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Mince Pork with Thai Basil Stir-Fry_Chinese Recipes_Easy Weekday Recipes
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Mince Pork with Thai Basil Stir-Fry

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 3-4 tablespoons cooking oil 3-4汤匙食用油
  • 1.8 kg minced pork 1.8公斤猪肉碎
  • 2 bulbs garlic 2 蒜头，切碎 roughly chopped
  • few pinches of salt 几撮盐
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce 3 汤匙生抽
  • 2 teaspoons sugar 2 茶匙糖
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 茶匙红糖
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 汤匙鱼露
  • 1 teaspoon dark sweet soy sauce 1 茶匙老抽
  • 1 tablespoon bean paste/oyster sauce 1 汤匙豆酱/蚝油
  • 120 grams Thai basil leaves 120 克泰国罗勒叶
  • 10-15 Thai birds eye chili 10-15 颗泰国小辣椒

Garnish:

  • 4-5 Thai birds eye chili 4-5 颗泰国小辣椒
  • 1 tablespoon Thai basil leaves 1 汤匙泰国罗勒叶

Instructions

Prepare the Thai basil:

  • Strip the basil leaves from the stems by sliding your fingers along the stem. Set aside.

Chop the aromatics:

  • Roughly chop a generous amount of garlic.
  • Slice or chop bird’s eye chilies (adjust quantity for preferred spiciness).

Heat oil:

  • Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil.

Sauté garlic:

  • Add the chopped garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.

Add minced pork:

  • Stir in the minced pork. Mix with garlic to prevent it from burning. Add a pinch of salt to help draw out flavor.

Cook the pork:

  • Stir-fry the pork over high heat until about 70–80% cooked through.

Add sauces:

  • Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar, brown sugar, and your choice of bean paste or oyster sauce.

Add basil and chili:

  • Stir in the Thai basil leaves and bird’s eye chili.

Toss and finish:

  • Toss everything together until well mixed. Keep cooking until most of the liquid evaporates.
  • Once you hear a sizzling sound, toss a few more times to bring out the aroma.

Serve:

  • Serve hot with steamed rice.

Notes

  • Use pork shoulder for better texture and flavor
    Pork shoulder has just the right amount of fat to make the dish tender, juicy, and extra fragrant after cooking—much better than lean cuts like loin or tenderloin.
  • Separate Thai basil leaves from stems easily
    Run your fingers along the stems to strip the leaves quickly and cleanly. Only use the leaves—stems can turn tough when cooked.
  • Add salt early to bring out flavor
    A small pinch of salt at the beginning helps draw moisture and flavor from the pork, making it taste richer.
  • Wait for the sizzling sound
    Near the end, when you hear the pork mixture start to sizzle loudly, it means the excess liquid has evaporated. Toss a few more times at this stage to bring out maximum aroma and flavor.
  • Control the spice level for your audience
    If you’re serving kids or those who prefer milder dishes, reduce the bird’s eye chili—or keep it on the side. The dish is still very fragrant from the basil and garlic!
  • Once you add the pork, toss the pork frequently
    Avoid searing the meat as it will make it rough and dry. Also, if you prefer juicy, tender meat, be careful not to overcook the minced pork as it can dry out.