Pad Gaprao

This recipe calls for turkey, but a more authentic rendition would be made with pork. A regular pan-fried egg would also be a lovely substitute because it is healthier and easier to clean up.

Ingredients

2–3 bird’s eye chiles

⅓ cup coarsely chopped mild red peppers

8 garlic cloves

3 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for frying

2 large eggs

1 lb ground turkey

2 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste

2 tsp sugar

1½ cups holy basil or Italian basil leaves

2 cups steamed jasmine rice, for serving

Directions

1. Combine the bird’s eye chiles, mild red peppers, and garlic in a food processor and blend until a paste. Set aside.

2. Line a large plate with paper towels and set it by the stove. Add oil to a depth of ⅓ inch to a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully crack in one egg and cook, using a spoon to occasionally baste the top of the egg with the hot oil, until the whites are crispy and browned and the yolks are cooked to the desired doneness, about 1 minute for a runny yolk, or 2 minutes for a set yolk. Using a heat-proof spatula, transfer the egg to the lined plate; keep warm while you repeat with the remaining egg.

3. To a wok set over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons oil and the reserved chile-garlic paste. Stir-fry until the garlic is just beginning to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the ground pork, and, using a heat-proof spatula, quickly toss to mix with the chile-garlic paste. Add the fish sauce and sugar, and continue stir-frying until the pork is fully cooked, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, then add the basil and stir just until the leaves have wilted. Season to taste with more fish sauce and sugar as needed.

4. Divide the rice among plates. Top each serving with the pad gaprao, followed by a fried egg, and serve hot.