Pad Kra Pao with Crispy Fried Egg

Thai street-stall holy basil stir-fry: hand-chopped chicken, bird's eye chiles, garlic and a glossy sauce, over rice with a lacy fried egg.

Fry the egg in more oil than you think, spooning it over the top. You want crackly brown edges and a runny yolk.

Ingredients

• 12 oz boneless chicken thighs, chopped fine
• 5 garlic cloves
• 4 bird's eye chiles
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup holy basil or Thai basil leaves, packed
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup neutral oil
• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice, hot

Method

1. Pound the garlic and chiles to a rough paste in a mortar, or chop them together very fine.
2. Heat the oil in a wok over high. Fry the eggs one at a time, spooning hot oil over the tops, until the edges are brown and crisp, about 1 minute each. Set aside.
3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil. Fry the garlic-chile paste for 15 seconds, then add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soy and sugar and toss until glossy. Kill the heat and fold in the basil until just wilted.
5. Serve over rice with the fried egg on top.