Thai Basil Beef and Bamboo
Thai Basil Beef with Bamboo (Pad Kra Pao Nue Nor Mai) is a spicy, fragrant stir-fry made with beef, basil, bamboo, garlic, and Thai chilis. Serve it with a crispy fried egg for an authentic Thai meal.
This is one of my favorite dishes. I love how quickly it comes together. Thai basil stir-fry, also known as pad kra pao, is a popular Thai street food dish that has gained popularity in the States as well.
I love bamboo shoots, and growing up, my mom always added them to this dish. I later learned that it was her way of stretching the ground beef to make it more filling, since bamboo is less expensive.
Ingredient Notes
Since basil is a main ingredient, there are differences in the types of basil (Thai Basil, Holy Basil, and Italian Basil).
Thai Holy Basil is what the authentic dish calls for, as its flavor and aroma are more pungent and spicy. Holy Basil can be found in Asian markets, but it’s not always available.
If Thai basil or Holy basil is unavailable, you can use Italian basil. Surprisingly, I think Italian basil tastes more like Holy basil.
- Diced Beef– My local grocery store has pre-diced beef, or you can use ground beef.
- Oyster Sauce – This adds umami and a slight sweetness to the dish. You can substitute mushroom sauce as well.
- Golden Mountain sauce– This sauce is a staple in Thai cooking, the flavor is more mellow than regular soy sauce.
- Bamboo Shoots– I prefer the strips, but sliced or fresh bamboo works too.
Tips for Making Thai Basil Stir Fry
- Marinate the meat in oyster sauce and Golden Mountain sauce. Just a few minutes while you prep the other ingredients is enough.
- Pound the garlic and Thai chili pepper in a mortar and pestle for the best flavor and aroma. Alternatively, you can chop them with a knife.
- Have everything prepped before you start cooking, which is a general rule for any stir-fry dishes.
How to Serve and Store
Serve the Thai basil beef and bamboo with a side of steamed Jasmine rice, a fried egg, and prik nam pla. The Fried egg helps cool down the spice. The prik nam pla is a popular condiment that consists of equal parts of fish sauce, lime juice, and sliced Thai birds eye chilis.
This dish is great for meal prep, and leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or in a skillet. Try this version, a combination of Thai basil stir-fry and fried rice.
More Basil Recipes
Thai Basil Beef with Bamboo Stir Fry
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Ingredients
- 1 pound Diced Beef or ground beef
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1-6 Thai Chili’s adjust to your spice tolerance
- 2 tablespoon Oyster Sauce reserve 1 tablespoon for the marinade
- 2 tablespoon Golden Mountain Sauce reserve 1 tablespoon for the marinade
- 8 ounces Bamboo shoots strips or sliced
- 1 cup Basil leaves
- 1 Fried Egg per serving
Instructions
- Marinate beef with 1 tbsp oyster sauce and 1 tbsp Golden Mountain Soy sauce, set aside.
- Pound Thai chilies and garlic in a mortar. If you don't have one, use a food processor, or finely chop them. Wash basil and remove from stems.
- Heat a wok or large pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Add the beef and cook until almost done. Push the beef aside and add garlic and chilies. Drain and rinse the bamboo shoots, then add them to the pan. Toss everything to combine.
- Add the remaining oyster sauce and soy sauce, stir well, then turn off the heat and add Thai Basil. If it's too dry, add a splash of water. Taste and add more sauce if needed.
- For each serving top with a crispy egg that’s slightly runny and steamed rice.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
