Adjust the heat level by playing with the amount of Thai chilis.
- Slice the pork into bite-sized pieces for the recipe.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain those crispy textures for up to 2 days.
Variations & Substitutes
Experiment with different protein options, or swap Chinese broccoli for your favorite greens. Make it your own!
Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
A large wok or skillet is perfect for stir-fries in Thai or Asian cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regular basil works great as a substitute.
Kra Pao translates to stir-fry.
You can. Each chef is different; some use soy sauce, while others don't. It's up to your personal preference.
In Thailand, crispy pork skin called Kaeb Moo, or pork rind, is a crunchy delight often used in various dishes for added texture.
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Thai Basil Pork Belly (Kra Pao Moo Krob)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
This Thai basil pork belly (Kra Pao Moo Krob) is a delicious Thai dish with crispy pork belly, fragrant Thai holy basil, and a perfect blend of sweet and spicy sauce. The best part? It's super quick to make, ready in less than 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1-8 Thai bird's eye chilies. More or less as preferred.
- 2-3 Thai long pepper. Use Serrano or red jalapenos peppers. Seeds removed for less heat. Small, sweet bell peppers work, too, if you can't handle any spicy flavors.
- 1 ½ tablespoons sliced Garlic cloves. This recipe uses lots of garlic for extra flavors.
- ⅓ cup shallot, julienned
- 1 cup holy basil, packed tightly. You'll want to use only the leafy parts. Wash it well first, pat dry with a paper towel, and pick the leaves and have them ready rather than picking them while stir-frying.
- 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar, palm, white, or brown will work
- ½- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper. black pepper will work as a tool
- 3 tablespoons water or stock
- 2 cups crispy pork belly slices. Make your Thai crispy pork or buy pre-cooked pork belly available at many Asian grocery stores.
- 2 tablespoons oil. For best results, Use neutral and high smoke point oil like avocado, canola and vegetable oil
- 1 egg. Use one egg per serving. Fry the egg in enough oil to get crispy edges, but the egg yolk is still running. Add the pork belly stir fry to the top.
Instructions
Like many stir-fried dishes in Thai cuisine, this Thai spicy basil & pork come together very quickly. It is best to have all the ingredients ready and the sauce mixed in a bowl.
- In a small bowl, make the sauce ingredients by combining oyster sauce, fish sauce, water, sugar, and white pepper.
- Add oil, garlic, and chilis on high heat, and fry until fragrant for about 20-30 seconds. Then add the red long chilis and shallot and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add the sweet and spicy sauce for that perfect balance
- Place pork belly in the wok and toss with a spatula.
- Add the holy basil and turn the heat off. Place your Kra pao on a serving plate with steamed jasmine rice and enjoy it hot!
- This step is optional. Fry the egg until the edges are crispy. Use one egg per serving and as much oil as preferred for this step.
Notes
- Achieve crispy perfection by making sure the pork belly is deep-fried until golden brown. Use this crispy pork belly recipe.
- Adjust the heat level by playing with the amount of Thai chilis.
- Slice the pork into bite-sized pieces for the recipe.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: pork recipes
- Method: stir fry
- Cuisine: thai
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Keaw says
look crispy and creamy pork. I interesting to cook it.
Shauna B says
Fantastic recipe! Very flavorful and I couldn’t get enough of the sauce. Going to double up on this recipe for the next time.