Thai basil beef is known as Pad Gra Prow and is made with Thai sweet basil. The king of street food in Thailand is called Phat kaphroa, and it’s made with your choice of meat (pork, chicken, beef, or seafood), stir-fried with Thai holy basil and garlic, and served with rice and a fried egg. And when they say it’s king, I mean they are not lying. Something about the combination of Thai chili and basil that gets me every time.
This recipe packs all the flavors of regular Pad Gra pow without all the carbs and sugar. I love serving it with cauliflower rice and a crispy fried egg.
What makes this recipe unique (and more authentic) from other Thai basil recipes you may have had is that it is made with ground meat rather than thinly sliced pieces of steak. I love this because it feel like more authentic Thai street food, it soaks up more flavor and it’s cheaper and more practical for a regular weeknight meal. And best of all, you can throw it together in less than 20 minutes!
There are a few different types of basil used in Thai cooking.Holy basil (or hot basil) is known for adding heat to dishes. It can be harder to find so Thai basil is often used as a substitute.
Thai Basil (or Thai sweet basil) has purple stems and a spicy licorice-anise flavor. Thai basil can be difficult to find in American grocery stores but can be found in most Asian grocery stores (I’ve seen it in every Asian grocery store I’ve ever been in!). If you can’t find it, regular old sweet basil will work as a substitute.
Sweet Basil is the type of basil we are all probably most familiar with. It’s the most common type of basil found in grocery stores and is used in all types of sauces, marinades, and other recipes. This is a perfectly good substitute for Thai basil in any recipe, you just loose a little of the pungent taste that comes from Thai basil. Needless to say I grow all kinds of basil in containers that I bring inside during the cold winter. Fresh basil all year long!
You can use any kind of meat or seafood for this recipe & serve it with cauliflower rice.
Keto/ Low Carb Thai Chili Basil Beef, Pad Gra Prow
Ingredients
- 8 oz ground beef
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sweetener of choice erythritol
- 2 large eggs
- 2-4 bird’s eye chilies use less or more
- handfull of Thai basil
Instructions
- Mix the coconut aminos, fish sauce, and the sweetener and set aside.
- Make a paste with the garlic and chilies, add a pinch of salt to make it easy. Then set it aside.
- Heat a large pan on high heat. Add 1/2 tbsp avocado oil & the ground beef. Spread it so that most of the surface on the pan is covered. Let the beef sear for at least 2 minutes before stirring.
- While the beef is browning. In a separate pan, fry the eggs, sunny side up but brown the sides to make them crispy.
- Push the beef to a side to make room in the pan. Add 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil. Add the garlic and the chili paste. Cook for just a few seconds and mix in with the beef.
- Add the prepared sauce. Turn off the flame and add the Thai basil.
- Serve over cauliflower rice with the fried eggs.